Health & Wellness

Staying on top of our health...
The Department of Early Education and Care sets forth minimum requirements for health and safety, as well as additional guidance for family child care. Upon admission to the day care program the child must have:
- Physical Exam (Yearly)
- Immunizations (Updated as Needed)
Daily Health Checks
Parents are asked to exercise reasonable judgment about sending a child whom does not appear to be feeling well to a family day care home. Please make sure the provider has emergency phone numbers to contact you, the parent, or an emergency person listed in the child care enrollment packet.
FCCs are expected to comply with and adhere to all daily screening and monitoring protocols outlined in the minimum requirements for health and safety to the best of their ability. All children and adults that will be using the dedicated child care space need to be visually screened and signed in before entering. This can take place either outside the entrance to the home, or in a designated area that is generally separated from the rest of the child care space, like an entry hallway or front room.
Knowing that an FCC may be operating without a certified or regular assistant, the FCC educator may follow the following protocol:
- Post instructions at the designated entrance asking parents/guardians to complete the visual symptom check. Following the check, each parent or guardian must attest to the health of the child by initialing a sign-in sheet. Posted instructions should include a list of visual symptoms included in the screening (see below).
- When the parent/guardian and child have completed the screening and signed in, the FCC educator should complete an additional visual inspection of the child for signs of illness as they enter the child care space.
- If symptoms are observed, the child may not attend child care and must return home immediately.
For the posted instructions, FCCs may use the following language to describe how to conduct a visual screen:
- COVID-19 symptoms are currently understood to include fever/chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue when accompanied by other symptoms, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
- A visual screen includes checking for symptoms such as flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness. Please note that an observation of fatigue without other symptoms is not an indicator of COVID-19.
If symptoms are observed, the child may not attend child care and must return home. If none of these symptoms are observed, the parent/guardian or the FCC educator must sign in the child and indicate that none of the symptoms were observed.
Symptomatic Children
If a child or adult has symptoms that appear to be related to COVID-19 or they are presumed to have COVID-19, the FCC should follow the requirements related to Isolation and Discharge of Sick Children with the following allowable modifications, based on the number of adults in the child care setting and the physical makeup of the home.
- Notify the parent/guardian that the child is sick and must be picked up immediately.
- Notify all parents and other educators that someone became ill and has symptoms that may be due to COVID-19; encourage daily monitoring of their own child and themselves for symptoms.
Confirmed Illness
If someone who has been in the FCC space, whether actively employed in the child care or not, is presumed or confirmed to have COVID-19, the FCC should take the following steps.
- Notify all parents and other educators that someone is presumed or confirmed to have COVID-19 and encourage daily monitoring of their own child and themselves for symptoms.
- Clean and disinfect the child care space.