Are you looking for information on how to obtain a license or registration for a child care program? If so, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll discuss the Guidance on Child Care, which provides important rules and regulations that you should know to manage your business. We'll also cover the requirements for opening a child care program, the spaces where care can be provided, the ratio of children to adults, and resources for providers. The Guidance on Child Care is designed to help you decide if operating a child care program in New York State is right for you.
It outlines the best practices for caring for children in your program and provides support to families with children so that the caregiver can maintain a job, get training, or meet the special needs of the parent or child. It also explains how child care can be provided in cases of child abuse to help protect the child. If you're working, you may have to pay a portion of your child care expenses. Contact a DSS office for more information on program rules and fees. Schools and early childhood education (ECE) programs must also allow flexible, non-punitive, and supportive paid sick leave policies and practices.
These policies should support workers who care for a sick family member and encourage sick workers to stay home without fear of reprisal, loss of wages, loss of employment, or other negative impacts. Schools must justify the absences of students who are sick, avoid policies that encourage school attendance while they are sick, and support children who learn at home if they are sick. ECE schools and programs should ensure that employees and families know and understand these policies and avoid language that penalizes or stigmatizes staying home when they are sick. When community levels of COVID-19 increase or in response to an outbreak, schools and ECE programs can take additional steps to increase outdoor air intake and improve air filtration. For example, opening windows and doors safely, even on school buses and vehicles transporting young children, and using portable air filters with HEPA filters are strategies to improve ventilation. Schools and ECE programs may also consider doing some outdoor activities if possible when the community level of COVID-19 is high. Schools and early childhood education programs should clean surfaces at least once a day to reduce the risk of germs spreading when touching surfaces.
For more information, see Cleaning and disinfecting your facilities. In addition, ECE programs must follow recommended procedures for cleaning, disinfecting and disinfecting in their environment, for example after changing diapers, feeding, and exposure to body fluids. CDC's COVID-19 community levels help communities and individuals make decisions about the COVID-19 prevention strategies they should use depending on whether their community is classified as low, medium, or high. These levels take into account COVID-19 hospitalization rates, healthcare burden, and COVID-19 cases. The recommendations described for community levels of COVID-19 are the same for schools and ECE programs as for the community. Schools and early childhood education programs that serve students from various communities should follow prevention recommendations based on the community level of COVID-19 in the community where the school or elementary and elementary education program is located.
Administrators of school and early childhood education programs should work with local health officials to consider other local conditions and factors when deciding to implement prevention strategies. School and ECE specific indicators such as absenteeism rates among students and staff or the presence of students or staff who are at risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 can help make decisions. Other community-level indicators that could be considered for use in decision-making about COVID-19 prevention include pediatric hospitalizations, wastewater surveillance results, or other local information. When the community level of COVID-19 indicates an increase, especially if the level is high or if the school or ECE program is experiencing an outbreak, schools or ECE programs should consider adding phased prevention strategies described below to maintain safe face-to-face learning and keep ECE programs open. While it is recommended to add or increase most strategies at a high community level of COVID-19, schools may want to consider adding layers when they are at the intermediate level such as those shown in the Considerations for prioritizing strategies section below depending on the characteristics of the school and the community. When the community level of COVID-19 falls to a lower category or after an outbreak has been resolved schools and ECE programs may consider eliminating prevention strategies one by one then closely monitoring the transmission of COVID-19 at school or ECE and the community level of COVID-19 in their community in the following weeks. Anyone who decides to wear a mask or respirator should be supported in their decision to do so at any community level related to COVID-19 including the low.
At medium and upper community levels of COVID-19 people who are immunosuppressed or who are at risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 should wear a mask or respirator that provides greater protection. Because the use of masks or respirators can prevent the spread of COVID-19 people who have family or social contact with a person who is at risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 (for example a student with an at-risk sibling) can also choose to wear a mask at any community level related to COVID-19. ECE schools and programs should consider flexible non-punitive policies and practices to support people who choose to wear masks regardless of the community level of COVID-19. Schools with students at risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 should make reasonable modifications or adaptations when necessary to ensure that all students including those with disabilities can access in-person learning. Schools may need to require the use of masks in environments such as classrooms or during activities to protect students with immunocompromised diseases or other conditions that increase the risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 in accordance with applicable federal state or local laws and policies. For anyone looking for information on obtaining childcare programs in New York State it's important to understand all aspects related to this process. This article covers everything from understanding best practices for caring for children in your program; paying a portion of childcare expenses; flexible non-punitive policies; increasing outdoor air intake; cleaning surfaces; following recommended procedures; understanding CDC's Covid 19 Community Levels; making decisions based on indicators; adding prevention strategies; supporting those who choose to wear masks; making reasonable modifications; understanding applicable laws; plus much more!By following these guidelines you will be able to obtain all necessary information about available childcare programs in New York State so you can make an informed decision about what's best for you!.
