Introduction 

Child Care Aware® of America launched the Enhancing Preparedness and Response Capabilities for Early Learning Providers, Families, and Children project in 2019 to assist a group of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies within a 10-state Midwest area with increasing the likelihood that  child care providers, families, communities, and the CCR&Rs themselves are better prepared for disasters. This project, which concluded in 2021, was the second phase of a larger initiative that began in 2016.  Through this multi-year work, CCR&Rs strengthen their ability to serve as resilience hubs that reduce, and possibly prevent, the suffering of people affected by disasters—especially those most vulnerable. This work, focused on both the local and state level, has amplified the voice of child care and the strength of CCR&R agencies who are building local resilience, relationships, and expertise before, during, and long after a disaster occurs.  

It’s officially summer! And with all the fun activities that this season offers, it’s also a time to focus on safety and preparedness.

Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies stepped up and supported child care providers within their service areas in assisting with supplies, personal protective equipment and many other needs of child care programs. One of the most common themes or needs identified by child care professionals was support for the social-emotional needs of children.

Each September, we commemorate National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. Ready.gov has announced that this annual event’s theme for 2021 is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic inundated the child care system, Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) received helpful funds from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to support and provide relief to Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) member organizations across the country. In the summer and fall of 2020, CCAoA used the funds to provide CCR&Rs with resources to meet pressing needs within their communities.  

Las agencias de recursos y referencias del cuidado infantil (CCR&R) y los proveedores se han puesto en contacto con Child Care Aware^® of America con preguntas sobre cómo asegurarse de que sus programas se limpien correctamente y estén listos cuando los programas de cuidado infantil se reabran.

Primero, es importante comprender la diferencia entre limpiar, sanitizar y desinfectar. En resumen, limpiar significa eliminar la suciedad o los gérmenes de una superficie; sanitizar se refiere a reducir la cantidad de patógenos o bacterias en esa superficie limpia; la desinfección mata todas las bacterias en superficies duras y no porosas. La distinción entre los tres puede parecer borrosa, por lo que hemos recopilado algunos de los enlaces más útiles de socios en salud pública para asegurarnos de que esté listo y preparado.