On Tuesday, March 17, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is hosting a free webinar for child care providers and Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies to share the latest coronavirus and emergency preparedness resources from CCAoA, along with updates and advice from our staff. In addition, the moderators will facilitate a discussion of what’s being done around the country at child care agencies and what people are doing to prepare and work with families. Register for webinar.
CCAoA has also created a new page with the latest coronavirus news and resources for CCR&Rs, parents and policymakers.
This week’s resources about the coronavirus include a letter from early childhood organizations urging Congress to provide emergency funding to child care programs; tips from our North Dakota member to help parents create a backup child care plan; a recorded webinar from Iowa with prevention and recommendations specific for child care providers; multilingual videos from our Washington member to teach kids proper handwashing; and CDC cleaning recommendations and an EPA list of effective cleaning products.
On March 11, a coalition of child care and early learning organizations, including CCAoA, sent a letter to all members of Congress urging them to provide significant and dedicated funding for child care programs during this public health crisis. Take action by telling your Members of Congress to include dedicated support for child care in their COVID-19 response.
Creating a Backup Child Care Plan (Child Care Aware® of North Dakota)
This page presents options and tips to help parents create a backup child care plan when regular child care arrangements become unavailable due to illness, weather, vacations or unexpected circumstances.
Webinar for Child Care on COVID-19
On March 3, the Iowa Department of Public Health in collaboration with Healthy Child Care Iowa, recorded a webinar for Iowa child care programs. The webinar includes information about coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, prevention and recommendations specific to Iowa child care providers (centers and family child care homes).
Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations (CDC, March 6, 2020)
Interim Recommendations for U.S. Community Facilities with Suspected/Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019
This guidance provides recommendations on the cleaning and disinfection of rooms or areas those with suspected or with confirmed COVID-19 have visited. These guidelines are focused on community, non-health care facilities (e.g., child care centers, schools, businesses, community centers).
How-to Videos for Child Care Providers to Teach Proper Handwashing (Child Care Aware® of Washington)
Videos are available in English, Spanish and Somali.
Vroom Handwashing Tip
Vroom is an early learning initiative that empowers parents, families, and child care providers to turn everyday moments into brain building moments with children birth to age five. Child Care Aware® of America is bringing Vroom to Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies in 10 communities across the nation. For more tips, visit this page.
Disinfectant products for use against coronavirus (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
The EPA released a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
CCAoA Pandemics Page
This page from our Emergency Preparedness and Response team includes tips and resources to help child care providers prepare for and reduce the impact of a pandemic (a global outbreak of a virus that is easily and quickly transmitted from person to person).