In the wake of the coronavirus, child care is facing serious challenges. While the field has come together to ensure public health guidance is followed, that care is available for frontline personnel, and that additional reopening of the sector is approached appropriately, more is needed to ensure that child care programs, both center-based and family child care, survive in the long term.

Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies and providers have contacted Child Care Aware® of America with questions about how to ensure their programs are properly cleaned and ready when child care programs reopen. 

First, it’s important to understand the difference between cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting. In short, cleaning means removing dirt or germs from a surface; sanitizing refers to reducing the number of pathogens or bacteria on that cleaned surface; disinfecting kills all bacteria on hard, non-porous surfaces. The distinction between the three can seem blurry, so we have gathered some of the most helpful links from partners in public health to ensure you are ready and prepared.   

2020 Tornado Season 

COVID-19 has dominated the news in recent months. As a result, many people may not have heard that this spring’s severe weather season has already made 2020 the deadliest tornado year since 2012. Although it’s early in the season, the National Weather Service has confirmed 443 tornadoes across the country and many more have been reported. Southern states have been hit very hard, especially Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Louisiana.

National Tell a Story Day is Monday, April 27^th. Help Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) encourage families to share the joy and value of telling stories to their children. People have been sharing stories to communicate information and connect with others for thousands of years through visual drawings, word of mouth and written words. 

COVID-19 has changed the day-to-day lives of many families with babies and young children. Some parents are seeking ideas for additional ways to interact with their children because they are now working from home or spending more time at home because of social distancing. On the other hand, some parents may have less time with their children because they are working on the front lines of the pandemic: health care professionals, emergency responders or other workers in essential businesses or services. For all families, everyday routines such as mealtime, playtime or bedtime – or even diaper changing – offer opportunities to connect with children and build their developing brains. Vroom^®, a global early childhood initiative, offers free tips to parents on how to add learning to daily routines.

Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) understands that this is an uncertain time for child care providers, as they make difficult decisions around what's best for the business, community and families they serve. The safety and well being of staff, family members and children is of utmost importance.  

Note: This post and infographic were originally published on March 17, 2020 and were last updated with additional clarifications on November 25, 2020.