Safety Protocols for 2021

Our standard hours of operation have been temporarily changed. Jiggle Sprouts Daycare will now operate from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, but extended hours can potentially be arranged until 6 PM for an additional fee.
On a daily basis, we have a mandatory screening protocol, as outlined in our updated policy & procedures for children, parents, and staff. This includes symptom and temperature checks and a screening questionnaire.
No parents/guardians will be permitted to enter the daycare center. This is to prevent possible exposure and transmission.
Children are not permitted to attend the daycare if they exhibit even mild symptoms of a cold. Children must be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning to daycare.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES:

Your safety and the safety of your children and families continues to be our highest priority. In order for us to be able to provide the highest level in-person services while maintaining you and your family’s safety, new protective measures have been put in place.

Families who use the childcare services of Jiggle Sprouts Inc. agree to the following conditions, including:

COMMUNICATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD AND FAMILY:

Child and their family members at home must be free of any and all symptoms related to COVID-19. Child and their family members at home commit to keep to social distancing standards. Parent commits to communicate regarding family members who reside in their home who might be at risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. Child and their family members commit to practice personal protective measures at all times.

MASKS, PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND VENTILATION:

Masks are required for all staff, parents, providers, and members of provider’s family when indoors and within close proximity (under 6 feet) to children. As suggested in the Interim Guidance for Child Care Programs state document, masks are not required for children under age 5. However, we recommend that children 2 years and upkeep a clean, unused mask at the facility to use if they are comfortable wearing it for reasonable periods of time throughout the day, and in the event that he or she unexpectedly becomes ill and develops upper respiratory symptoms while at Jiggle Sprouts (coughing, sneezing, etc.) and can comfortably keep it on until parents pick up their child from daycare. Children under 2 years of age are exempt from wearing masks.
Children will be kept at a greater physical distance during meal and nap times, and locations of eating and napping will be expanded at our facility. Children will nap head to toe and sleep at least 6 feet apart.
No more than 6 children and 2 adults will be in any room in our facility at any given time.
There will be increased ventilation in the indoor spaces including the use of screened doors and windows, as well as constant use of two advanced air filtration devices in the two main rooms that the children frequent, that exceed HEPA standards to block microscopic contaminants.

MORNING DROP OFF & AFTERNOON PICK UP/ CHECK-IN

There will be no physical sign-in sheets. Parents will send the provider and staff a group text indication the time of arrival right before dropping off their child, and the time they will be picking up before leaving with their child. Parents must wear a mask or facial covering when dropping off and picking up their child.
Each staff member and each child’s parent will complete a short symptom-check each morning to confirm that they are adhering to the conditions listed above, prior to the start of each day’s session.

Each parent dropping off their child and each staff member will be asked to answer the following each day:

Do you live with anyone or have you had close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 14 days?
Do you or anyone in your household have a fever, cough, and or/shortness of breath?
Do you or your child(ren) have any other signs of communicable illness such as a cold or flu?

If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, the child will not be permitted to enter the childcare at least for that day, and longer if they need to quarantine.

Each child and all staff members will have their temperature checked each morning with a contact-free thermometer.

Drop off and pick up times will be staggered within the window of 5-10 minutes to reduce contact between families.
Children will be dropped off by the deck door.
Shoes of staff and children will be removed outside our facility. For this reason, we ask that you send a pair of NEW slippers and/or that your child wears non-slip socks to wear only indoors.
Staff members will ensure that children wash their hands immediately upon arrival. --Upon your arrival to pick up your child, a staff member will bring your child out to you.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES FOR FAMILIES AND STAFF:

No adults other than Jiggle Sprouts staff will be allowed to enter our facility when our daycare is in session.
Children will be brought to the deck platform and walked in / out by their teacher at drop off and pick up times.
Arrival and departure times will be staggered by at least 5 minutes apart to avoid physical crowding of families.
All staff members must wear protective equipment during our operations, including face shields/face masks, scrubs, protective gloves during meal times and when helping children with toileting or diapering or cleaning bodily fluids i.e. from a sneeze.
Parents dropping off and picking up agree to wear face masks when bringing their child to the deck or front door to meet the staff member.
All staff and children will wash their hands thoroughly at the start and the end of every day, and multiple times throughout the day including before and after mealtimes, diapering/toileting etc. Only staff will use hand sanitizer as an alternative to hand washing if they are not close enough to a sink at any given time.
Shoes will be removed and placed in the receptacle in the vestibule near the front door or in the outdoor rack or receptacle on the deck.

CLEANING AND SANITIZING PROTOCOLS:

We continue to maintain strict sanitation standards before the start of the day, and throughout the day, as well as the end of the day. The owner and staff will wipe and disinfect all hard surfaces including floors, doorknobs, faucets, toilet seats, railings, counters, light switches, furniture and toys, and materials, with bleach solution recommended by CDC and NYC Board of Health guidelines.
Each high chair, pack N play, crib, and napping mat will be used by one child only and sanitized before and after use. The napping mat will be stored separately in a bag in each child’s cubby.
Bedding used for napping will be stored in a plastic bag and sent home to launder each day. For this reason, we are requesting THREE fitted sheets to be sent to Jiggle Sprouts each week.
Please bring THREE changes of clothes (shirt, pants, underwear, socks) to be kept at Jiggle Sprouts at all times.
Toys from home cannot be brought to daycare. Soft toys or materials will be used on a limited basis and washed that day if used or touched by children.
Parents have the option of providing an oversized t-shirt or protective clothing for their child to use during sessions over regular clothes. This garment can be kept at Jiggle Sprouts to be used for the day and sent home every day and can replace each day or be washed and returned to Jiggle Sprouts.

IF SOMEONE IS SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED TO HAVE COVID-19:

Affected areas will be closed off, cleaned, and disinfected and outside doors and windows opened to increase air circulation.
The daycare would be closed for at least 48 hours to allow for thorough deep, disinfection, ventilation, and cleaning. If the situation changes and becomes necessary to update our procedures or close our program temporarily for a longer period of time we will notify parents by email and phone or text.
Any staff member, parent, or child who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 must make plans to leave the facility, and sent home with instructions to contact their health provider for assessment and testing.
Children who are being sent home because of COVID-19 symptoms must be immediately separated from other children and staff until parent or emergency contact can retrieve them from the program facility.
If a staff member, parent, or child tests positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that each family member living with a child or staff member is tested. Alternately, if a family member that a child or staff member lives with has COVID-19 symptoms, everyone in the family should be tested, and isolation measures are taken into effect. 6. Contact the local health department or your physician for reporting and tracing.
Any individual (child or staff member) showing signs of COVID-19 cannot return until the following conditions are met:
If your child receives a positive COVID-19 test, he or she must be isolated for 10 days, parents must present written clearance from health care provider and the child must be symptom-free for 48 hours.
If he or she received a negative COVID-19 test, the parent must present written clearance from a healthcare provider and the child must be symptom-free for 48 hours.
If a child does not get a COVID-19 test, at least 10 days must pass after the onset of symptoms for your child to return. At that point, the parent must present clearance from a healthcare provider and the child must be symptom-free for 48 hours.