Ford says child care centres including home child care will be allowed to reopen with some restrictions including the same ones in emergency child care. Most of Ontario is moving ahead with Stage 2 of the regional reopening starting on Friday (June 12th).
Education Minister Stephen Lecce says all children and staff will be screened, no visitors will be allowed, cleaning measures will be increased and toys that can easily spread germs will be removed.
Lecce says parents who do not want to return kids to child care at this time will not lose their spot or be charged. He adds they will be increasing non-compliance penalties by $1000 per child, per day and stepping up inspections.
Centres will be required to adopt specific rules, including:
- Cohorting ― putting children and staff in groups of 10 or less day over day;
- COVID-19 response plan ― all child care settings will be required to have a plan in place if a child, parent or staff member/provider is exposed to COVID-19;
- Screening ― all staff and children must be screened prior to entry to the child care setting. Anyone feeling unwell must stay home;
- Daily attendance records ― child care settings must keep daily records of all attendees in order to support contact tracing;
- Cleaning ― child care settings must be thoroughly cleaned before opening and frequently thereafter;
- No visitors ― only essential visitors are permitted entry into the child care setting;
- Implementing drop-off and pick-up protocols in a way that facilitates physical distancing.
Get more information online here.
