For information and operational guidance during COVID-19, read the Ministry of Education’s Operational Guidance During COVID-19 Outbreak Child Care Reopening and the supporting guidance document for child care centres from Region of Waterloo Public Health.
Owners/operators of summer camps can consult the Summer Camp Guidance Document for information that supports – but does not replace – the advice, guidelines, recommendations, directives or other direction of provincial Ministries. For more details information and operational guidance during COVID-19, read the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Guidance: Summer Day Camps.
Child care centres should continue to monitor for new guidance from the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Health.
Child care centres and early years’ settings
Licensed child care centres, extended day programs and other early years’ settings will be permitted to reopen at full capacity starting September 1, 2020, while operating under enhanced health and safety requirements. For more information on re-opening in this sector visit the Province of Ontario website.
Ontario's child welfare agencies continue to operate, visit Family and Children's Services of the Waterloo Region for information on how you can help during the pandemic.
Resources for parents
For information on screening and when your child can return to school or child care visit our Return to school page.
Education resources
- Learn at home (Ministry of Education)
- Waterloo Region District School Board
- Waterloo Catholic District School Board
Staying healthy during COVID-19
Additional Resources
- Ministry of Health
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Region of Waterloo Public Health
- COVID-19 Guidance: Summer Day Camps (Ministry of Health)
- Summer Day Camp Guidance (Region of Waterloo)
Posters
Child care centre re-opening FAQs
Screening
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Can parents fill out an online screening form before arriving at the Centre? |
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Yes, where possible, daily screening should be done electronically prior to arrival; however, this would have to be reviewed before the child enters the facility. |
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Do parents also have to be screened even though they are not entering the facility? |
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If they are not entering the facility, they do not need to be screened. Anyone entering the facility must be screened. |
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Do children have to be screened mid-day for symptoms? |
| Mid-day screening is optional. |
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Do we need to duplicate the screening report and send it anywhere or do we just keep one copy? |
| Region of Waterloo Public Health (ROWPH) does not require a copy of the screening report. Keep a copy for your records in accordance with your own policy around record retention. |
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If we share space in a church or other multi-purpose facility, do we have to screen everyone who enters the facility? |
| Screening of other individuals who are not associated with the child care centre at a multi-purpose facility is not necessary if they are appropriately separated from the child care centre groups. There must be a physical barrier separating the child care centre group from others at the facility, the others must not participate in the program whatsoever, and they must not have any contact with child care staff or children. |
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Do no-touch thermometers still require disposable coverings? |
| Follow manufacturer’s directions. Disposable covers may be used if recommended by the manufacturer. If there is no disposable cover required, thermometers should be disinfected between uses. |
Testing
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Are child care staff required to be tested for COVID-19? |
| At this time surveillance testing is not required. Testing should be conducted if someone is in contact with a confirmed case or when symptomatic. Please reference the Provincial Testing Guidance. |
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Who refers the client/staff to get tested? Is that us or Public Health? |
| Both. See the Region of Waterloo Public Health Child Care Centre Guidance Document for specific recommendations regarding testing in different scenarios. The child care centre should advise the client/staff as to where they can access testing (i.e. the assigned site). Public Health should be notified if someone becomes symptomatic while at the child care facility, but does not need to be notified for all failed screenings (see Guidance Document for more details). When needed, Public Health will provide further assessment and answer any questions. |
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What if a parent refuses to get their symptomatic child tested? Does the child need to be excluded from the centre for 14 days? |
| Yes. The child would need to remain excluded from the Centre for 14 days from symptom onset. See the Region of Waterloo Public Health Child Care Centre Guidance Document for more specific recommendations in different scenarios. |
| Do we need a copy of the negative test result before the child or staff can come back? |
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We recommend that a copy of the negative test result should not be required. |
Symptoms
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If an individual shows symptoms related to virus, do they need to isolate for 14 days, even if the symptoms are no longer apparent? |
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Please refer to Region of Waterloo Public Health Child Care Guidance Document for details. |
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What would you recommend if a parent drops a child off with a runny nose with a history of seasonal allergies or transient fever when the parent reports teething? Can the child enter the centre or should we deny them entry? What if a child has one loose stool while at the centre but is otherwise well? |
| Consult Public Health for further assessment and advice on the particular case with the reporting form. |
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If we have a declared outbreak, does the centre remain open or does it have to be closed for 14 days? |
| When an outbreak occurs, Public Health will provide direction as to whether parts of a facility can remain open or whether the whole facility should close. If the centre was able to cohort, so that other groups of children and staff did not have contact with a case, some areas may remain open if supported by a Public Health risk assessment. |
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If a child becomes symptomatic while attending the child care facility, do all children in that cohort/group have to be sent home immediately? |
| In this case Public Health must be contacted to provide further guidance. While awaiting further direction, please follow the Ministry guidance and supplemental guidance provided in the Region of Waterloo Child Care Guidance Document regarding isolation of the individual who became ill. |
Washrooms
| Do toilets and sinks in a washroom require 2 metres (6 feet) distance between them? |
| Only every second toilet or sink should be used, and where possible, a barrier should be used to separate every other toilet and sink to preserve physical distancing. |
| Are shared washrooms between two groups of children permitted? |
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Only one group of children should access the washroom at a time and it is recommended that the facilities be cleaned in between each use, particularly if different groups of children will be using the same washroom. |
PPE
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Can you use cloth face coverings and gowns for staff if you have enough of a supply to launder after use? |
| Surgical masks and eye protection (i.e. face shield) should be worn by staff as advised by the Ministry of Education guidance for child care centres. If gowns are worn, they must be laundered after each use. |
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Can safety glasses or goggles be used for eye protection? |
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Yes, safety glasses or safety goggles could be accepted for eye protection. |
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When should staff/children wear masks/PPE? |
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Toys and surfaces
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Can wood toys be used in the classroom? |
| It is recommended that books, puzzles, cardboards, wood toys, etc. that are absorbent and cannot be easily cleaned and disinfected are limited or removed. Staff should ensure that all toys and equipment are in good repair, clean and sanitary. |
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Can an outdoor sandbox be used? |
| Sensory materials commonly shared such as sand, water and playdough are discouraged. These materials may be used if designated for each child and should not be shared with others. |
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Can outdoor wood play structures be used by more than one group of children? |
| Play structures, including those located outdoors, can only be used by one group of children at a time and should be cleaned and disinfected routinely (at a minimum between groups recommended). If a surface cannot be adequately cleaned and disinfected between groups (such as a wood structure) it must be designated to a group of children or not used. |
Cohorts/groupings
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Can a child go to more than one centre? |
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We strongly recommend that children only attend one child care centre |
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Can a large indoor space be separated to accommodate two groups of children? |
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There must be a physical barrier that must begin at the floor and reach a minimum height of 8 feet to separate groups in this situation. It must be as wide as the space/room will allow. |
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If we can’t move staff around between groups of children, how will we adapt when staff are sick or take vacation? |
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Supply/replacement staff should be assigned to specific groups of children and these staff should not mix between groups. Child care staff should avoid covering for colleagues assigned to different groups or working in different rooms/areas during lunches or breaks as best as possible. If a child care staff must cover for a colleague assigned to a different group/room (e.g. during breaks) they must do so in a manner that maintains physical distancing as best as possible, and they should use a medical mask and eye protection. |
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Our staff washroom and kitchen are only accessible by going into a classroom/program area. How do we handle this? |
| Designate a walking space in the room that provides 2 or more metres of distance from the group of children assigned to that room. Additionally, staff should always be wearing a medical mask and eye protection while indoors. |
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For half day programs, can centres run two programs a day in the same space with two different groups of children (one group in the morning; one group in the afternoon)? |
| See Ministry of Education guidance regarding Group Size and Staffing. |
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When there are part-time children, over the course of a week can there be more than the allowable maximum of children in a classroom? |
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As of September 1, 2020, child care settings may return to maximum group sizes as set out under the CCEYA (i.e. licensed age groups prior to the COVID-19 outbreak).
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We normally have half day programs. Can we change the look and operate with one group at a time for one day and then operate with another group of children for another day and rotate through? |
| See Ministry of Education guidance regarding Group Size and Staffing |
Sunscreen
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What is the difference if we have to use centre sunscreen vs individual? |
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Meals
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For food service at meal time, is the staff able to have the food placed on a counter, where a staff member then fills plates, and then the staff member transports the plates to children where they are seated? |
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Yes, as long as there is no self-serve or sharing of food and utensils (e.g. serving spoons, water jugs) at meal times and meals are individually portioned for each child (i.e. no family-style service) |
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The checklist indicates that meals are to be portioned in the kitchen. I am just wondering how the cook would know how much the children want to eat? Children often go back for seconds so would someone have to run to the kitchen if a child wanted more? |
| Best practice is to portion meals in the kitchen. If this can’t be done, meals can be portioned in the program area on a designated surface by the designated staff member. Leftover food should be disposed of. |
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Can a cook, who is not a program staff and has no contacts with groups of children, work at different sites? |
| No, all staff should only work at one location. |
Contacting Public Health
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Who do we contact when we have questions about policy, process or risk factors related to COVID-19? |
| Please call 519-575-4400. |
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When are we required to report symptoms to public health and how? |
| Please report to Public Health when an individual develops one or more COVID-19 symptoms while at the child care facility. Otherwise, Public Health does not need to be contacted anymore when someone fails screening. When required, the supervisor or designate should notify Public Health through the Region of Waterloo Reporting Form for Symptomatic Staff/Children. |
Resources
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Will Public Health be able to provide signage (e.g., distancing, hand washing)? |
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We have the following resources available for download:
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Where can we access the most up to date versions of the guidance documents? |
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Contact Us