COVID-19 and Childcare Information for Parents
Child care health and safety guidance and resources for parents during the COVID-19 pandemic
Research shows that child care during COVID-19 can be safe. When child care programs follow health and safety guidance, there is a low risk of transmitting COVID-19.
However, it is very important that both child care programs and families follow all COVID-19 restrictions. What you do to keep your family safe will also help keep your child care provider and the other families in your program safe.
What child care programs are doing
In LA County, all early educators must follow LA County’s health and safety guidance for child care programs to be open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every program will have a plan in place to follow the guidance and protect staff, children, and families.
The guidance that child care programs must follow includes:
- The program should follow social distancing guidelines as much as possible. This means staff and children should stay six feet apart when possible.
- Teachers and staff should not rotate between groups. They should stay with the same group.
- Parents and caregivers must wear masks and keep physically distanced at drop-off and pick-up.
- Staff and children are screened for COVID-19 symptoms when they arrive. You will need to answer questions about your child’s health and your family’s exposure.
- All staff and children two years old and over must wear face coverings (masks) whenever possible while at the program, except when eating. Children and staff should be at least six feet apart when eating.
- The program has children and staff wash hands regularly. Staff regularly sanitize the space and materials.
- Children should not share food or materials. Programs should have individual play areas and activities for children.
You can also read more about specific guidance in the Early Educators section of this website.
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Ask your child care provider to tell you more about the specific health and safety changes they have made.
If you have concerns, talk to your provider about them right away.
How You Can Help
Child care providers are working hard to keep children and staff safe. They are heroes! You can help too. While rates of transmission of COVID-19 in child care programs is low, everyone needs to do their part to avoid becoming infected. If you are sending your child to care, there are 9 things your family should do:
- Everyone in your family who is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine should get vaccinated. If you have concerns about the vaccine, please talk to your doctor.
- Stay home as much as possible. Limit close contact with people not in your household as much as possible, indoors and outdoors.
- Wear a cloth face covering at all times when you are out and around other people, unless you are fully vaccinated. Children two years and older should wear face coverings with adult supervision.
- Avoid non-essential travel. Avoid public transport, if you can.
- Avoid any places where a lot of people are together. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
- Try to go to places at times when they are less busy.
- Avoid touching surfaces in public places, when possible.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly.
- Clean your hands often, especially after touching surfaces in public places and before eating. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
Find more information about staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic here.
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Remember, we can help each other stay safe. By protecting your family, you are also protecting your child care provider and other families in your child care program.
Quick Links to Helpful Resources
Click on the icons below for more resources and information to help you during COVID-19.
About COVID-19
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that typically causes mild to moderate illness, like the common cold, but can lead to dangerous complications. Learn more about COVID-19.
For information on what to do if your child or a member of your family gets sick with COVID-19, please visit the LA County COVID-19 website.