REOPENING RESOURCES FOR PROGRAMS

Whether you are planning on reopening or are already open, there are many requirements, policies and recommendations to implement in order to operate your program in a healthy and safe manner. In collaboration with City partners, OECE and First 5 San Francisco compiled the guides and resources below to help you manage materials and important information. This page and the links to resources will be updated as needed.

SF Department of Public Health (DPH) Guidance

Child Care Provider Directive

Under the Health Order issued on May 22, 2020 by Department of Public Health, SF child care programs may reopen or continue operating for any children in San Francisco. Programs must prioritize spaces for children who need it the most, including low-income youth and those in the most vulnerable populations. The Child Care Provider Directive (updated September 11, 2020) provides a list of best practices and requirements for operating a child care program as conditions related to Covid-19 require.

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Interim Guidance for Child Care Programs

This guidance (updated May 20, 2021) was developed by the San Francisco Department of Public Health to help child care programs understand health and safety practices needed to prevent spread of COVID-19 in their programs.

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ADDITIONAL REOPENING RESOURCES

Supporting Transitions Tip Sheet

Tips for preparing children, families, and classroom for new routines and procedures:

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Health and Safety Plan

Per the Child Care Provider Directive, each program is required to create and implement a written Health and Safety Plan. This is an optional template to help.

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Risk Acknowledgement Form

Per the Child care Provider Directive, programs must ensure that each parent/guardian reads and signs the Risk Acknowledgement Form when they return to care or continue care at the program.

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Health Check Requirements for Staff

SFDPH no longer requires that organizations perform on-site pre-entry health checks.  This includes: screening for symptoms of COVID-19, asking about close contact with others who have COVID-19, measuring temperatures, or verifying completion of remote self-screening.  Instead, SFDPH recommends that all individuals monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms or exposures, and that employers ask employees to evaluate their own symptoms before reporting to work.  If they have symptoms, individuals should isolate, except to get tested, or seek medical care when necessary.

Organizations may choose to continue on-site health checks or verify remote self-screening and, in some cases, state and other regulatory agencies may require it.  If an organization conducts on-site health checks, it should be done safely, respectfully, and in accordance with applicable privacy and confidentiality laws.  For additional resources, including optional sample screening forms, see www.sfcdcp.org/screen.

Parent/Guardian Handout:
COVID-19 Health Checks/If Your Child has Symptoms

Information for parents and guardians on COVID-19 Health Checks (symptoms screening and temperature checks). The 2nd page contains instructions on what to do if a child has fever or COVID-19 symptoms, criteria to return to the program, and where their child can get tested.  

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COVID-19 Health Checks at Programs for Children and Youth

Per the Child care Provider Directive, programs must ensure that each parent/guardian reads and signs the Risk Acknowledgement Form when they return to care or continue care at the program.

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Guidance on Enrollment Priorities for City-Funded Programs

OECE’s policies on how to prioritize new and exisiting enrollments given limitations on capacity.

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Mental Health Resources

This is a challenging time. Staff may be worried about coming back to work, wondering how they will be able to support children and families, or have other issues they are dealing with at home. The newsletters linked below from the Department of Public Health’s Trauma Informed System (TIS) offer a variety of tools, strategies, and information to help staff cope.