COVID-19 Update
This page offers resources for child care programs, as well as child care providers who may have lost work due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Pinned Post
Child Care Resource Network continues to match essential front line workers in need of child care with child care programs
that have temporary vacancies. Please continue to call us or fill out the surveys below so we can facilitate the matching
process. Additionally, CCRN has a supply of diapers and wipes, we will be packaging and delivering small diaper grants for
child care providers in need, grants will be provided on a first come first serve basis until supplies run out. To be considered
for a grant please fill out the Diaper Survey below.
Parent Resources Provider Survey
—–Scroll Down For Updates—–
Wednesday 9/16/2020 at 03:53 p.m.
OCFS has issued guidance pertaining to remote learning in child care settings.
Dear Provider:
As we enter the seventh month of the COVID-19 emergency, OCFS acknowledges the efforts of our child care community during
this very difficult time. September begins a new school year, a school year that will look very different than any previous
year. Changes such as remote learning, virtual learning or a hybrid model lead to situations that have never been contemplated,
and child care providers are being called upon to serve children and families in new ways, including caring for children
during remote learning time.
On August 19, 2020, OCFS adopted emergency regulations to clarify that school-age children may attend child care programs
during the academic school year when such children are not required to be physically present in school as part of the regular
school day. These new regulations are posted on the OCFS website at:
https: //ocfs. ny. gov/programs/chi Id care/regulations/
How might remote learning impact my program?
Introducing remote learning into a child care program changes the dynamics for both the children and the provider. To ensure
a successful transition for everyone, OCFS encourages programs to develop agreements with families regarding remote learning
roles and responsibilities. Such forms or agreements are voluntary and will not be collected by OCFS. When developing an
agreement with families, remember that child care programs must remain in compliance with all applicable OCFS regulations.
Child Care Program Role
The care and supervision of children remains the primary role of the child care provider.
•Programs may choose to support remote learning opportunities by helping to facilitate a school-age child’s participation
in remote learning. This may include creating a work space where a child can engage in school work while under supervision,
ensuring the child is able to log on to virtual sessions and has internet access, and helping to remind a child, to the extent
practicable, to attend to the lesson.
•Children participating in remote learning cannot be isolated from the program and must be supervised per regulation.
•Child care providers are not tutors or classroom teachers and are not expected to serve in that capacity. The parent or
guardian is responsible for addressing their concerns about the child’s academic progress with the child’s school.
•The program will share information about its internet and technological capacity with parent/guardian. It is at the discretion
of the child care provider whether to support remote learning.
•Remote learning is considered an educational learning objective, therefore electronic visual media devices may be used
for this purpose.
•Remote learning that causes a distraction to the provider such that it impacts the quality of care provider will not be
allowed to continue.
Parent/Guardian Responsibilities
•Parent/guardian is responsible for providing all materials needed for the child to participate in remote learning. This
includes, but is not limited to, a laptop/tablet, books, assignments and log-in credentials.
•Parent/guardian will provide the child care program the schedule for remote learning, including what time children are
expected to log on, etc.
•Parent/guardian will discuss the program’s technological capacity (e.g., internet access, etc.) before beginning remote
learning.
•Parent/guardian is responsible for addressing concerns about a child’s academic performance with the K-12 school teacher,
not the child care provider. The parent/guardian is the point of contact for the school for all matters concerning the child’s
education.
•The parent/guardian will discuss expectations of remote learning with child (e.g., this may include not playing computer
games, and not using the computer inappropriately).
What about my own school-age children?
The school-age child(ren) of a licensed/registered provider who is providing remote learning will not be counted in the
program’s capacity.
There has been no change to the existing protocols for home-based child care providers who homeschool their children. Under
New York State Education Law, parents of, or persons in parental relation to, compulsory school-age children have the legal
right to instruct their children at home. Parents who wish to home school their children must provide written notice of intent
to the school district superintendent and complete an individualized home instruction plan (IHIP) form. More information
here: http://www.nysed.gov/.
In this scenario, the provider’s school-age child(ren) is counted toward the program’s overall capacity. Please refer to
DCCS Policy 15-2: Home Schooling and Family Day Care Registration or Group Family Day Care Licensure for further details.
This policy is posted on the OCFS website at: https://www.ocfs.ny.gov/main/childcare/policies/15-2.pdf.
OCFS is aware of the integral role child care programs play in the lives of families, children, and communities. Your resilience
and strength continue to shine throughout this unprecedented time. Uncertainty is challenging and information is rapidly
evolving. As New York moves forward, please remain in contact with your regulator who will clarify any questions you may
have. Together, we will make it through! Thank you for your tireless commitment to the well being of children.
Sincerely,
Janice M. Molnar, Ph.D. Deputy Commissioner
Division of Child Care Services
Saturday 4/18/2020 at 11:330 a.m.
OCFS has issued guidance pertaining to the use of face masks in child care settings.
Background: In December 2019, a new respiratory disease called the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was detected. COVID-19 is caused
by a virus (SARS-CoV-2) that is part of a large family of viruses called coronaviruses. Recently, community-wide transmission
of COVID-19 has occurred in the United States, including New York where the number of both confirmed and suspected cases
is increasing. To reduce the community-wide transmission of COVID-19, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has taken aggressive action
through Executive Order 202, as amended, to combat the spread of this infectious disease, reducing the density of people
in areas of common congregation by closing the in-person operations of non-essential businesses and prohibiting all non-essential
gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason.
Executive Orders:
Executive Order 202.17, issued on April 15, 2020, provides the following directive:
Effective at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2020 any individual who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance.
Executive Order 202.18, issued on April 16, 2020, provides the following directive:
Any person utilizing public or private transportation carriers or other for-hire vehicles, who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering, shall wear a mask or face covering over the nose and mouth during any such trip; any person who is operating such public or private transport, shall likewise wear a face covering or mask which covers the nose and mouth while there are any passengers in such vehicle. This directive shall take effect in the same manner as Executive Order 202.17, at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2020.
Guidance:
Individuals must procure, fashion, or otherwise obtain face coverings and wear such coverings when they are in a public
place and are:
- within six feet of distance from other individuals; or
- in a situation or setting where they are unable to maintain six feet of distance from other individuals; or
- in a public or private transportation carrier or for-hire vehicle.
Children do not need to wear face coverings when they are in a child care program. In addition, the outdoor space that belongs
exclusively to the child care program is not considered a public place. Face coverings include, but are not limited
to, cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana), surgical masks, N-95 respirators, and face shields. Please visit
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” website for information on cloth
face covers and other types of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as instructions on use, cleaning, and disposal.
Instructions forwearing and making cloth face coverings can be found on the OCFS website at:
https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/news/2020/DOH-COVID-2020Apr08-Cloth-Masks.pdf.
Please note that the most protective PPE (e.g. N-95 respirators) remains a critical need for health care workers and
first responders and, therefore, should be prioritized for those settings. Individuals are required to wear a face covering
in the above mentioned situations and settings, provided that they are older than two (2) years of age and able to medically
tolerate a covering. If a face covering would inhibit or otherwise impair an individual’s health or if an individual
is not older than two (2) years of age, an individual is not required to wear or use such a covering. Further, essential
business operators and enforcement authorities are prohibited from requesting or requiring medical or other documentation
from an individual who declines to wear a face covering due to a medical or other health condition that prevents such usage.
Nothing in Executive Order 202.17 or 202.18 shall remove the obligation of essential businesses, as well as state and
local government agencies and authorities, to procure, fashion, or otherwise obtain face coverings and provide such
coverings to employees who directly interact with the public during the course of their work at no-cost to the employee,
pursuant to Executive Order 202.16. Public and private transport operators required to wear a face covering while transporting
passengers should consult the New York State Department of Health’s “Interim Guidance on Executive Order 202.16 Requiring Face
Coverings for Public and Private Employees Interacting with the Public During the COVID-19 Outbreak,” issued on April
14, 2020, for further information.
Wednesday 4/15/2020 at 12:00 p.m.
This past weekend Governor Cuomo issued an executive order regarding essential workers. This is what the order says:
“For all essential businesses or entities, any employees who are present in the workplace shall be provided and shall wear
face coverings when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. Businesses must provide, at their expense,
such face coverings for their employees. This provision may be enforced by local governments or local law enforcement as
if it were an order pursuant to section 12 or 12-b of the Public Health Law. This requirement shall be effective Wednesday,
April 15 at 8 p.m.”
Monday 4/13/2020 at 12:15 p.m.
Dear Child Care Provider
Amid this global pandemic and time of unprecedented uncertainly all of us at Child Care Resource Network are concerned about
the safety and well-being of our child care community. First and foremost, we hope you are healthy and safe. Our thoughts
are with those that may be sick, those that made a difficult decision to close their doors, and those that continue to tirelessly
work on the front lines to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our children. Thank you for your selfless dedication
to our community – you are appreciated. I want to update you on some of the many ways we have been working behind the scenes
for you:
• While our agency doors are closed to the public, our agency remains fully open and operational. Our expert staff is working
remotely and available to answer your questions or provide you with needed resources by phone, email, or through a scheduled
Zoom meeting.
• We are proud to serve on County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s Erie County Emergency Child Care Task Force. We are at the
table serving as the voice for children, families, and the early childhood community at large.
• We are committed to providing you with only the most accurate and up-to-date information. On our website and on our social
media sites, we have a host of resources that includes guidance from OCFS, as well as business and program resources to help
you weather this storm.
• In recent weeks our staff and members of our Board of Directors have come together to distribute diapers and hand sanitizer
to area programs. While this is a great start, we understand that many other valuable resources are still desperately needed
to operate safe programs. To continue the progress, CCRN applied for and received funding through The Western New York COVID-19
Community Response Fund. With this funding, we are working to assess needs and will purchase and mobilize supplies as quickly
as possible.
I know that many are struggling right now and fearful for what the future may bring, but I have every confidence that together
we can rise up to the challenges this crisis presents and come out stronger on the other side. Our child care community has
been built on trust, dedication, and mutual respect. We have been supporters of each other before this crisis, we are supporters
of each other during this crisis, and Child Care Resource Network will continue to support you after this crisis.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Suminski
Chief Executive Officer
Child Care Resource Network
Thursday 3/27/2020 at 12:15 p.m.
We have just been made aware the OCFS has supplies of hand sanitizer that they will be giving away for free to licensed/registered
child care providers who remain open during the COVID-19 outbreak. To protect both providers and OCFS personnel this will
be a drive-thru only event so that everyone can practice safe social distancing.
Pickup times are listed below.
SACC and Center-based Providers:
OCFS will be distributing sanitizer to SACC programs and center-based providers on Monday, March 30, 2020. Providers can
pick up the sanitizer from 9 a.m.-12 p.m and again from 1:00 p.m- 3 p.m. at 1000 Hertel Ave Buffalo NY 14216.
Family and Group Family Providers:
OCFS will be distributing sanitizer to Family and Group Family providers on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. Providers can pick
up the sanitizer from 9 a.m.-12 p.m and again from 1:00 p.m- 3 p.m. at 1000 Hertel Ave Buffalo NY 14216.
Thursday 3/24/2020 at 11:27 a.m.
Q. Are child care programs being ordered to close?
A. Child care programs are NOT being ordered to close. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Governor Cuomo and
his administration consider child care to be an essential function critical to enabling parents to go to work.
Q. Who can order a child care program to close due to COVID-19?
A. In certain circumstances, local authorities, mainly local Departments of Health, have the authority to direct programs
to close under quarantine or other emergency orders. In addition, child care programs are business entities and can
voluntarily close the program.
Q. Have the requirements regarding staff/child ratios been lifted?
A. OCFS has been granted the authority to waive select regulatory requirements in order to meet the need for child care
services. Staff/child ratio is one such requirement. You may contact your regulator and submit a waiver request.
For the duration of this emergency, there may be flexibility regarding certain regulatory requirements.
Q. Have the regulations regarding comprehensive background clearance checks been lifted?
A. OCFS has been granted the authority to waive select regulatory requirements in order to meet the need for child care
services. Comprehensive background clearance checks are one such requirement. You may contact your regulator and submit
a waiver request. For the duration of this emergency, there may be flexibility regarding certain regulatory requirements.
Q. How do child care programs maintain a perimeter of 6 feet while caring for them?
A. Adults must be in close proximity to young children in order to provide proper care. It is important to take universal
precautions. Ensure handwashing strategies are being followed including washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
When soap and water are not available individual wipes may be used in combination with hand sanitizer. Also, be sure to perform
routine substantial cleaning of the childcare program.
Q. Are child care programs required to maintain a group size of 10 or less?
A. The Centers for Disease Control, in its guidance on events and mass gatherings recommends group size to ten or fewer
and therefore we ask providers to reconfigure space to limit overall density of rooms to ten or fewer children. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/index.html.
Your licensed/registered capacity, however, remains in effect unless you’ve been approved for a waiver by OCFS as there may
be ways for you to serve a greater number of children while continuing to prioritize their health and safety and that of
your employees.
Q. Why haven’t child care programs been closed?
A. Child care is considered an essential service. In a time of crisis, other essential professionals must be able
to go to work and have safe and suitable child care available to their children. If you have openings in your program,
please use those openings to serve the children of employees who are unable to work from home and must continue to report
to their work location. Please reach out to your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency and make them aware
of any slots you have available.
Q. How do programs limit access to the program and try to reduce exposure to COVID-19?
A. Programs are encouraged to utilize these screening questions:
1.Within the last 14 days, have you traveled to a country that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should
be avoided for nonessential travel or where travelers should practice enhanced precautions?
(China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan)
2. Have you had contact with any person with known COVID-19 or person under investigation for COVID-19?
3. Do you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g.,cough, sore throat, fever, shortness of breath)?
4. Are you or anyone in your home in active quarantine status?
If an individual responds “yes” to any of the above, do not allow that individual to enter the program. Where staffing
allows, programs can implement strategies to reduce traffic in the program including meeting children at the door.
Friday 3/20/2020 at 10:14 a.m.
We are working diligently to match essential front line workers in need of child care with child care programs that have
temporary vacancies. Please either call us or fill out the below surveys so that we can begin the matching process! We are
here for you if you need anything don’t hesitate to reach out 716.877.6666
Thursday 3/19/2020 at 3:59 p.m.
I.Purpose
The purpose of this Informational Letter (INF) is to reiterate certain important information for child care providers necessary
for them to continue operations during the current public health emergency.
II. Background
On March 7, 2020 Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202 declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State of
New York. On March 17, 2020 Governor Cuomo issued a subsequent Executive Order, 202.4 directing every school in the State
of New York to close for a period of two weeks. School districts were ordered to submit a plan for providing child care to
the children of essential employees. On March 18, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.5, which among other things,
provided important regulatory relief for child care providers and school districts wishing to provide child care on their
premises.
III. Program Implications
Please be aware that child care programs are NOT being ordered to close. Child care is considered to be an essential
function critical to enabling parents – especially our first responders, health care workers, and direct care workers to
go to work.
We would like to highlight some additional guidance:
- While local authorities do not have broad authority to close child care programs, in certain circumstances, local authorities,
primarily local public health entities, have the authority to direct programs to close under quarantine or other emergency
orders for specific reasons (e.g., if an employee or student tests positive for the COVID-19 virus). - Child care providers are asked to prioritize openings in programs for first responders, health care workers, and direct
care workers so they can continue to provide critical response to the COVID-19 virus.-
- As part of this prioritization, we ask you to work with those families who have been directed to work from home to not utilize
child care services in order to limit density and to free up additional slots for those first responders, health care workers,
and direct care workers who are considered essential.
- As part of this prioritization, we ask you to work with those families who have been directed to work from home to not utilize
-
- The Governor, under Executive Orders 202.1 and 202.5 has granted OCFS the authority to waive selective regulatory requirements
in order to meet the need for child care services, especially for first responders, health care workers, and other critical
staff. For additional details about these Executive actions, please contact your local regional office.-
- Executive Order 202.1
waived statutory and regulatory requirements to allow flexibility for providers while continuing to protect the health and
safety of children. The requirements eligible for a waiver include changes to maximum capacity, staff/child ratios, physical
space requirements, child care worker qualifications, and annual training requirements, the ability for providers to move
in between programs, and additional flexibility for local districts in determining eligibility for child care subsidy. - Executive Order 202.5
waived certain background check requirements so that teachers, school-related personnel, employees at health care facilities,
and others with child care or education experience can begin work immediately during the temporary emergency basis to ensure
adequate supervision after a criminal history review. - Executive Order 202.5
waived the requirement, for the duration of the emergency, that programs operating in schools that are not providing compulsory
education are required to have OCFS licensure, meaning school districts can provide child care free from OCFS regulatory
requirements.
- Executive Order 202.1
-
- The Centers for Disease Control, in its guidance on events and mass gatherings recommends limiting group size to ten or
fewer and therefore we ask providers to reconfigure space to limit overall density of rooms to ten or fewer children.
(See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/index.html.) - Your licensed capacity, however, remains in effect unless you’ve been approved for a waiver by OCFS. There may be
ways for you to serve a greater number of children while continuing to prioritize their health and safety and that of your
employees by submitting a waiver to your regulator.-
- If you have questions about how you can serve children in groups of ten without reducing capacity, please call your licensing/registration
office or enrollment agency.
- If you have questions about how you can serve children in groups of ten without reducing capacity, please call your licensing/registration
-
As a child care program, you are not required to keep your program open. Please remember that you must contact your regulator
if you are either closing voluntarily or instructed to close by a local authority. We encourage you to continue to provide
these important services to your community as the state responds to the COVID-19 emergency.
In an effort to support you as you continue to operate during these difficult times, OCFS would like to remind you of resources
already available to you and make you aware of new resources as well:
- We have asked the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies in each county to play an enhanced role in helping child care
programs to plan during this time. Please be in contact with them. - We will be hosting a weekly call with child care stakeholders, including CCR&Rs, across the state.
-
- On these calls, OCFS will provide updated information and guidance as well as answer any questions.
- Your local CCR&R will then ensure that the information is made available to the provider network.
- These calls are not meant to substitute other forms of communication and OCFS will continue to issue guidance and answer
questions as needed.
-
- Please visit our website and the New York State Department of Health’s website frequently to be reminded and updated on
the latest guidance. The DOH is also operating a 24-hour per day hotline, which can be reached at 1-888-364-3065. All OCFS-issued
coronavirus related guidance can be found here.-
- If you are struggling to find necessary items like cleaning supplies and gloves, please contact your regional office for
assistance.
- If you are struggling to find necessary items like cleaning supplies and gloves, please contact your regional office for
-
IV.Contacts
OCFS Division of Child Care Services Regional Offices: https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/childcare/regionaloffices.asp
Issued by:
Name: Janice M. Molnar
Title: Deputy Commissioner
Division/Office: Division of Child Care Services
Thursday 3/19/2020 at 3:00 p.m.
A MEMO FROM OCFS TO CHILD CARE WORKERS:
OCFS is seeking assistance from licensed and registered child care programs and their employees. Child care workers who
are temporarily out of work due to COVID-19 related program closures may be able to help fill vital roles at other child
care programs.
If you are interested in helping support your community by helping to keep local child care programs operating-especially
to care for children of health care and other critical workers, please complete this Survey for Current Child Care Workers.
Your responses
will be shared with local child care programs that are in need of staff.
Thursday 3/19/2020 at 2:26 p.m.
We know that there is a lot of information swirling around on social media in regards to the child care ‘plan’ for Erie
County. Child Care Resource Network is working closely with school districts, and local government to create a system that
works for everyone. As the situation evolves so too will our systems.
Currently, we have partnered with BPS to match essential front-line workers in need of child care with local child care
providers who have available slots. At this time if you are a child care provider with available slots for children of essential
front-line workers, please contact us as soon as possible. If you are an essential front-line worker in need of child care
please contact us for a list of available slots.
Please understand that this is a rapidly developing situation and we are committed to only sharing verified information.
We are posting information as fast as we can while taking precautions to make sure that it is factual.
We are all in this together, and we are here for you. If you have questions, need to report program vacancies, or need help
finding child care please call us as soon as possible. 716.877.6666
Thank You,
Child Care Resource Network
Thursday 3/19/2020 at 11:28 a.m.
ECLC released advice for how providers can handle COVID-19 in their programs.
“We Are First Responders in Our Communities”
Advice for Child Cares to Proactively Communicate About and Respond to the Rapidly Changing Circumstances of the COVID‐19
Epidemic and How to Keep Calm and Respond as Best You’re Able.
Compiled by Andria Ryberg, Director of Child Care Supply, Early Care and Learning Council, Albany, New York
Wednesday 3/18/2020 at 8:36 a.m.
Dear Provider Letter Issued by OCFS Regarding COVID-19
Dear Child Care Provider;
In these uncertain times, it can be difficult to manage the influx of information we hear from many sources. Please be aware
that child care programs are NOT being ordered to close. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Governor Cuomo
and his administration consider child care to be an essential function critical to enabling parents to go to work.
In certain circumstances, however, local authorities, mainly local Departments of Health, have the authority to direct programs
to close under quarantine or other emergency orders. In addition, as a child care program, you are free to close your
own programs should you wish to do so. We know you will make the right decision for yourself and the families you serve.
If your program does close, please remember that you must contact your regulator if you are either closing voluntarily or
instructed to close by a local authority.
In a time of crisis, please be mindful that our emergency responders must be able to go to work. If you have openings in
your program, please use those openings to service the children of employees who must continue to report to work. Also,
remember that the Governor has granted OCFS the authority to waive selective regulatory requirements in order to meet the
need for child care services, especially for first responders, health care workers, and other critical staff. The Centers
for Disease Control, in its guidance on events and mass gatherings, recommends group size to ten or fewer. (See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/index.html.)
Your licensed capacity, however, remains in effect unless you’ve been approved for a waiver by OCFS as there may be ways
for you to serve a greater number of children while continuing to prioritize their health and safety and that of your employees.
These are unprecedented times. But New Yorkers are resilient, and we will get through this together. We at OCFS are your
partners in addressing issues and concerns as they arise and we will do all that we can to be nimble in our response. Thank
you for the important work that you do to keep New York going. Without our child care providers, parents would not
be able to work. We especially thank you for providing our first responders, health care workers, and other essential employees
like Direct Care Workers with the peace of mind, they need so they can fully focus on their vital work in addressing this
pandemic.
Sincerely,
Janice Molnar, Ph.D.
Deputy Commissioner
Division of Child Care Services
Monday 3/16/2020 at 2:47 p.m.
Information for Child Care Programs from OCFS
In an effort to support child care programs and be responsive to the needs of the community during this time, Governor Cuomo
has granted OCFS the authority to temporarily waive selective regulatory requirements. The Division of Child Care Services
encourages programs who are either experiencing hardship due to COVID-19 or are in a position to assist those experiencing
hardship due to COVID-19 to submit a waiver request to your licensor/registrar. https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/documents/docsChildCare.asp
Each request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and approval will be time-limited. For example, in light of school
closings, a current FDC who is at capacity (8) might be willing and able to accept two additional school-aged children for
the 14 days their school is closed. The program must submit a waiver request for consideration by OCFS which indicates how
the health and safety of the children in the program will be maintained. OCFS is committed to reviewing these as expediently
as possible. If approval is granted, the waiver would be limited to the duration of the school closure. This program could
submit another waiver request in the event the school closure is extended, or other if the program has a new circumstance
requiring a waiver. This is just one example of a potential waiver request. Child care programs are encouraged
to consider what scenarios (if any) are applicable to them specifically and apply as necessary throughout the duration of
this health crisis. OCFS encourages innovative and entrepreneurial thinking to work together to get through this current
crisis.
Below are several Frequently Asked Questions compiled to provide guidance to the child care community. OCFS will continue
to add to this list as applicable. Please reach out to your regulator with questions.
Frequently Asked Questions for Child Care Programs
Q. Is OCFS going to close my child care program because of COVID-19?
A. No. NYS Department of Health and local health departments will instruct a child care programs regarding how to respond
to COVID-19.
Q. If my neighborhood school closes, is my child care program required to close?
A. No, unless the program is told to by a public health official, or if it is located in the school facility.
Q. What if my program is located in the containment bubble? What if there are new containment areas?
A. If a program is in the containment area and is directed to close, you will be contacted by local DOH. At this time, group
family and family day care homes are not considered places of mass gatherings. Day Care Centers and School Aged Child Care
may or may not be considered places of mass gathering as it is based on their capacity. Your local department of health
will direct you.
Q. What if I am directed to close, or choose to close?
A. In either case, you must inform your regulator.
Q. Families are contacting me who are needing child care, especially for school-aged children, but my program is full.
A. If you want to take the additional children, and believe your program can handle the additional children, contact your
regulator and submit a waiver request. https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/documents/docsChildCare.asp During the duration
of this emergency, there may be flexibility regarding certain regulatory requirements.
Q. What if I want to expand my license/registration to serve more children temporarily?
A. Contact your regulator and submit a waiver request. During the duration of this emergency, there may be flexibility
regarding certain regulatory requirements.
Q. What If I want to bring on new assistant/staff during emergency?
A. Contact your regulator and submit a waiver request. During the duration of this emergency, there may be flexibility
regarding certain regulatory requirements.
Q. What if hospitals, schools, etc. contact me about taking on additional children?
A. Contact your regulator and submit a waiver request. During the duration of this emergency, there may be flexibility
regarding certain regulatory requirements.
Q. What if my program has too many staff absent to continue care?
A. Contact your regulator. There may be possibilities to bring substitutes on board quickly and explore other possibilities
in collaboration with other local programs.
Q. What if my program is closed for a period of time? How will I get by?
A. We are receiving ongoing guidance from the federal Office of Child Care and considerations are being made to support
programs.
Q. What if a program staff /volunteer is mandated to be quarantined?
A. If the person tests positive for the virus, the program will be contacted by the local Department of Health (DOH) and
will be directed on what steps are needed. It is likely the program will be directed to close and self-quarantine the remaining
staff and children.
Q. What if a staff person at a child care program is precautionarily quarantined?
A. If a staff member has been exposed to the virus and has self-quarantined but has not tested positive, the individual
must not report to work during the quarantine period. The center may continue to operate unless notified otherwise by local
DOH.
Q. What if a parent of a child is quarantined?
A. In the event a parent of a child in your program must be quarantined, advise the parent they cannot enter the child care
program for any reason, including picking up their child. If the parent is exhibiting signs of illness or has been tested
and is positive for the virus, they must utilize an emergency contact authorized by the parent to come pick up the child.
If the parent is being quarantined as a precautionary measure, without symptoms or a positive test, child care staff should
walk out or deliver the child to the parent outside the child care building. The child must not return to the child
care program for the duration of the quarantine.
Q. What if a household member of a home-based provider is quarantined?
A. The program must not operate and must contact local DOH.
Q. What if a child is quarantined?
A. Children who have been quarantined either through exposure to the virus or a positive test must not attend programs for
the duration of the quarantine period. If a child has been diagnosed as positive and has attended the program within the
past week, the program must contact local DOH.
Q. What if a family seeks child care for school-aged children whose school has closed?
A. When bringing on additional children, for school-aged children, please confirm what school the child attends. OCFS will
distribute lists of schools that have been mandatorily closed for quarantine to the regional offices. No children with any
symptoms of illness, or children from schools under mandatory quarantine should attend programs.
Q. My program serves families who receive child care subsidy, what will happen when children are absent or my program is forced to close?
A. We are receiving ongoing guidance from the federal Office of Child Care and considerations are being made to support
programs. This includes allowing counties to pay for absence and closure days.
Monday 3/16/2020 at 10:39 a.m.
Memorandum from Early Care & Learning Council
Subject: Covid-19 Information and Clarification
As many of you may know, the governor has issued Executive Order No 202.1 Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification
of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency. While this emergency direction states that there can be regulatory flexibility
in the standards for staff/child ratios in all child care modalities; it is important to note that this is on a case by case
basis and a waiver must be submitted to OCFS.
OCFS NEEDS TO APPROVE YOUR LIMITED TIME WAIVER PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION. OFCS is committed to reviewing waivers as soon as they are received so that services are not interrupted.
Additional Information for Child Care Programs
OCFS will not be making determinations on program closures due to COVID-19. Such closures will be directed by local Departments
of Health. If a child contracts COVID-19 and is in contact with other children, the child and the exposed children
should not be allowed to attend their current, or any other, child care program. Programs should also notify the regional
office and their CCR&R if a child in the program has been quarantined.
If a childcare program is closing for issues related to COVID-19, they are required by OCFS regulation to immediately notify
the regional office and their CCR&R.
At this time, all new staff must still follow the CBC process; they must be fingerprinted and have a current medical statement
before starting work in a program and paperwork must be submitted for a Comprehensive Background Check. Currently, OCFS does
not have flexibility in this area.
Subsidy payments to programs that are closed or have increased absences is a local social services district option. OCFS
is working on waivers that will allow each district to modify its child care plan to allow them to pay for additional absences
and closures. OCFS is encouraging counties to evaluate what plan changes will help them to meet ongoing child care
needs in the local community. In addition to allowing counties the flexibility to pay for increased absences
and closures, OCFS has also encouraged districts to work with parents to meet ongoing child care needs. This may include
authorizing parents to use backup child care providers when their regular child care programs are closed.
OCFS is currently working to develop FAQ’s for programs, local districts and other stakeholder groups.
Sunday 3/15/2020 at 9:45 a.m.
On Friday 3/13/2020 Governor Andrew Cuomo temporarily suspended the rules regarding child to adult ratios for all modalities.
Please remember that if you are able to increase the number of children in your program the likelihood of accidents increases.
Please use your best judgment when making the decision to expand your program. Providers are still expected to communicate
with their licensor or registrar if they are planning on accepting more children into their program. We are expecting official
guidance from OCFS to be released Monday morning (3/16/2020) and we will update you as soon as we receive that. In the -meantime
if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 716-877-6666, and we will answer questions to the
best of our ability.
-FRIDAY 3/13/2020 at 11:30 a.m.
In light of the growing health concerns around COVID 19, all upcoming events and trainings will be postponed or moved to
an online/virtual platform. We want to be clear that this is not as a result of any specific incident but because we have
and always will keep the safety and well-being of our community and employees as the top priority.
Effective 9 a.m Monday, March 16, 2020, Child Care Resource Network will no longer be accepting walk-ins or in-person meetings.
We will still be available by phone, email, and virtual platform to help you with any questions you may have.
If you are registered for an upcoming training, or event please be patient, online and virtual training is new to us and
may be challenging to implement. We will be reaching out to any registered participants of upcoming trainings and events
to advise them on next steps individually.
We encourage you to stay tuned to our website and social media channels for the latest updates as they occur. Thank you
for your patience during this time and remember that we are always available to you by phone, email, and online.
Phone: 716.877.6666
Toll Free: 866.281.4739
Fax: 716.877.6205
Email: info@wnychildren.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WNYchildren
Twitter: @wnychildren
Instagram: @wnychildren