Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Proud to Serve Essential Workers During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Some emergency personnel and essential workers are parents too and the pandemic response has made the COVID-19 pandemic a particularly challenging time for them. Infant Toddler Family Day Care stayed OPENED throughout this emergency. We have been working closely with those whose jobs require them to work during the pandemic. For many they don’t have alternative child care options which is why we need support them in any way we can.
Families in need of child care can start a search by contacting ITFDC by phone or by completing an online application. Additionally, our Child Care Plus program offers high-quality child care services during non-traditional hours including weekends and evenings.
Plan, Prepare and Respond to COVID-19
Infant Toddler Family Day Care continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and are working to ensure accurate and helpful information is provided to our child care providers and families. To stay up to date with our actions see the updates below.
ITFDC Updates & Actions
Aug 20, 2021 - Reminder
With the increase of COVID-19 cases including children and vaccinated individuals, ITFDC wants to remind everyone:
Parents: If anyone in your home has any signs of illness (including a runny nose), please keep your child home.
Providers: If anyone in your home has any signs of illness (including a runny nose), please close your home.
July 15, 2021 - International Travel Guidance
ITFDC will be following the CDC’s guidelines on international travel during COVID-19. The CDC guidelines are located at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html
The CDC also offers this ‘International Travel Recommendations Quick Reference’. It can be found on the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/infographic/infographic-international-quick-reference.html
| Recommendations and Requirements | Not Vaccinated | Fully Vaccinated |
|---|---|---|
| Get tested 1-3 days before traveling out of the US | Yes | |
| Mandatory test required before flying to US | Yes | Yes |
| Get tested 3-5 days after travel | Yes | Yes |
| Self-quarantine after travel for 7 days with a negative test or 10 days without test | Yes | |
| Self-monitor for symptoms | Yes | Yes |
| Wear a mask and take other precautions during travel | Yes | Yes |
Upd - June 7, 2021 - Family Child Care Providers and CACFP Higher Reimbursements
Family Child Care Providers and CACFP Higher Reimbursements!
Because COVID 19 has been hard on many family child care providers, USDA issued Waiver #93, which extends the highest CACFP reimbursement rate to all family child care providers, July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022.
If YOU are a family child care provider who serves children healthy meals and snacks, then you are eligible to participate in CACFP. There is no cost to apply, and providers benefit by receiving a monthly cash reimbursement to offset the cost of meals and snacks. In addition, providers can receive valuable nutrition education, sample menus, meal planning resources, tax benefits and a competitive edge to market your business.
CACFP reimbursements vary, and are based on many factors, such as how many children are in care, the number and kinds of meals served, etc. You may be eligible to receive reimbursement for your own children as well. The chart below provides information on potential monthly CACFP reimbursements.
Examples: lunch, snack, supper X 20 days
2 children $240
4 children $480
8 children $960
There is no better time to join the Child and Adult Care Food Program!
For more information on how to join the CACFP-USDA program please email at mmorales@itfdc.com or call at 703-352-3449 ext. 107
Upd - Jan 27, 2021 - COVID-19 Vaccination Information
Childcare staff are considered as Frontline Essential Worker Group Priority #3. This group is part of the COVID-19 Vaccination – Phase 1b. Currently, Phase 1b is eligible for vaccination. Infant Toddler Family Day Care recommends that ALL providers and staff members receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Here are the latest COVID-19 Vaccination registration information for the local region (please check back often as information changes rapidly):
- Fairfax County – Family child care providers who work or live in Fairfax County, the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and the towns of Herndon and Vienna are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine.
- Arlington County – Click here to pre-register for vaccination and more information.
- Alexandria City – Visit the Alexandria City vaccine page for more info. Click here to pre-register for vaccination. Please call the AHD hotline on weekdays, from 9am-6pm, at 703.746.4988 for assistance.
- Loudoun County – Click here to pre-register for vaccination. You may also call Loudoun County’s COVID-19 information line at 703-737-8300 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- Prince William County – CONTACT: PWHDEPR@vdh.virginia.gov PWHD COVID-19 Call Center Information Line: (703) 872-7759 Call Center Hours: 9am-4:30 M-F (Closed Sat. and Sun.)
Nov 19, 2020 - Holiday Reminder
As the holiday season begins and COVID-19 cases continues to spread in our community, it’s important to keep everyone safe. This is a reminder to please keep the conversation open and talk with your provider around any planned travel. ITFDC recommends that providers and parents maintain regular communication in the best interest of our children, families, and providers’ health.
Please check out these tips from Fairfax County Government for a safe Thanksgiving. If you are traveling, please observe these travel guidelines from the CDC.
July 6, 2020 - Phase III Reopening
Infant Toddler Family Day Care is following the guidelines set forth by the Virginia Department of Social Services as the region moves into Phase III of reopening.
Additionally, please note our Health Policy: The parent must inform the child care home within 24 hours or the next business day after his child or any member of the immediate household has developed any reportable communicable disease, as defined by the State Board of Health, except for life-threatening diseases, which must be reported immediately.
June 5, 2020 - Reopening - Phase I
Infant Toddler Family Day Care is following the guidelines for child care programs set forth by the Virginia Department of Social Services as the region moves into Phase I of reopening.
April 28, 2020 - ITFDC in the News
Infant Toddler Family Day Care was featured in the media for our support of essential personnel families:
- Infant Toddler Family Day Care was interviewed by the Patch Newspaper for an article on how the organization is helping essential workers during the COVID-19 emergency: https://patch.com/virginia/fairfaxcity/toddler-care-system-opens-homes-children-essential-workers
- Infant Toddler Family Day Care was cited in this article by Bipartisan Policy Center on our responses to the current public health crisis with an action plan for providers, enrollment assistance for essential service worker parents, and clear health and safety policies to keep children safe. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/invest-in-home-based-child-care-networks-now-for-the-future-of-child-care/
March 30, 2020 - Our Policy on Essential Personnel Families
ITFDC is open to provide child care effective Monday, March 30, 2020. A number of our child care homes are OPENED. Essential personnel families will continued to be given priority. Providers who will be opened will follow all safe handwashing guidelines, sanitizing of the environment guidelines, and, to the best of their ability, social distancing. Providers will also ensure there are no more than ten people in the child care space.
March 25, 2020 - Response to Virginia Governor Northam’s Call
In response to Virginia Governor Northam’s call on March 23, 2020 for existing child care providers to offer and prioritize services to children of essential personnel, ITFDC has identified a number of child care homes in our system who are stepping up in this time of emergency. Families of essential personnel in need of child care can start a search by contacting ITFDC by phone or by completing an online application. Please note that ITFDC has decided to waive the enrollment fee at this time to essential personnel families.
March 18, 2020 - Child Care Home / ITFDC Office Policies
Our child care homes will be CLOSED as of 7pm today until March 31, 2020. The ITFDC office will be supported by remote staff; email and voice messages will be responded to as soon as possible.
March 17, 2020 - Social Distancing Policies
The ITFDC office is practicing social distancing so most staff members will be working remotely. Please note though ITFDC is still available by phone (703-352-3449) or email (info@infanttoddler.com) to support you. We will be doing our best to check & respond to email and voice mail.
March 16, 2020 - Special Procedures put into Practice
We have put the following procedures into practice at our child care homes:
- Providers are advised to review emergency contact information for enrolled children.
- In the event a parent of a child must be quarantined, advise the parent they cannot enter the child care homes 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, provider should walk out or deliver the child to the parent outside the child care home. The child must not return to the child care home for the duration of the quarantine.
- If the child care home is closing for issues related to COVID-19, contact Infant Toddler Family Day Care immediately. Provider should also notify Infant Toddler Family Day Care if a child in the program has been quarantined.
- Screening Questions: all persons entering the child care homes will be assessed based on a series of questions on travel history, health conditions etc. as recommended by the CDC, before permission to enter will be granted.
March 13, 2020 - Special ITFDC & State Announcements
- Please note that as of today, in order to protect the children and providers in our child care homes as well as our staff, Infant Toddler Family Day Care child care specialists will NOT be making visits to child care homes in-person. Instead, providers will still be supported by other means; ex. phone calls. There will still be on-going communications to address issues that might arise.
- All Virginia public schools K-12 have been ordered by Governor Northam to close for a minimum of two weeks. Our homes will stay OPEN unless agencies such as VA DSS, VDH, etc directs us to close or the situation changes for our program that affects us. We continue to monitor the situation.
March 11, 2020 - Fairfax County Public School Closings
We are aware that Fairfax County Public Schools will be CLOSED on Monday, March 16. Please note that our office and child care homes will be OPENED on Monday, March 16, 2020.
March 10, 2020 - ITFDC Plan of Action
Our Current Plan of Action
- Children must be kept home if showing any signs of illness or has a family member showing signs of an illness. Providers are to close their home if they or a family member shows signs of illness. If a child becomes ill in the child care home, the provider will notify the parents and the parents must pick up their child as soon as possible.
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Child care specialists will call homes first to make sure there is no illness in the home before visits.
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All staff should stay home if they show any signs of illness or a family member is showing signs of illness.
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Staff can work from home due to illness as needed.
Reminders to help protect both children in care and providers:
- Children and provider should wash their hands often, including when they arrive at the program, and especially before eating, and after coughing, sneezing or using the bathroom. Children and provider should also avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth.
- Children should be reminded of proper coughing and sneezing techniques to prevent transmission of germs.
- In addition, it’s a good time to ask parents to review their child’s file to be sure their contact information and emergency pick-up contact information is correct and up to date.
- To help stop the spread of all germs, families should be encouraged to monitor their child for symptoms of illness and keep children home when they are sick.
Stay Up to Date
Follow the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control to stop the spread of germs. Please refer to this link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/stop-the-spread-of-germs.pdf
RESOURCES FOR PROVIDERS
General Information on COVID-19 for Early Education Programs – Resources on Disaster & Loans Programs
Fairfax County Office of Children – Monitor its Covid-19 Update page for updates and resources
Fairfax County Health Department – Monitor its Coronavirus page for updates and information
Virginia Department of Health – Monitor its Coronavirus page for status updates
Virginia Department of Social Services – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates/Resources page for VA Child Care
Use this ‘Status as an Essential Business Letter‘ to receive prioritized access to CDC-recommended cleaning/operational supplies
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Guidances for schools and childcare programs
Child Care Aware – Resource on how to prepare for the outbreak
Free COVID-19 Financial Relief Brief Legal Advice – Individual workers that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may submit a request for legal assistance reviewing their options under the CARES Act and other loan and grant programs. Consultations will last up to 1 hour.
Virginia Employment Commission – File for Unemployment Benefits
NVAEYC – Monitor its Coronavirus Information page for the latest updates
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Child Care Aware: How to help children cope with the emergency
Child Care Aware: At-home brain building tips
Zero to Three: Tips for families
Child Mind Institute: Anxiety and Coping with the Coronavirus
The Source for Learning: Family Resources for COVID-19
The Fred Rogers Center: Support for Helpers during Coronavirus
Connect
QuickLinks
Parents
Become Part of Our Family™
Infant Toddler Family Day Care has been a trusted early child care and education resource for families in the Washington Metropolitan area since 1983. Since our inception we have worked to connect families with professional early child care educators who operate high quality family child care homes. Our program provides nurturing care and early childhood education to children in a family setting beginning at 6 weeks of age.
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