TO:                   Consolidated Municipal Service Managers / District Social Services

Administration Boards

Licensed Child Care Operators

Chairs of District School Board

Directors of Education

Secretary/Treasurers of School Authorities

FROM:             Shannon Fuller

Assistant Deputy Minister

Early Years and Child Care Division

DATE:               July 22, 2020

SUBJECT:        Revised Operational Guidance for Child Care Programs

As the child care sector continues the important work of re-opening, I am happy to share a revised version of the Operational Guidance During COVID-19 Outbreak resource with you today. The resource has been revised to reflect the change in cohort size in child care centres as of July 27, 2020, as well as other changes in consultation with the Ministry of Health and through conversations with the sector. We continue to put the health and safety of Ontario’s children, families, child care centre staff and home child care providers at the forefront, and we are basing the revisions and updated information on advice from Dr. David Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and the experts at the COVID-19 Command Table.

Key changes are listed upfront in the guidance document and include:

• Increased cohort size for child care centres from up to 10 individuals per room to up to 15 children plus staff per room as of July 27, 2020;
• Revised guidance on how screening must be conducted;
• Revised guidance related to testing for COVID-19;
• Revised protocols for when an individual shows symptoms or becomes sick; and,
• Revised language about physical barriers between cohorts.

The guidance document is designed to be used in conjunction with the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 and its regulations, direction provided by a local public health unit, and other available resources, like the Child Care Centre and Home Child Care Agency Licensing Manuals. Where there are differences between the guidance document and other materials (e.g., licensing manuals), the guidance document prevails; however, child care programs must ensure they are following any direction from their local public health unit, even if it contradicts this resource.