Kids First Preschool, coronavirus precautions

Rachel Huante greets her son Zeddicus Atherton and his little sister Xena Atherton as they trot out the door, part of the procedure of no parents inside the Kids First Preschool.

While we're still waiting on that handbook that tells us how to parent during a pandemic, at the very least there's now a checklist that can help parents returning to work make informed decisions around safety when choosing a child care provider. 

The checklist, developed by the Pima County Health Department in partnership with Arizona Child Care Resource & Referral, provides a list of questions parents should ask providers about safety measures, like how they manage physical distancing and minimize shared use of items; how they clean classrooms; and what happens if someone at their site tests positive for COVID-19. 

Other items on the list include new procedures parents might encounter like temperature checks, individual supplies for each child and drop off and pick up happening at the front door instead of inside the classroom.  

The checklist also reminds parents to keep their children home if they are sick or if anyone in the home has tested positive for COVID-19. 

For parents looking for childcare, Arizona Childcare Resource and Referral can help make recommendations for providers that meet your needs and are enrolling new children.

The resource and referral information line is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at 1-800-308-9000, or you can find a searchable database online at azccrr.com


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