7.2.08-C19: Children's Sick Day

Purpose

The Learning Enrichment Foundation has adopted this policy on Children’s Sick Day 7.2.08-C19 to ensure all staff and children work and play in a healthy environment.

This Sick Children Policy sets out how LEF will take all reasonable precautions in the protection of the staff, children and families when there is a positive or suspected COVID-19 case in a Child Care Centre or an outbreak of other communicable diseases. For a list of communicable diseases, please refer to Appendix A.

This Policy 7.2.08-C19 must be read together with Exclusion of Sick Children 7.2.54-C19 and Management and Reporting of Communicable Diseases 7.2.55-C19

Sick Children Must Stay at Home

• Children who are sick must stay at home. 
• To ensure a healthy environment, children, Primary Contacts and families who are or feel sick must not attend the program or enter the Child Care Centre, even if symptoms resemble a minor cold.  
• Primary Contacts must advise the Child Care Centre of absences due to respiratory illness.

Symptoms

• Symptoms to look for include, but are not limited to fever, new onset of cough, worsening chronic cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, decrease or loss of sense of taste or smell, chills, headaches, unexplained fatigue/malaise/muscle aches, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pink eye (conjunctivitis), runny nose/nasal congestion without other known cause.
• Children should be monitored for atypical symptoms and signs of COVID-19. For more information, please see the symptoms outlined in the “COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms” on the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 website: www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus/2019_guidance.aspx#symptoms (opens in new window)
• It is recommended that children with symptoms of COVID-19 attend an assessment centre for testing as soon as possible, and that they self-isolate at home until their result is available.

Sick While at the Child Care Centre

In the event that a child becomes ill while in the care of the Child Care Centre, the staff will isolate the child from the rest of the children and contact the Primary Contact to arrange immediate pick up.  (Refer to Exclusion of Sick Children 7.2.54-C19).

Return to the Centre

For information on when the child can return to the Child Care Centre, please refer to Exclusion of Sick Children 7.2.54-C19.

Children who have been away for any minor ailments, such as common colds, flu or other injuries, must also be away from the Child Care Centre until 24 hours after symptom resolution before returning to the Centre.

If the child is away for fewer than 10 (ten) days for any minor ailments, such as common colds, flu or other injuries, the Primary Contact does not have to submit a doctor’s note.

Families Receiving a Subsidy from Toronto Children’s Services

Families receiving a subsidy from Toronto Children Services are encouraged to speak with their case worker for the most up-to-date information.

1. Children are permitted to be absent for up to 50 (fifty) days (vacation and sick) per calendar year (Jan. to Dec.) upon the approval of the district supervisor, Toronto Children’s Services.    
2. The Primary Contact is responsible for assessed fees when a child is absent.
3. If the absence is more than 20 consecutive days, the Primary Contact will be responsible for paying the full fee.
4. If a child exceeds the allowable absent days, the Primary Contact is responsible for paying the full fee (see full fee memo on the Parent Information Board). 
5. Statutory holidays and days that a program does not offer service are not considered absent days.
6. Request for additional days of absence, beyond the 50 (fifty) allowable days may be approved through an appeal process with Toronto Children Services.  This would be the responsibility of the Primary Contact.

NB.   It is considered a Criminal offence to falsify any official documents i.e. Subsidy Attendance. 

Review and Signature

Children’s Sick Day Policy 7.2.08-C19 must be reviewed and signed at least annually by all C&F Employees.