Child Care Services

Child Care Providers in Nevada include facilities that provide non-residential child care services. There are many challenges to starting, restarting and managing your operation during good times, but additional challenges during the pandemic need even more careful planning, oversight and management. It is important to understand the COVID-19 requirements that may still apply to your industry, suggested best practices, and resources available to help you.

COVID-19 Requirements

Nevada’s Roadmap to Recovery lays out a requirements for businesses with specific capacity limits and other requirements Starting May 1st, 2021, the state transitioned to local authority for setting specific requirements by business types. Visit the Nevada Health Response website for the latest updates on COVID-19 Guidelines in Nevada.

Industry Best Practices

Some general best practices and tips that may help you comply with guidelines and help your customers and employees feel safe include: 

  • Require customers and employees to wear face masks
  • Social Distance
    • Stagger or limit arrivals of employees and guests, following current capacity limits
    • Designate – with signage, tape, or by other means – six feet of spacing for employees and customers to maintain appropriate social distancing 
    • Clean and sanitize toys, games, bedding, linens, and furniture each day/evening
    • Limit the number of parents/guardians in the business at a time and establish a no walk-in policy
    • Have customers complete a self-assessment questionnaire prior to arrival
  • Innovate
    • Update your website to be mobile-friendly
    • Install and use a touchless, non-signature payment system
    • Have customers pay through an app on their phones
  • Cleaning
    • Have hand sanitizer and sanitizing stations and products readily available for employees and customers
    • Establish a routine with children to wash hands immediately upon entering the facility, sing a song with them to ensure hand washing for at least 20 seconds
    • Frequently sanitize eating surfaces or disinfect non-eating hard surfaces such as desks and tables in accordance to health guidelines established for childcare centers
    • Launder all towels, linens, and blankets after each use. Completely dry items and store in closed, covered cabinets
    • Thoroughly clean the operation each night
    • Use cleaning products that meet the EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) – this list of products can be found on the EPA website here: List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2
    • Read more about Cleaning and Disinfecting during a pandemic

Business Basics

Business basics are more important than ever. Evaluate your profit and loss statement. Look for ways to reduce operating and food costs. Analyze your cash flow and breakeven to evaluate the impacts of the new guidelines and best practices on your operations. As Nevada’s COVID-19 measures evolve you may need to continually adjust your operations. Here are a few things to think about: 

  • Get Help
    • Contact a business development counselor at the Nevada SBDC by calling 800.240.7094 – we can help you assess your operations and decide on best strategies for your business
    • For questions about cleaning and disinfecting, strategies to control new waste streams, or other environmental questions, contact an environmental business advisor at BEP at 800.882.3233
  • Communicate
    • Keep communicating with your customers on social media and your website with announcements about your current hours and new or expanded services so your customers understand your current operations
    • Be open about the measures you are taking to meet the reopening guidelines; consider signage at your entrance so customers can be aware of the steps you are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to meet new industry guidelines
  • Expand Services
    • Consider offering expanded childcare services such allowing school age siblings to attend at the same time. Check licensing board guidelines prior to commencing services 
    • Offer hours of business with staggered schedules that closely match families’ schedules or allow parents/guardians an extra hour or two per week for personal time
    • Offer gift cards
  • Potential Cost-Saving Measures
    • Reduce hours to minimize utility bills and increase time for cleaning, for example instead of staying open from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM operate from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
    • Only turn on utilities that are needed – do not use all fans, lights, or air conditioners when there are fewer people
    • Consider energy efficiency, waste minimization and other sustainability strategies
  • Creative Marketing
    • Update or redesign your website; make sure it is mobile friendly
    • Use micro social media to focus more on your immediate neighborhood to bring in local customers
    • Advertise through local homeowner associations
    • Consider starting or expanding family referral programs

Resources