Community Safety

Early Childhood Centres Must be COVID-19 Compliant to Open

By Super User 480

Early childhood development and partial care facilities intending to re-open need to complete a preopening self-assessment form.

These forms are available from the City’s customer care centres and must be submitted online to https://forms.gle/c7y8ZL5W94diuqTS6 – or in paper copy to the nearest Department of Social Development.

The City’s social development manager for women and children, Pauline Ngakane, highlighted the importance of compliance to COVID-19 prevention protocols, “To date 1 200 out 3 700 ECD centres in the City have completed reopening reassessment, 10 had to be closed out of non-compliance. The ECD must complete a declaration form confirming that the centre meets the health safety and social distancing measures,” said Ngakane

COVID-19 safety guidelines at ECD centres include:

  • Every person visiting the centre must be screened.
  • Daily attendance register for children and staff must be kept.
  • There must be daily screening for children and staff.
  • There must be sufficient sanitisers for cleaning of hands.
  • The premises, including cleaning materials/toilet door handles – all common areas – must be cleaned and disinfected regularly. 
  • Staff must have at least two face masks. 
  • Children under 24 months don’t require face masks and those aged two and above must wear masks. 
  • Food preparations must adhere to health safety guidelines.
  • One metre social distancing, programmes and routines should be adjusted to adhere to social distancing.