Childcare Management means being prepared for the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) virus…

Back to school means togetherness & sharing.  That’s good!  But that’s bad when it comes to sharing…THE FLU. 

 

www.Flu.gov has the following Recommendations for early childhood programs for the 2009–2010 influenza season

“Early childhood providers should examine and revise, as necessary, their current crisis or pandemic plans and procedures; develop contingency plans to cover key positions when staff are absent from work; update contact information for families and staff; and share their plans with families, staff, and the community. Early childhood providers should review and revise, if necessary, their sick leave policies to remove barriers to staff staying home while ill or to care for an ill family member. A doctor’s note should not be required for children or staff to validate their illness or to return to the early childhood setting.

Early childhood providers should frequently remind children, their families, and staff about the importance of staying home when ill; early treatment for people at higher risk for flu complications; hand hygiene; and respiratory etiquette. Educational materials (for example, posters) to enhance compliance with recommendations should be visible in the child care setting. Examples of these materials are available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/flyers.htm.”

The full CDC Guidance on Helping Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Respond to Influenza during the 2009–2010 Influenza Season can be found at: http://www.flu.gov/professional/school/childguidance.html

http://www.cloroxprofessional.com/H1N1/flu_preparedness_programs.html offers a free downloadable poster “Flu Prevention Quick Tips” to print & display at your school, center or daycare.

Finally, bookmark this website as they update frequently with what to do about & to avoid the flu… http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/childcare/index.htm

May good health & happy children & parents & teachers be with all of you this fall & winter! 

Finally–and I know you were waiting for this–Childcare Manager gives you up-to-date reminders of immunizations due for all of your children & your employees.  All of the usual required immunizations, of course.  If you wish to add an annual Flu shot to your list, it’s very easy to do. And for your own health, as a child care provider you will reduce stress and thus boost your immune system by reducing your administrative load.  Try Childcare Manager, you’ll like it!  Download a FREE trial http://www.childcaremanager.com/freetrial/teri.html 

 

Teri Selbicky
Senior Childcare Management Specialist
(800) 553-2312 toll-free
teri@childcaremanager.com

Childcare Management the Heart Healthy Way…

How’s your New Year’s Resolution of spending less time on your administrative tasks and more time with the children and parents holding up?  Are you practicing Heart Healthy Childcare Management?  Childcare Manager center management and accounting software can help you.  Here’s how:

 

Along with training your staff (keep their continuing education records in Childcare Manager), maintaining appropriate child:staff ratios (Childcare Manager helps you) and  helping staff in their roles as child caregivers recognize and take steps to relieve their own stress–you need to maintain your own Heart Healthy plan as their guide.

 

“The children you care for count on you each and every day. If your mental health and physical health are not at their best your performance as a caregiver will suffer. Take some time each day to care for yourself.”  The resources listed at the link below are sources where you can learn more about how to take care of yourself while at work and at home.

(Source: AAP – Healthy Child America, http://www.healthychildcare.org/caregiverhealth.cfm )

 

WISEWOMAN – Well–Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation is an excellent information resource.  They believe in “a world where any woman can access preventive health services and gain the wisdom to improve her health.”  (Source: WISEWOMAN homepage http://www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/ )

 

You can also invite parents and community volunteers to help out in little ways that can make a big difference in all of your lives.  Allow others to “Care About Caregivers: http://www.healthychildcare.org/pdf/caregivers.pdf ”  It does the hearts of others good to be able to give back to their community.  So often they don’t know where to start or what they can do.  You can sow some ideas and watch them grow.

 

Finally, back to your own desk and your own pile of paperwork.  Reduce stress and thus boost your immune system by reducing your administrative load.  Try Childcare Manager, you’ll like it!  Download a FREE trial http://www.childcaremanager.com/freetrial/teri.html 

 

 Teri Selbicky
Senior Childcare Management Specialist
(800) 553-2312 toll-free
teri@childcaremanager.com

Childcare Management means doing more with less in a tight economy…

This year many childcare directors and owners have expressed to me their concerns about maintaining the quality of their childcare centers–for both children and their staff–and stay afloat financially.  To say that 2008 has been a challenging year is an understatement.  I came across this article yesterday:

 

“…The nation’s economic troubles are playing out one family at a time in child-care centers and preschools across Arizona as parents lose their jobs and must cut back on attendance or pull their children out of preschool to save money. Child-care centers are reporting 10 percent to 20 percent decreases in enrollment, said Bruce Liggett, director of the Arizona Child Care Association in Phoenix, an advocacy group...Child-care centers and preschools that once had waiting lists find themselves scrambling to fill vacant spots. For the first time, many are offering part-time or drop-in service and changing hours to better accommodate parents’ schedules...

Child-care centers are looking at ways to cut costs – conserving electricity, stretching supplies – to avoid reducing their employees’ hours or cutting jobs.…

“We’ll make it through, but we worry about the children,” Vela said…”

(Source:  http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/103931.php The Arizona Republic on TucsonCitizen.com )

You know what impresses me most about the vocation of childcare?  The sentiment that no matter what happens as long as there are parents who work to support their families, there will be dedicated childcare professionals who will take part in the care and nurturing of their children. 

So what does a childcare center do, to weather stressful and scary economic times?  Do more with less.  Do more work in less time.  You may need to leave your business accounting management tasks for after hours as you fill in for teachers, meet with parents and participate in critical childcare association meetings.  You can’t and shouldn’t abandon your own family time in favor of your business.  So why not see if managing your business as efficiently as possible with Childcare Manager management accounting software makes all the difference in the world.

Here is something to get you started thinking how much time you spend on your center management–common tasks–and how much time using Childcare Manager can you “return” to your time to spend doing more important things?

 

Check Your “Return On Investment”
With The Investment Calculator

         

 

      (The above Childcare Manager table uses modest estimates of time and uses an hourly wage of $10 per hour.)

 Try Childcare Manager to see if–as it has helped so many other directors and owners of childcare centers–do more in less time, give you back more time and pay for itself over and over and over….

There’s still time to get started with Childcare Manager for the new year.  Download a FREE trial http://www.childcaremanager.com/freetrial/teri.html 

Teri Selbicky
Senior Childcare Management Specialist
(800) 553-2312 toll-free
teri@childcaremanager.com