COVID-19 has impacted virtually every industry you can think of, and early childcare is no different. In Canada, the ongoing pandemic has affected childcare on a number of levels, as many children have been unable to go to daycare due to their need to social distance at home.
What’s more, as industries begin steadily reopening with the spread of the virus declining, there are concerns over how safely childcare environments can reopen and operate in a post-COVID landscape.
As much as COVID-19 has forced industries to rethink their approach to keeping themselves and others safe, early childcare services remain important, both during the pandemic and as we begin to emerge from the crisis. Here’s an idea on what early childcare assistant training students can expect in a post-pandemic world once they graduate.
Expect Greater Safety Precautions to Be Taken in Childcare Settings
It has become increasingly clear that life as we knew it may never fully return until an effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus has been found and widely distributed. As such, childcare environments that are reopening will need to take greater precautions to keep children safe and limit the potential spread of the virus.
This can range from disinfecting frequently touched items and surfaces at the daycare, to stressing the importance of physical distancing, to discarding any toys or items that cannot be cleaned often enough to continue being safely used. Since young children carry lots of germs, it’s of the utmost importance to create the safest possible environment for both them and adults under these circumstances.
Toxic Stress Must Be Avoided After Early Childcare Assistant Training
When a situation like a pandemic occurs, it’s easy to feel stressed out and overwhelmed by how much things have changed in your day-to-day life. This can be particularly true for early childcare assistant school graduates.
Even if children are not as likely to be infected by COVID-19, taking the necessary safety measures and making sure all parties involved stay healthy can be anxiety-inducing, and there’s the possibility of you bringing infection home after the work day is done.
In a post-COVID early childcare setting, it’s important for those working in these environments to alleviate toxic stress by practicing self-care, chatting regularly with family and friends, healthy eating, and physical exercise.
Some Changes May Stay in Effect Even After the Pandemic’s Peak
Considering how much the ongoing pandemic has reminded us of the importance of taking good care of our health and hygiene, it perhaps wouldn’t be a surprise to see many other changes stay in effect even after the worst of the crisis is behind us.
For example, professionals with early childcare assistant training might see a lot less sharing of food or toys. You and other early childcare staff may also find yourselves tested for the virus on a regular basis, as well as having to take other measures such as wearing masks and frequent handwashing. The safety of yourself, your colleagues, and the children you look after at work are your highest priority, so it’s worth learning what you’ll need to do after you’ve graduated.
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