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March 19, 2020
Dear Health Care Provider and Emergency Services Organization:
In response to the State of Emergency issued by Tompkins County and the directives of the Tompkins County Health Department, child care centers have been closed. We know that this is a concern for many in our community, but especially those who provide direct health care and emergency services. The Child Development Council, with support from the child care community, schools, county emergency planning and others have developed a plan to supply child care for essential health care providers and first responders. The Child Development Council, as Tompkins County's designated Child Care Resource and Referral agency, will serve as a centralized resource to connect those in need with open spots. We have and will continue to add in new and creative solutions. Initially, we will be offering the following types of child care options.
- Two licensed child care centers will re-open to serve only the children of essential personnel; they will reduce their class sizes by half.
- We have surveyed registered family child care and licensed group family child care for openings and willingness to enroll additional children.
- We are collecting the names and interest of individual teachers who have been laid off from their child care or school age child care program who are willing to enter into independent contracting or “nanny” relationships in their home or in the children’s home. These teachers have had background checks as a result of their prior employment. The Child Development Council will refer essential personnel to these individuals.
You are receiving this letter because your organization was identified as an essential provider of services to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Child care referrals will be prioritized to those employees of which you (as the employer) deem “essential” to this response.
We are asking that you work with your employees to determine who classifies as “essential” and provide a written note/voucher or some form of identification so we know to provide care for them. We will not be able to refer to care to any family without notice from the employer directly.
We are doing everything in our power to provide quality child care to working parents during this time and we appreciate your cooperation in navigating the uncertainty.
Any employee seeking enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic can contact the Child Development Council at (607) 273-0259 or via email at info@childdevelopmentcouncil.org. Tuition rates will vary and are to be agreed upon between the essential personnel and the child care provider.
Thank you for your cooperation,
Sue Dale-Hall and staff at the Child Development Council, info@childdevelopmentcouncil.org
