NURSERY BUBBLES – BEST PRACTICE

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• Creating bubbles within your early years setting are an essential part of the ADEK reopening guidelines for settings in UAE.
• They are a way to ensure that the same group of employees and children are together, thereby reducing the chance of spreading COVID-19.

[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”What is a bubble?” google_fonts=”font_family:Salsa%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]A method of grouping children into our nurseries by organizing them into “bubbles” to ensure the safety of children and employees during the coronavirus infection. During the lockdown, children and adults are in the bubble in their own homes, and they do not need to maintain social distance from other family members in the bubble at home.

The concept of nursery bubble is an extension of household bubble. In the nursery bubble, whenever they are in the nursery, a group of children and staff will gather together and limit their interaction and contact with other bubbles as much as possible.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”12456″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Children Bubbles & Staff Assignments: COVID-19

• 1st Bubble: 45 days – 2 years: 8 children: 1 educator or assistant educator + 1 assistant
• 2nd Bubble: 2 years – 4 years: 10 children: 1 educator + 1 assistant

• The nursery will create ‘bubbles’ of children who will remain together within the same bubble at all times.
• A maximum of 16 children between the ages of 45 days to 2 years old and 20 children between the ages of 2 years to 4 years old are allocated to a single bubble. This is to accommodate children who attend part time.
• A maximum of 8 children aged 45 days to 2 years and a maximum of 10 children aged 2-4 years of age from each bubble attend on any one day or time.
• The Nursery will ensure that age requirements are being met in bubbles or establish mixed age bands across 45 days to 2-year-olds and/ or 2-year-olds to 4-year-olds. These can only be changed at a later date when the threat of infection has dimished to safe levels and authorities lift restrictions. If mixed age bubbles are formed the adult to child ratio requirements must be adhered to.
• Siblings may be allocated to the same bubbles if mixed age bands are implemented in the nursery and if the sibling’s ages fall within one age band.
• Children will remain in small bubbles and do not inter-mingle.
• The nursery will establish practical arrangements to minimize transitory crossings, for example, in corridors. Daily schedules of rotation of spaces (outdoor, indoor gym) will be created and placed in all common area and classrooms so that staff are aware of their time slots.
• • 5min gaps will be scheduled between each rotation to allow a maximum of time so that bubbles do not meet in the common areas.

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• Staff will not rotate amongst different bubble.
• Communication between staff must be done by phone.
• The Nursery will maintain the mandated qualified staff requirements.
• The Nursery allocates teaching staff as per the mandated adult: child ratios to a single bubble of children.
• The Nursery will allocate staff to specific bubbles and ensure staff do not rotate or change bubbles.
• The Nursery will allocate 1 extra designated staff member for 3 bubbles in the case of emergencies or absence.
• The nursery will ensure physical distancing of staff so that staff only congregate with those that are assigned to the same bubble.
• Implement physical distancing of adults from other bubbles to 2m apart, at all times.
• Nursery staff will not leave the nursery property during the working day and until their duty is completed, or in the event of having to leave the nursery for an emergency that they do not return until the following day.

Allocation of space for bubbles: COVID-19

• The nursery will meet a minimum of 3.5 square meters per child for indoor spaces and 5 square meters per child for outdoor spaces.
• Each bubble will be allocated one internal room as a base classroom.
• The Nursery will ensure that the base classroom can accommodate all aspects of children’s care and education including learning resources, feeding/eating and sleeping arrangements.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Use of space by bubbles: COVID-19

• Different bubbles will not rotate to different spaces within the nursery during any one day.
• Children from different bubbles will not share the same sleeping space or equipment.
• All toileting and nappy changing facilities are thoroughly cleaned between uses by children from different bubbles.

Use of common areas and spaces: COVID-19

• The nursery will stagger schedules such as entry and exit times, staff break times and use of common areas including outdoor areas.
• All common areas are only used on a 24-hour schedule and are thoroughly cleaned between use by different bubbles.
• The Nursery will follow social/ physical distancing protocols in high traffic areas and ensure appropriate signage is visible.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Useful Links and Contacts:

Department of Health

https://doh.gov.ae/

8001717

United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health

https://www.MOHAPap.gov.ae/en/Pages/default.aspx

80011111

World Health Organization

https://www.who.int/

The Health Authority-Abu Dhabi/e-Sick Leave Attestation System

https://www.haad.ae/haad_old/tabid/58/ctl/Details/Mid/417/ItemID/264/Default.aspx

UNICEF – key messages and actions for COVID-19 prevention and control in schools

https://www.unicef.org/reports/key-messages-and-actions-coronavirus-disease-covid-19- prevention-and-control-schools

Abu Dhabi Public Health Center/ Dubai Health Authority/ Department of Health/ UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention: Instructions for using hand and surface disinfectants

https://liwaschool.ae/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Instruction-for-using-hand-and-surfacedisinfectants.pdf

Centers for Disease Control: Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-forchildcare.html#HandHygiene

Ministry of Health and Prevention

All you need to know about COVID-19 https://www.mohap.gov.ae/en/Pages/default.aspx[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]