Message From The MBC Children’s Ministry Team
The Children’s Ministry Team has given much thought, time, and prayer into when and how the children should return to the classrooms. To ensure the safety of children, volunteers, members, and visitors, the following plan has been developed to guide the reopening of the Children’s Department at Meadowbrook Baptist Church:
The Center for Disease Control recommends during this COVID-19 pandemic:
The key to slowing the spread of COVID-19 is to limit contact as much as possible. While school is out, children should not have in-person playdates with children other than from their households. If children are playing outside their homes, it is essential that they remain 6 feet from anyone who is not in their own household.
Children 2 years and older should wear a cloth face covering their nose and mouth when in the community setting.
It is important to comfort crying, sad, and/or anxious infants and toddlers, and they often need to be held. To the extent possible, when washing, feeding, or holding young children: Childcare providers can protect themselves by wearing an over-large button-down, long sleeved shirt and by wearing long hair up of the collar in a ponytail or other updo.
Childcare providers should wash their hands, necks and anywhere touched by a child’s secretions.
The NC Baptist Association recommends the following considerations for opening Children’s Church Service:
Eliminate toy boxes and an overabundance of toys. Bring out only the amount of toys volunteers are willing to clean at the end of the session.
Train leaders on sanitation guidelines for handwashing, diaper changing, and cleaning toys. Clearly state expectations for sanitizing during the session.
Purchase no touch thermometers and perform temperature checks on children and leaders before being allowed into the classrooms.
Have volunteers staff the check-in station to limit physical contact within the check-in station.
Consider options for dropping off and picking up the children: Allow only one parent to drop off and pick up children, or have designated drop off and pick up locations at the entry to children’s areas with only the teacher escorting the child to class.
Restrict diaper bags and other personal items from being brought into classrooms.