If you have a child who goes to an in-home daycare, what is their sick policy?

Question

I provide childcare for the nine-month-old daughter of a friend. She dropped her off today coughing, sneezing, and vomiting. I called to have her picked up, but I feel guilty because her mom had to call in sick to work. I have four kids of my own. What should our policy be, when I'm sick, any of my kids are sick, or the baby I care for is sick? What's fair? I know how hard it is to miss work, so I want to be flexible.

Answer 1

Daycares in my area are if they vomit more than once or they have a fever over 99, they are sent home & not allowed back for 24 hours. Home day care in my area are if they vomit more than twice or they have a fever over 100, they are sent home & not allowed back for 24 hours. The only exception with the home day care is if it is teething related fevers.

Answer 2

No day care I know of will accept a sick child. It's not your job to clean up her child's vomit, and it isn't fair to other children in your care. Not only could the sick child spread the illness, but you will have to devote more time to that child.

Usually the parent has to wait 24 hours after a fever or illness to bring back the child. A runny nose is one thing, the flu is quite another.

Answer 3

Most day cares will not allow a sick child to be brought in. This is to protect the other children as well as the sick child also. They need to be home in bed resting when they are sick.

Answer 4

You did the right thing. Sick children are why "sick" leave was invented. If your friend had taken her baby to a regular, licenced daycare, they would have had her pick up the baby, too. Better yet, they probably wouldn't have allowed her to drop it off in the first place.

Answer 5

You did the right thing, kids that sick should be at home and not around getting other people's kids sick. If they have abnormal fevers and are vomiting. they should def. be sent home.