How can Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations (FBCOs) help with child care during an influenza pandemic?
Category: Planing and Response Questions
Answer:
During a severe influenza pandemic, your congregation or organization should plan for the fact that schools and child care programs may be closed to help contain the spread of disease. Children will likely need to continue studying at home, with lessons being delivered by television, radio, or computer.
Your congregation or organization can help emphasize the need to avoid gatherings of children and teenagers. To avoid spreading the disease, children and teenagers will need to avoid gathering in the community at shopping malls and other public places. In addition, child care and after-school programs may be closed to help contain the spread of disease.
Many places of worship operate child care, mothers’ morning out, and child care drop-off facilities. These may need to close temporarily during a pandemic. Such centers should plan how they will inform parents, staff, and volunteers of a closing.
Congregation or organization members, co-workers, friends, families, and neighbors should plan to be able to keep children at home. If that is not possible, people can prepare to work together to supervise and provide care for small groups of infants and young children. Families should prepare learning materials, equipment, or books that may be needed to teach and entertain children at home.
Your congregation or organization can also identify single working parents or families in which both parents are working and children who can no longer go to school and child care. Match these households with other child care options before a pandemic, and update this list regularly.
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Last Updated: 11/06/2007
