NextGen Ministries and COVID-19

NEXTGEN MINISTRIES

The policies and procedures presented will provide adapted care for our nursery and children’s ministry during the Covid-19 pandemic. Items have been researched from the CDC website, studies in regards to childcare, as well as researching models of various children’s church departments in the Rapid City area. 

Policies and procedures will be sent to our church family, posted by our check-in stations, and in each of our children’s ministry rooms. 

Dyani Waldrop
Children’s Pastor
Destiny Foursquare Church

Check-in Area at the Welcome Center: 

• Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or above will not be admitted. Anyone with a fever will not be allowed in the children’s area for at least 24 hours with standard illnesses (per our standard sick policy).
• Families will not be allowed in the children’s area for 2 weeks if a member of their family has Covid-19 or has been exposed to it. 
• A list of COVID-19 symptoms will be displayed near our check-in area (attached below). 
• A parent or guardian will need to check in the child before placing them in the nursery.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at the check-in stations.
• Please wash or sanitize little hands upon entering the classroom. 

Nursery

• Once arrived, please leave your child in nursery until you are ready to exit the premises. This will minimize the traffic to and from the nursery. 
• Masks will be available to our volunteers, but not required to serve. 
• Pre-packaged nursery snacks will be available, but parents will be encouraged to bring their own snacks. Please label drinks and snacks from home.
• Gloves will be provided in each classroom to be used for snacks and diaper changes. Volunteers will wash/sanitize hands thoroughly after each diaper change.
• No more than 10 children in the nursery at any one time.
• All large toys, tables, and frequently touched items will be sanitized at the end of each service. 
• A more thorough sanitizing will take place after the Sunday Celebration services have concluded for the week, but before the next meeting time comes around.
• When the weather is nice, we will try to spend a good portion of the service time outdoors and leave the park door open to encourage proper airflow and ventilation into the nursery.

KIDS Church

• Parents will be notified to pick their child up immediately if any child begins to present a fever or show symptoms of an illness.
• All children will sanitize or wash hands upon entering the classroom. Frequent use of sanitizer and handwashing is recommended before and after any activity that involves the sharing of limited supplies.
• All snacks will be prepackaged at this time.
• Children will sanitize their hands at the end of service before leaving. At the end of service, volunteers will wipe down and sanitize the tables, chairs, doorknobs, etc. 
• Carpet squares and spaced seating will be provided during large group activities.

COVID – 19 Exposure

• If you or a family member is believed to have been exposed to COVID-19, please contact our Children’s Pastor at dyani@destiny4square.org or (605) 590-0393.
• If a family member or child is found to be ill with COVID-19, or exhibiting symptoms of them, the nursery will be cleaned and sanitized appropriately after a 24 hour wait period has passed. 

COVID-19 Symptoms:

Symptoms may appear: 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or sense of smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. The CDC will continue to update this list as they learn more about Covid-19.

Child Wellness Policy:

Please keep children home if presenting any of these symptoms or diagnosed with any of the following.

• FEVER: Children should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication.
• VOMITING/DIARRHEA: Child should be episode free for 24 hours.
• STREP THROAT: The child should have started antibiotics 24 hours before attending.
• NASAL DRAINAGE: The child should not attend until clear.
• SORE THROAT/COUGH:  Child should not attend with a sore throat, croup or persistent coughing associated with a respiratory infection
• PINK EYE:  Attend only after 24 hours of antibiotics, no matting or drainage occurs, and the child is no longer rubbing the eye.
• CHICKEN POX: The child may not attend until all spots are scabbed over and the child is no longer scratching or touching scabs.
• RASH:  Children with an unexplained or contagious rash should not attend.
• LICE/OTHER INFESTATION:  Children should not attend until after treatment, and all live lice and visible nits have been removed.

Nursery Sanitization Procedures

• Disinfect toys in a bucket or sink using clean water and bleach
• Spray toys with a disinfectant spray
• Wipe down all surfaces like large toys, rocking chairs and diaper changing tables
• Empty garbage cans and take out the trash
• Replace sheets and changing table covers
• Sweep or vacuum floors
• Empty potties and flush toilets
• Place items left behind in the lost and found