Interviews During Covid

[Pandaluver21]

I look and didn't see anything addressing this (but I could be wrong :P)

I have been "closed" (I only had one kid) due to some medical issues, for the last year or so, but am starting preschool back up in August. I'm curious how you are doing interviews right now. I am high risk, but am not really freaking out about things, just being cautious. Do you allow parents in your home for interviews right now?

[Cat Herder]

I did an interview last week. I have also been open the entire time, though. I took everyone's temps before entry and had them take the paperwork home to complete and return. I am not high-risk, though.

Maybe you could just require the adults to wear masks and not allow their children to touch anything other than one or two items that you have them drop in a bin for disinfecting?

At least until you know for sure you will be enrolling?

[e.j.]

I'm still closed but am looking to reopen at the end of the month. I just interviewed a couple with a 9mo old. We all wore masks and sat out on my patio to talk. I let them take a quick look into the day care room and kitchen/dining area so they could see that my home is clean and the playroom has plenty of room and toys to play with for the kids. They seemed to understand and appreciate the precautions I took and told me they were interested in enrolling with me so it worked out well.

[DaveA]

I’m not looking to fill openings right now. If/ when I do I’ll probably do something similar to what e.j. did.

[rosieteddy]

Right now my family stays outside when they visit.I would not interview inside.I would meet the parents outside staying socially distant.Maybe do a video slide show of DC space.

[dolores]

I closed since March and reopened yesterday. Unlike before I do not let parents and nonessential visitors past the porch so they no longer enter our program.
I do FaceTime interviews and tours with prospective parent and child, and FaceTime again just before they start with us. They see me, I see them and their child etc. It's actually been nice seeing families in their home setting instead of mine.
Parents have been working from home and have become used to video chats/calls so they seem to be ok with virtual tours plus they appreciate the extra level of precaution taken.

[Alwaysgreener]

There is another provider on here that created a virtual tour. She posted a link about a month ago.

[Pandaluver21]

We all wore masks and sat out on my patio to talk.

I was thinking an outside interview would be great, but I am unable to wear a mask for more than a few minutes at a time, as I have some breathing issues. I do have a face shield that I use for teaching Sunday School, they can see my face and it is decorated "kid friendly" :P

Maybe you could just require the adults to wear masks and not allow their children to touch anything other than one or two items that you have them drop in a bin for disinfecting?

I only ever have 1-2 toys out for interviews. Lot less to clean up and is healthier even during "normal" times. Usually something like a bead maze and a few puzzles... but those may not be easy to disinfect this time around..

Unlike before I do not let parents and nonessential visitors past the porch so they no longer enter our program.

I adapted a "no entry" policy before covid hit, so parents always dropped off at the front door and I didn't have to deal with them being nosy or asking to use the bathroom :|

There is another provider on here that created a virtual tour. She posted a link about a month ago.

That's a great idea. I don't even have current pictures of my area since we moved... guess I better get to it!

[e.j.]

I was thinking an outside interview would be great, but I am unable to wear a mask for more than a few minutes at a time, as I have some breathing issues. I do have a face shield that I use for teaching Sunday School, they can see my face and it is decorated "kid friendly" :P

I would think the face shield or even going without a mask if you're outside and can sit 6' away from the parents would work fine. I do like the virtual tour idea, though, too!

[Alwaysgreener]

So I had a tour come up and a friend suggested to do a zoom tour. I did it worked well.
I decided they weren't a match but i still was able to learn how to schedule a zoom meeting.

[AmyKidsCo]

I'm not a video person so I used Google slides to make a slideshow of photos with labels/comments. You can email the link to parents so it's super easy. We did a Zoom interview, which was easy too, even though it was their first time using Zoom and my second time hosting a meeting. They ended up enrolling, so it couldn't have been too bad.

[Blackcat31]

Right now my family stays outside when they visit.I would not interview inside.I would meet the parents outside staying socially distant.

This is how I've been meeting new enrollment families as well. We meet outside at 4:00/4:30. Chat a bit and then once I close at 5:00 and all the other kids have gone, we go inside for a quick walk through.

I have been arriving 1/2 hour early daily to wipe down/sanitize and disinfect everything for the new day so the walk through the evening before is wiped away.

I have considered a slide show or video but to be totally honest, I have so much on my plate dealing with the extra work COVID brings and families I currently have already so while a fantastic idea, one I just don't have time to do.

[Lil_Diddle]

I'm still closed but am looking to reopen at the end of the month. I just interviewed a couple with a 9mo old. We all wore masks and sat out on my patio to talk. I let them take a quick look into the day care room and kitchen/dining area so they could see that my home is clean and the playroom has plenty of room and toys to play with for the kids. They seemed to understand and appreciate the precautions I took and told me they were interested in enrolling with me so it worked out well.

This is exactly how I did it