Re-opening economy may need child's play

CONCORD — In order to reopen the state’s economy, there will need to be more places where children can go while their parents are working, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central NH CEO Chris Emond told a state panel this week.

The task force was established by Gov. Chris Sununu to make recommendations on opening businesses that have been closed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

A public comment period has been set for 9 to 11 a.m. Friday (call-in information at end of this article).

Orders by Sununu have closed restaurant dining rooms, bars and most lodging opportunities. Child care operations were allowed to continue, but many have closed during the pandemic.

“We have heard from business owners that their employees are not reporting to work because they lack access to child care,” Emond said in his presentation.

“We have surveyed parents and many say they want to send their children to camp and back to child care centers this summer. They want to get back to work.”

In February, before the pandemic, there were 788 licensed child care businesses operating in New Hampshire with 7,895 employees. Now there are 243 such businesses with 2,400 employees and only 54 are serving school age children.

One such business still in operation is Elizabeth Morin’s Imaginations...A Child’s Place day care in Moultonborough.

Morin said that in order to stay open she had to confirm to the state that she was providing service to the children of workers considered essential under business restrictions put in place by Sununu because of the coronavirus pandemic.

She said that her clients include health care workers and people who work in the construction field.

Morin has been serving from 12 to 19 children per day, compared to the 35 to 40 that were there before the pandemic. The youngest child in her present group is 8 months old, and the oldest is 13 years old.

Demand for her child care services decreased because many parents are out of work and are staying home with their children. Some parents, including teachers, are working from home and choosing to keep their youngsters out of day care. Many of the parents are helping their youngsters with remote learning.

She looks at each child closely when they come in for the day.

“When they walk through the door, I make sure they are healthy, look at their eyes, make sure they’re not running a fever,” Morin said.

“All the kids know there’s a virus going around. Some of the kids ask, ‘Where are my friends.”

All child care operations that are part of the Emergency Child Care Program were eligible as of April 13 to apply for a $5 per staff-hour pay differential. They are also eligible to receive supplies including thermometers, bleach and masks.

While child care programs were allowed to stay open under COVID-19-related restrictions, day camps and overnight camps are still waiting to see if or when they can operate this summer.

There are 85 overnight camps in New Hampshire, including 8,000 staff and 40,000 campers, Emond said.

If they are allowed to open, testing and health screening for campers and staff would be expected, among other protocols to reduce the chance for spread of the virus.

Emond said state support will be needed.

“Nonprofits and small businesses providing child care, day care or youth services have serious concerns about re-opening this summer due to risks and potential liabilities related to the pandemic,” he said. “They will not reopen if the risk of exposure to lawsuits is too high.

“These organizations request state relief in the form of immunity and protection from legal liability arising from their willingness to operate during the pandemic.”

He also said money would be needed to support operations running at reduced levels, personal protection equipment, staff training and retention, deep cleaning, COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 testing for staff and students, assistance with fixed costs such as rent or mortgage payments, heat and utilities that aren’t covered by a smaller than normal number of youths served due to new safety protocols.

Online:

Economic Re-opening task force: https://www.nheconomy.com/reopeningtaskforce

Call in information for task force meetings:

Call-in: 1-800-356-8278 or 1-857-444-0744

Pin: 194499 or 600744 or 125563