Menu
Step By Step Nursery’s Response to COVID-19
At Step By Step Nursery, we have always given top priority to the health and safety of children. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been constantly monitoring all related updates and have implemented the following measures to help keep our community safe while still providing high-quality education to children up to 4 years old.
Step By Step Nursery’s Response to COVID-19
At Step By Step Nursery, we have always given top priority to the health and safety of children. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been constantly monitoring all related updates and have implemented the following measures to help keep our community safe while still providing high-quality education to children up to 4 years old.
E-Learning
As nurseries were closed across the UAE from 1st March 2020, to restrict the spread of coronavirus, Step By Step Nursery immediately started working towards an alternative platform for early years education. We launched and have been successfully running our E-Learning Programme, with interactive sessions and video lessons, which have helped parents maintain a schedule for the little ones and continue their learning at home.
Nursery Reopening
On 27th August 2020, the Ministry of Education and the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority announced that nurseries in the UAE would be allowed to reopen in October 2020 based on their safety preparedness.
After receiving specific guidelines from the authorities, our team has been actively working to ensure that the nursery is a safe space for children to come back to.
Our team members have undergone various online trainings related to the rules and regulations for safeguarding children while supporting their learning and development.
During Autumn Term, we will be operating at limited capacity in order to maintain maximum physical distance, with the children cared for in small groups or “bubbles”.
The reopening plans of all our branches have been officially approved by the Ministry of Education/ADEK and we have received an NOC to reopen. To book a tour or enroll your child, contact us!
Safe ChildCare™ Programme
To ensure that Step By Step Nursery is ready to welcome your child in a safe and secure environment, we have partnered with Boecker®, the Middle East’s largest Public Health Company, to implement their unique Safe ChildCare™ programme (SCC™), fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health UK and recognised worldwide.
Safe ChildCare™ includes:
1. Disinfecting Treatments
Unique EPA/FDA approved treatments are carried out regularly to control pathogens in the air and on all surfaces. The applied disinfectants are 100% safe, completely odourless, non-rinse, non-corrosive, non-staining, 100% biodegradable and highly effective.
2. Staff Training
Staff members in all nursery branches have undertaken a KHDA-approved training related to food safety, infection control and, health and safety.
3. Parents' Awareness Sessions
We conduct awareness sessions and disseminate relevant information to parents in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and promote children’s health and wellbeing.
4. Regular Health & Safety Audits
We conduct detailed audits throughout the year to ensure that the highest quality standards are maintained in the following areas:
- Overall sanitation process and hygiene status
- Fire and electrical safety
- Storage of medications, chemicals, cleaning equipment, etc.
- Infection control measures
- Classrooms, sleeping and common areas’ safety
- Cribs’ safety and sleeping position
- Safety of surfaces exposed to children
- Playground and toys’ safety
- Diaper changing area - hygiene and safety
- Overall child’s safety and welfare
- Food Safety Practices in kitchen and canteen
- Documentation
COVID-19 Precautionary Measures at Step By Step Nursery
These safety measures are implemented at all our branches on a daily basis to ensure that the nursery environment is safe and secure for children, staff and parents:
- Different pick up and drop off timings for each bubble (class)
- Drop off at nursery entrance (parents not allowed inside the premises)
- Temperature checks of staff, children and parents at the entrance
- Random temperature checks several times a day and before departure
- Sanitisation of shoes and bags on arrival
- Bags placed inside cubbies allocated for each child in the classrooms
- Separate stationery box for each child, sanitised daily
- Proper handwashing after arrival
- Frequent handwashing with sinks installed inside the classrooms
- Daily sanitisation and disinfection of all indoor and outdoor spaces and resources in the evenings by our approved cleaning partners
- Sanitisation of some resources after every use
A full time registered nurse is available throughout the day and is responsible for temperature screenings and keeping a check on the health, safety and hygiene standards at the nursery.
All our staff members working within the nursery premises take a mandatory COVID-19 test every two weeks; wear masks and gloves at all times; and maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres.
