-Day Care Centers were compiled by Ariana Acquarulo and Jennifer Scarlett
A Word about Day
Cares and Vaccinations in Connecticut
The
State of Connecticut requires all children attending day cares, by law, to be
vaccinated according to the national guidelines of recommended
vaccinations. This is the form required
to be filled out by all parents upon enrollment of their children in day cares
and learning centers throughout Connecticut. It shows all of the required vaccinations their children must have at
what age and how many doses.
In doing
research, we called and surveyed 120 day care and learning centers throughout
Connecticut. We asked them:
1. How many kids attend your daycare (on average)?
2. Do you require that kids get vaccinations in order to attend your daycare?
3. Do you require proof that the kids are vaccinated?
4. Do you accept vaccination exemptions?
5. If no to answer 2, are you aware of which kids are up to date on their vaccinations and which kids are not?
6. How many employees work at your daycare?
7. How many employees are vaccinated?
8. Does your daycare require employees be vaccinated?
9. Does it require proof?
10. Are parent’s aware of your procedures concerning vaccinations?
11. Do you feel like you have a good knowledge about vaccinations?
12. Would you be willing to learn more by receiving a pamphlet about vaccines?
13. Would you be willing to share this with your clients?
On average, we got answers from 5-100, which also correlated with the number of employees that worked at the facilities. Of all of the facilities we talked to, it was unanimous that all said the children attending their facility must be vaccinated. Every facility also accepted exemptions, mostly medical and religious. Out of all 120 facilities, only 2 accepted philosophical exemptions. Every exemption had to be notarized by a medical doctor.
The only discrepancy we found during our research was that employees were not required to be vaccinated. Many strongly encourage vaccinations; one went as far as giving their employees a reimbursement for vaccinations up to $30.00. However, it was not required for employees to be vaccinated. Even the State had no specific guidelines about required vaccinations for employees. Most employees we talked to stated they were vaccinated; they were just unaware of the vaccination status of the other employees they worked with because the daycares did not have established requirements regarding employees and vaccinations.
1. How many kids attend your daycare (on average)?
2. Do you require that kids get vaccinations in order to attend your daycare?
3. Do you require proof that the kids are vaccinated?
4. Do you accept vaccination exemptions?
5. If no to answer 2, are you aware of which kids are up to date on their vaccinations and which kids are not?
6. How many employees work at your daycare?
7. How many employees are vaccinated?
8. Does your daycare require employees be vaccinated?
9. Does it require proof?
10. Are parent’s aware of your procedures concerning vaccinations?
11. Do you feel like you have a good knowledge about vaccinations?
12. Would you be willing to learn more by receiving a pamphlet about vaccines?
13. Would you be willing to share this with your clients?
On average, we got answers from 5-100, which also correlated with the number of employees that worked at the facilities. Of all of the facilities we talked to, it was unanimous that all said the children attending their facility must be vaccinated. Every facility also accepted exemptions, mostly medical and religious. Out of all 120 facilities, only 2 accepted philosophical exemptions. Every exemption had to be notarized by a medical doctor.
The only discrepancy we found during our research was that employees were not required to be vaccinated. Many strongly encourage vaccinations; one went as far as giving their employees a reimbursement for vaccinations up to $30.00. However, it was not required for employees to be vaccinated. Even the State had no specific guidelines about required vaccinations for employees. Most employees we talked to stated they were vaccinated; they were just unaware of the vaccination status of the other employees they worked with because the daycares did not have established requirements regarding employees and vaccinations.
As for personal
knowledge about vaccines, most people we talked to felt they had good
knowledge about vaccines, but did say they would be willing to receive a
pamphlet about vaccines to learn more. There were a few people who admitted they did not have good knowledge about vaccines, and a few people who refused to receive a pamphlet about vaccines to learn more. For every person who said they’d be willing to receive one, we sent them
one in the mail. Many felt they had good
knowledge about vaccines because “they have children,” “they’ve been in the
business a long time and need to know it,” or “they attend yearly workshops
about it.”
In conclusion, day
care and learning center facilities in the State of Connecticut are doing a
good job at implementing laws of vaccinations for their children. However, this is not as true with employees.
-Article written by Ariana Acquarulo and Jennifer Scarlett
No comments:
Post a Comment