Keeping Families and Kin Sitters Healthy During Coronavirus

Family and sitter health is top priority for the Kin community. With concerns over Coronavirus increasing and school closures beginning to happen around the country, we wanted to remind our community of the following:

We are encouraging open communication regarding family and sitter health status. So, as always, if a child, a family member or sitter is sick or has a fever, please disclose this information, with symptoms and relevant doctor information, to the other party so that families and caregivers can make informed decisions about whether to cancel a job.

Specific to the Coronavirus, the Australian Department of Health recommends that people should self-quarantine for 14 days if:

• You have been in contact in the last 14-days with someone diagnosed with COVID-19
• You have travelled from overseas in the last 14 days

Jobs should be cancelled if a caregiver or anyone in the family they are working for fits into one of the above categories. Jobs should not be posted and booking requests should not be sent if a family member fits any of that criteria as well.

The Australian Department of Health also recommends the following steps to protect yourself and other family members:

• Get your flu shot to protect against flu or symptoms similar to novel coronavirus.
• Wash your hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover your cough or sneeze.
• Stay home if you are sick, and keep sick family members at home until symptoms resolve.

Additionally, here are some requests that both parties should expect to encounter when communicating about child care jobs and scheduling bookings:

• Sharing information about any travel within the past 14 days
• Request to take temperature before leaving for the job or upon arrival at the job (for both sitter and family)
• Disclosing information about exposure to large groups, events or activities within the past 14 days
• Request to wash hands immediately upon arrival

If you are sick and think you have symptoms of COVID-19, seek medical attention. If you want to talk to someone about your symptoms first, call the Coronavirus Health Information Line for advice on 1800 020 080.

As the situation is changing rapidly, the Australian Department of Health website is great sources for the most up-to-date information and recommendations. Here are the latest recommendations on how to keep workplaces and homes safe.

Department of Health ​information for parents, schools and early childhood centres

Covid FAQ’s

We hope everyone stays healthy.

Take care,

Your Kin Sitter Team