The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Illnesses policy

The safeguarding and welfare requirements

Policy statement

We provide care for healthy children and promote health through preventing cross infection of viruses and bacterial infections.

Procedures for children who are sick or infectious

If children appear unwell during the day – have a temperature, sickness, diarrhoea or pains, particularly in the head or stomach – the manager will contact the parent/carer and ask them to collect their child, or send a known carer to collect on their behalf.
A sick child form will be completed, indicating;

The symptoms the child is showing
The child’s temperature, this is taken at 15 minute intervals
The exclusion period
The times and amount of Calpol administrated, Calpol is ONLY administrated when a child’s temperature goes above 39.0 degrees and prior written consent has been provided. Parents would also need to provide verbal consent when they are contacted regarding their child’s sickness, upon collection of their child parents and carers must sign the sick child form to acknowledge that they have been informed of the administration
The staff members name and signature who dealt with the child

If a child has a temperature, they are kept cool, by removing top clothing, provided with plenty of fluids and kept away from draughts.
The child’s temperature is taken using anear thermometer, this is stored in the manager’s office
In extreme cases of emergency the child would be taken to the nearest hospital and the parent informed.
Parents are asked to take their child to the doctor before returning them to nursery; where there is a possibility that the child’s sickness/illness could be contagious.

Exclusion periods

Kings Meadow Pre-school will refuse admittance to children who have a temperature, sickness and diarrhoea or a contagious infection or disease.

Where children have been prescribed antibiotics, parents are asked to keep them at home for 48 hours before returning to the setting.
After a child has had a high temperature (above 38 degrees), parents are informed that they must keep their child at home until the child’s temperature has been at around 37.5 degrees for at least 24 hours.
After diarrhoea, parents are asked to keep children home for 48 hours or until a formed stool is passed or.
If a child has been sick, parents are asked to keep children at home for 48 hours, after the last bout of sickness
The setting has a list of excludable diseases and current exclusion times. The full list is obtainable from and includes common childhood illnesses such as measles.
Parents are asked to inform the nursery immediately if they suspect or if their child has been diagnosed with a contagious infection, especially where there is a risk to pregnant mothers.
Parents are notified if a child has contagious infection or diseases such as chicken pox.
Practitioners suffering from sickness and diarrhoea must follow the same exclusion periods as recommended by the Health Protection Agency.

Reporting of ‘notifiable diseases’

If a child or adult is diagnosed suffering from a notifiable disease under the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988, the GP will report this to the Health Protection Agency.
When the setting becomes aware, or is formally informed of the notifiable disease, the manager informs Ofsted and acts on any advice given by the Health Protection Agency.

HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis procedure

HIV virus, like other viruses such as Hepatitis, (A, B and C) are spread through body fluids. Hygiene precautions for dealing with body fluids are the same for all children and adults.
Single use vinyl gloves and aprons are worn when changing children’s nappies, pants and clothing that are soiled with blood, urine, faeces or vomit.
Protective rubber gloves are used for bagging children’s clothing after changing. These are sent home for parents to clean
Spills of blood, urine, faeces or vomit are cleared using mild disinfectant solution and paper towels, any cloths used are disposed of with the clinical waste.
Tables and other furniture, furnishings or toys affected by blood, urine, faeces or vomit are cleaned using a disinfectant or disposed of if necessary.

Nits and head lice are not an excludable condition, although in exceptional cases a parent may be asked to keep the child away until the infestation has cleared.
On identifying cases of head lice, all parents are informed and asked to treat their child and all the family if they are found to have head lice.

Conjunctivitis

If a child develops conjunctivitis the child must be absent from nursery for at least 24 hoursto allow the medication to take effect. Your child will be refused entry to Kings Meadow Pre-school, if their eyes are still weepy and the eyes are not currently being treated.
Parents and carers will be contacted and asked to collect their child if the symptoms of conjunctivitis become apparent during the nursery day.

Procedures for children with allergies

When a child startsat Kings Meadow Pre-school, their parents and carers are asked to fill out an enrolment form, informing the setting if their child suffers from any known allergies.
If a child has an allergy, a risk assessment form is completed to detail the following:

-The allergen (i.e. the substance, material or living creature the child is allergic to such as nuts, eggs, bee stings, cats etc).

-The nature of the allergic reactions e.g. anaphylactic shock reaction, including rash, reddening of skin, swelling, breathing problems etc.

-What to do in case of allergic reactions, any medication used and how it is to be used (e.g. Epipen).

-Control measures – such as how the child can be prevented from contact with the allergen.

-A review date

This form is kept in the child’s personal file and a copy is displayed where staff can see it.
Parents train staff in how to administer special medication in the event of an allergic reaction.
Generally, no nuts or nut products are used within the setting. Parents are made aware so that no nut or nut products are accidentally brought in, for example to a party.

Reviewed in September 2013