Well Child and Sickness Policy

Our Procedures

A member of the management team must be informed immediately if a child becomes unwell while at the Nursery. They will ensure that the child’s parents are notified as quickly as possible. Children that are not well as per the “Well Child” definition will be expected to return to their parents as soon as possible or at least within the hour. A child that is not well as above at the point of drop off should not be accepted.

Definition of a “Well Child”

• A child who is not reliant on temperature relief medication
• A child who is well enough to participate in all areas of Nursery activities
• A child with their normal appetite, who is happy and sociable
• A child who does not require a greater staff ratio
• A child who has their normal bowel functions

Children with mild, respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend nursery.

Exclusion from nursery is sometimes necessary to reduce the transmission of illness or because the nursery is not able to adequately meet the needs of the child. We follow the guidance given to us by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) health protection in education and childcare settings and also to safeguard the physical wellbeing of our staff.

• Should a child have an infectious disease, such as sickness and diarrhoea, they must not return to nursery until they have been clear for at least 48 hours. We notify Ofsted as soon as possible and in all cases within 14 days of the incident where we have any child or staff member with food poisoning. We inform parents using a notification on the affected playroom door if there is a contagious infection identified in the nursery, to enable them to spot the early signs of this illness. We thoroughly clean and sterilise all equipment and resources that may have come into contact with a contagious child to reduce the spread of infection
• We exclude all children on antibiotics for the first 24 hours of the course (unless this is part of an ongoing care plan to treat individual medical conditions e.g. asthma and the child is not unwell.) This is because it is important that children are not subjected to the rigors of the nursery day when they are not feeling well. It also supports advice from the Nurse Educators Team that state if children are going to have an allergic reaction to a medication then it will be in the first 24 hours.
• We have the right to refuse admission to a child who is unwell. This decision will be taken by the management team on duty and is non-negotiable.
• We ensure information posters about common child illnesses and head lice are readily available and displayed if the nurseries have confirmed cases. With regards to head lice, all parents are requested to regularly check their children’s hair. If a parent finds that their child has head lice we would be grateful if they could inform the nursery so that other parents can be alerted to check their child’s hair.

Pain Relief/Calpol

Where babies are teething or there is a medical need, parents can provide pain relief which can be administered for up to 48 hours at the discretion of the management team.

High Temperature Procedure

The below represents the steps to follow after noting a high temperature; a temperature recorded of 38°c or more

1. When taking a temperature we use an ear thermometer. Good practices advise the temperature to be recorded as the average of 3 readings.

2. Two additional temperature readings taken with the same device spaced 15 minutes apart. No Calpol or similar medication should be administered during this time unless the child’s temperature spikes, is distressed or has an existing Health Care Plan e.g. known to be prone to Febrile Convulsions.

3. If the temperature is consistently 38°c or higher across the three readings the child is to be collected by their parent and Calpol or similar medication can be administered after the three readings are complete.

New Covid isolation guidance for children

The new guidance on respiratory infections, including COVID-19, (Chapter 3: public health management of specific infectious diseases) states:

"If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and where possible avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test. The risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower after 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature.

Children and young people who usually attend an education or childcare setting and who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal."

Meningitis procedure

If a parent informs the nursery that their child has meningitis, a member of the management team will contact the Infection Control (IC) Nurse for their area or the Nurse Educators Team. The IC Nurse will give guidance and support in each individual case. If parents do not inform the nursery, we will be contacted directly by the IC Nurse and the appropriate support will be given. We will follow all guidance given and notify any of the appropriate authorities including Ofsted if necessary.

In the event of a pandemic outbreak such as COVID 19, the nursery would follow all Public Health England, Government and The World Health Organisation guidance and procedures.

Transporting Children to Hospital Procedure

The nursery management team/staff member must:

• Call for an ambulance immediately if the illness or accident is severe and needs medical treatment. DO NOT attempt to transport the sick child in your own vehicle.
• Inform a member of the management team immediately.
• Whilst waiting for the ambulance, contact the parent(s) and arrange to meet them at the hospital.
• Redeploy staff if necessary to ensure there is adequate staff deployment to care for the remaining children. This may mean temporarily grouping the children together.
• Arrange for the most appropriate member of staff to accompany the child taking with them any relevant information such as registration forms, relevant medication sheets, medication and the child’s comforter.
• Remain calm at all times. Children who witness an incident may well be affected by it and may need lots of cuddles and reassurance. Staff may also require additional support following the incident