A clean environment
Keeping the Cybertots children safe and well begins with providing a clean and hygienic environment for them. We have lots of little people together in a confined area, so any illnesses or infections can spread very easily if given the chance. There are several ways we can minimise their spread:
- have thorough cleaning routines
- ensure we follow hygiene rules ourselves
- teach the children hygiene rules that they can follow themselves.
Illness and infection are carried through germs. Germs can be spread in three ways. Click on the headings below to find out more.
Direct
A child with a runny nose hugs and kisses another child who is then infected. There has been direct contact between the infected child and another child.
Indirect
An infected child touches a toy then puts it down. Another child comes along, picks up the toy and puts it into their mouth. There has been no direct contact between the two children. The illness is passed on indirectly via the toy.
Airborne
A child is sneezing on one side of the room. From that sneeze microscopic droplets are formed. Those droplets carry germs which hold the infection. They pass through the air and are breathed in by a child on the other side of the room. In this instance an infected child doesn’t even have to have any direct or indirect contact with another child to pass on the illness.
Now that you know how easily illness and infection can be passed on, you can see why we need to take precautions. Cybertots, like all child care centres, must follow the relevant state and territory regulations relating to health and hygiene. They also have their own policies in place to provide further guidance to their staff.
These include:
- making sure cleaning occurs as an ongoing process – daily cleaning tasks tells you more about this
- using appropriate cleaning agents
- being aware of your own personal hygiene standards and health practices, especially hand washing
- ensuring rooms have adequate ventilation, lighting and heating/cooling
- following health regulations in preparing sleep areas
- ensuring food handling, preparation, and storage methods comply with health regulations.
Think about all the areas of Cybertots that need to be kept clean and hygienic.
- List 6 of these areas in your notebook.
- Choose one of the areas from your list. For that area, write down:
- the steps you would take to clean the area, in order
- the cleaning agents you would use
- any special precautions you would need to take
- how germs could be transmitted if the area were not kept clean.
