Immunisation medication and management of illness

Policy Statement:

Cybertots Child Care Centre will provide a safe caring environment for children to develop to their full potential.

Considerations:

• Legislation - This will vary from State to State and be dependent upon current Legislation.
• Children’s Needs - Protection from infection. Children will be kept safe and secure and their well being promoted.
• Parents Needs - To feel confident that their child’s well being and development is assured.
• Staff Needs - Protection from infection and to feel comfortable performing their duties. Understand liabilities and Duty of Care requirements. Be provided with sufficient information and training regarding administration of medication and other treatments as appropriate. Maintain good communication with parents. Have specific written policies to give parents and for parents to take responsibility for their children when sick.

Immunisation

• Parents/Guardians will be encouraged to immunise their child against all diseases appropriate to the child’s age. A record of the child’s current immunisation status will be kept at the centre. Children who are not immunised will be excluded from care during outbreaks of some infectious diseases in accordance with the National Health and Medical research Council exclusion guidelines, even if their child is well. Normal fees will be imposed during these exclusions.
• All workers at the Child Care Centre will be encouraged to have all childhood immunisations. All adults should receive a booster dose of tetanus and diphtheria vaccine every 10 years. Caregivers who care for children under the age of 2 years should also receive Hepatitis A Vaccine.

Immunisation

• Parents/Guardians will be encouraged to immunise their child against all diseases appropriate to the child’s age. A record of the child’s current immunisation status will be kept at the centre. Children who are not immunised will be excluded from care during outbreaks of some infectious diseases in accordance with the National Health and Medical research Council exclusion guidelines, even if their child is well. Normal fees will be imposed during these exclusions.
• All workers at the Child Care Centre will be encouraged to have all childhood immunisations. All adults should receive a booster dose of tetanus and diphtheria vaccine every 10 years. Caregivers who care for children under the age of 2 years should also receive Hepatitis A Vaccine.

Exclusion

• Children and staff with infectious diseases will be excluded from the centre in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines. A medical certificate is required before the adult or child can be re-admitted to the centre after contracting Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Polio, Tuberculosis, Typhoid and Paratyphoid.
• If a child is unwell at home parents/guardians are asked not to bring the child into the centre.
• If a staff member is unwell they should not report to work. Staff members should contact the Director at the earliest possible time to advise of their inability to report to work.
• In the case of serious ill health or hospitalisation, the child or staff member will require a medical certificate verifying that their recovery is sufficient to enable their return to the centre, from their medical practitioner or specialist. The Children’s Services Officer will be advised if a child or staff member is admitted to hospital or experiences a broken limb or other serious injury whilst in attendance at the centre.
• When appropriate, a notification of a communicable disease at the centre will be posted in the foyer.
• After an outbreak of a contagious illness, staff members will soak or spray all linen, cots and other items in contact with the infected child/children with a water and detergent solution.

Management of Unwell Children

• If a child becomes unwell whilst at the centre the parents/guardians will be notified and asked to take the child home. The child will be made comfortable and separated from the other children until the parent/guardian arrives.
• If the child has a temperature and is unwell the parent/guardian will be informed and asked to make arrangements to take the child home. Over the counter medications will not be given without a doctor’s authorisation.
• No medication will be given at the centre until the child has had two previous doses without ill effect.
• All illness at the centre is recorded in the accident/illness record. (See Intranet under Forms).

Medication

Medication will only be administered by the centre staff if:

1. it is prescribed by a doctor and has the original label detailing the child’s name and required dosage
2. the parent/guardian has completed and signed an authority to give medication form
3. medication must be given directly to the staff member and not left in the child’s bag or locker
4. before medication is given to a child the staff member will verify the correct dosage with another staff member. After giving the medication the staff member will complete the following details on the authority to give medication form - name of child, date, time, dosage, medication given; person who administered, person who verified with signatures to validate.
5. medication will never be added to a child’s bottle for administration
6. where medication for treatment of long term conditions or complains such as asthma, epilepsy or ADD is required, the centre may require a letter from the child’s medical practitioner or specialist detailing the medical condition of the child, correct dosage as prescribed and how the condition is to be managed.