About this series
Registration requires settings to have certain key policies and procedures.
In addition to these, there are other documents that need to be in place that reflect good practice. This series aims to:
* Explain what needs to be included within these policies and procedures.
* Show providers how to link their policies and procedures to the Every Child Matters outcomes and to relevant legislation and guidance.
* Show how to include staff in the development of the policies and procedures.
* Demonstrate the importance of sharing the policies and procedures with parents and stakeholders
Sick child policy
Links to Every Child Matters
* Helping children to be healthy
* Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
* Helping children to achieve well and enjoy what they do
* Helping children make a positive contribution
* Organisation
Links to National Standards
* National Standard 7 - Health
* National Standard 12 - Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers Links to legislation and key guidance
* Children Act (CA) 1989 and 2004
* Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF 1989
* Data Protection Act DPA 1998
* Every Child Matters - Change for Children (ECM) 2004
* Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) 2000
* The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
* The Human Rights Act (HRA) 2000
* Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
* Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988
* Health Protection Agency Act 2004
Further information
* Department of Health - www.dh.gov.uk
* Health Protection Agency - www.hpa.org.uk
* Local primary care trust - www.nhs.uk/England/AuthoritiesTrusts/Pct/Default.aspx
* Immunisation information - www.immunisation.org.uk.
* Information regarding health issues in schools and nurseries - www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk
* Health and Safety Executive - www.hse.gov.uk
List of communicable diseases
Diseases notifiable (to Local Authority Proper Officers) under the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988:
* Acute poliomyelitis * Anthrax * Cholera * Diphtheria * Dysentery * Food poisoning * Leptospirosis * Malaria * Measles * Meningitis (meningococcal, pneumococcal, haemophilus influenzae viral other specified unspecified) * Meningococcal septicaemia (without meningitis) * Mumps * Ophthalmia neonatorum
* Paratyphoid fever * Plague * Rabies * Relapsing fever * Rubella * Scarlet fever * Smallpox * Tetanus * Tuberculosis * Typhoid fever * Typhus fever * Viral haemorrhagic fever * Viral hepatitis (Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C) * Whooping cough * Yellow fever * Leprosy is also notifiable, but directly to the Health
Protection Agency (HPA)
A good policy:
* Describes what happens when a child becomes ill in the setting (procedure)
* States and makes clear to parents what an infectious illness is
* States why the setting has a duty to prevent the spread of infections
* Lists and states the minimum exclusion period for infectious illness, incubation and infectious period
* Lists the notifiable diseases and states the setting's duty to inform Ofsted and the Health Protection Agency
* States the times when children should be immunised in line with the Department of Health guidelines
* How the setting adheres to guidelines and procedures from Ofsted, HPA and the Department of Health
In practice this means:
Staff make sure that children receive appropriate care and attention if they become sick while in the setting, so ensuring that children are comfortable and that the risk of cross-infection is minimised. The setting disseminates health protection and prevention literature to parents. They also have a list of local agencies to signpost parents to, if necessary.
Parents and emergency contact details are kept up to date, in case parents have to be contacted in an emergency. Parents keep the setting updated as to when their child has received their latest immunisation. Staff operate a consistent approach and sensitively discuss with parents why their child needs to be excluded. The exclusion period for all infections is implemented.
Medication policy and procedure
Links to Every Child Matters
* Helping children to be healthy
* Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
* Helping children to achieve well and enjoy what they do
* Helping children make a positive contribution
* Organisation
Links to National Standards
* National Standard 7 - Health
* National Standard 12 - Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers Links to legislation and key guidance
* Children Act (CA) 1989 and 2004
* Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF, 1989
* Data Protection Act DPA 1998
* Every Child Matters - Change for Children (ECM) 2004
* Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) 2000
* The Human Rights Act (HRA) 2000
* Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988
* Health Protection Agency Act 2004
* Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
A good policy:
* States that only prescribed medicine will be administered
* States who will give the medicine (procedure)
* States how staff make sure that the medicine is not out-of-date and states the child's name and date of birth
* States where all medicine is stored
* States that parents give signed consent and record the details of the medicine to be administered to their child
* Ensures that staff are aware of the need to record the child's full name, name of the medication, times, dates and dosage of medicine to be administered
* States that parents are to countersign the medicine record on collection of their child
* States how staff make sure that the correct dosage is given
* Explains how staff administer medicine to a child with a specific medical condition
* Explains the setting's policy regarding the administration of non-prescribed medicine to children such as teething gel or homeopathic medicine
In practice this means:
The setting makes sure that there are always two members of staff present when administering medicine to children. Preferably, one member of staff is from the senior management team. Students, volunteers and temporary staff do not administer medicine to children. A member of the senior management team checks the medicine cabinet to ensure that all medicines that are not used are discarded safely. The administration of medicine is accurately recorded.
Accident policy and procedure
Links to Every Child Matters
* Helping children to be healthy
* Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
* Helping children to achieve well and enjoy what they do
* Helping children make a positive contribution
* Organisation
Links to National Standards
* National Standard 7 - Health
* National Standard 12 - Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers Links to legislation and key guidance
* Children Act (CA) 1989 and 2004
* Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF 1989
* Data Protection Act DPA 1998
* Every Child Matters - Change for Children (ECM) 2004
* Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) 2000
* The Human Rights Act (HRA) 2000
* Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988
* Health Protection Agency Act 2004
* Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984
A good policy:
* States how accidents will be recorded (procedure)
* States where the first aid boxes are allocated
* States who the qualified first aiders are
* States that if the child requires medical attention or hospital treatment that staff members will accompany the child (in the case of the setting not being able to contact the parent) (procedure)
* Informs staff that Ofsted need to be contacted if a child is admitted to hospital as a result of an accident in the setting or on an outing
In practice this means:
The setting has signed permission from parents that they, or a medical professional, can administer medical treatment or medicine. All members of staff have received training in paediatric first aid. A member of the senior management team monitors the accident book to identify risks within the setting. Children receive appropriate care and treatment by staff who are qualified in paediatric first aid. The accident record includes the child's full name, date, time and where and when the accident happened.
Staff are aware of the need to contact a member of the senior management team whenever an accident occurs; a decision is then made, depending on the child's condition and injury, whether or not to notify the parents straight away or when they collect their child. Parents countersign the accident record and keep a copy.
Points to remember:
Policies and procedures should:
* reflect the practice on offer
* be reviewed and monitored on a regular basis
* be updated in accordance to legislation and guidance
* be accessible and available at all times
