Health & Hygiene - Policy and Practice

Health and safety at work and play
It is our intention that Moulton Pre-school is kept a healthy and safe place for all children, staff and parents.

Illness
1. Parents are asked to keep their children at home if they have any viral or bacterial infections and to inform the Pre-School as to the nature of the infection. Then the Pre-School can alert other parents and make careful observations of any child who seems unwell. Please note that all children who are taking antibiotics should not attend Pre school until the full course has finished, therefore reducing the risk of further infections. Our recommendation is that in these cases children are kept away from pre-school for 7 days.

2. PARENTS ARE ASKED NOT TO BRING INTO THE PRE-SCHOOL ANY CHILD WHO HAS BEEN VOMITING OR HAD DIARRHOEA UNTIL AT LEAST 48 HOURS HAS ELAPSED SINCE THE LAST ATTACK.

3. Administering medicine should be a rare occurrence in Pre-School; children should not attend if they are ill. It is the Supervisor’s right and responsibility to refuse to admit a child that they feel is not well enough to attend.

4. For any medication that may need to be given by Staff for long-standing, on-going medical problems e.g. inhalers parents must provide Staff with written permission, instructions and demonstrations (if applicable) about administering the medication.

5. If the children of Pre-School Staff are unwell, they will not accompany their parents/carers to work in the Pre-School.

6. Cuts or open sores, whether on adults or children, will be covered with sticking plaster or other dressing.

7. In the case of broken limbs/bones, it is the Supervisor’s right and responsibility to insist that the injury is adequately protected and that the child’s carer attends the whole of the session(s). It is the carer’s responsibility to bring any such injury to the attention of the Supervisor and the carer will be required to sign a disclaimer in case of any further injury occurring.

Hygiene
To prevent the spread of all infection, adults in the group will ensure that the following good practices are observed:

Personal hygiene
1. Hands washed after using the toilet.
2. A large box of tissues available and children encouraged to blow and wipe their noses when necessary. Soiled tissues disposed of hygienically.
3. Children encouraged to shield their mouths when coughing or sneezing.
4. Paper towels used and disposed of appropriately.
5. A limited amount of clothing is available in case of accidents. Please remember to wash and return these as soon as possible. Soiled garments will be triple bagged and kept in a labeled bin outside the building until the end of a session.

HIV and other blood borne viruses
1. Any spills of blood, vomit or excrement wiped up and flushed away down the toilet. Disposable gloves always used when cleaning up spills of body fluids. Floors and other affected surfaces disinfected using chlorine or iodine bleach diluted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Hygiene rules related to bodily fluids followed with particular care and all staff and volunteers aware of how infections, including HIV infection, can be transmitted.

As long as a good standard of hygiene practice relating to infection control - as outlined above is followed, no additional procedures will be required relating specifically to HIV.

There is no need for the group to be informed if a child is HIV positive. However if this information is given to a member of staff or committee they should inform only the supervisor and they will inform the committee chair only if and when it became appropriate.

Emergencies
In the case of an accident to the child, the parent/carer will be informed as soon as possible and if unavailable the emergency contact will be informed.
If more serious an ambulance will be called for and a member of Staff will accompany the child, if the parent is unobtainable.(The Staff ratios will be maintained by the parent helper taking on the role of the fourth assistant.)

At least 50% of the Staff will have First Aid Certificates and may administer first aid if required

Diet
At Pre-School we have a healthy eating policy, where children are offered water or milk to drink at snack time and a healthy sugar-free snack of fresh fruit and vegetables.