Hygiene

Infections are common in children and often lead to illness, so we need your assistance to help us to reduce the spread of an infection. If your child is unwell we ask that you keep them at home for their own recovery benefit and that of the other children and educators in the group.

A person with an infection may or may not show signs of illness and, in many instances, the infectious phase of the illness may be in the period before symptoms become apparent, or during the recovery phase. While it is not possible to prevent all infections in education and care environments, services can prevent or control the spread of many infectious diseases by adopting simple hygiene practices.

An infection can be spread when an infected person attends the service premises and contamination occurs. GEKA kindergartens implements a hygiene and infection control procedure that aims to break the cycle and prevent the spread of infections at every stage.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) suggest that to reduce illness in education and care services, the three most effective methods of infection control are:

effective hand washing
exclusion of sick children, educators and visitors
immunisation

Other strategies to prevent infection include:

cough etiquette
appropriate use of gloves
effective cleaning of the kindergarten environment

Collection of Unwell Children

If a child appears to be unwell, the family will be contacted and asked to collect the child from kindergarten.

Parents/guardians will be required to collect their children from the centre if their child displays any of these symptoms:

more than one loose bowel motion in a day
Vomits and shows signs of being unwell
A temperature of 38 Degrees Celsius or higher (with other symptoms) and withdrawn from engaging in the program.
A yellow/green discharge from the eyes
Excessive ongoing discharge from the nose (associated with another symptom)
Head lice – see below
Experiencing breathing difficulties
Develops a rash

Exclusion of Unwell Children

We encourage all families to follow the recommended exclusion periods as detailed by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Please keep your child at home in the following circumstances (please see the exclusion timetable at the kindergarten for a full list of circumstances):

Diarrhoea: Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion for 24 hours

Vomiting: Exclude until there has not been vomiting for 24 hours

Temperature: Exclude until temperature has retuned to normal for 24 hours

Antibiotics: Exclude until 24 hours after the commencement

Conjunctivitis: Exclude until the discharge from the eyes has stopped unless doctor has diagnosed a non-infectious conjunctivitis and treatment started

Hand, foot and mouth disease: Exclude until all blisters have dried.

Head lice: Exclusion is NOT necessary if effective treatment is commenced the day before attendance

Influenza and influenza like illnesses: Exclude until well

Infectious Diseases

Should your child be diagnosed with a condition outlined in the Infectious Diseases Schedule, or has been exposed, please advise the educators so that we may inform other parents and take necessary precautions to reduce further spreading of an infection. A child with any of the conditions listed should be kept at home for the period prescribed.

Medications

Medication (including prescription, non-prescription, over-the-counter and homeopathic medications) will not be administered to a child at a service without the authorisation of a parent/guardian or person with the lawful authority to consent to the administration of medical attention to the child.

Any medications must be handed to a permanent educator at the kindergarten upon arrival at the session.

Please do not store any medications in your child’s bag.

If a child has a temperature of 38ºC or higher, educators will make every effort to reduce the temperature by removing clothing, use tepid water to sponge a child and will offer water. The parent/guardian will be contacted and asked to collect a child whose temperature is 38°C or higher, with other associated symptoms and has withdrawn from engaging in the program.

For ongoing management of high temperatures, educators will only give paracetamol when a medical practitioner’s certificate is supplied.

This written confirmation must include that the child is not infectious and well enough to attend the kindergarten. Advice from the Royal Children’s Hospital www.rch/ccch.org.au indicates that fever is common in children, but it is rarely harmful. Fever is not an illness: it is a symptom, or sign, of an underlying problem.

In the case of an emergency, it is acceptable to obtain verbal consent from a parent/guardian, or to obtain consent from a registered medical practitioner or medical emergency services if the child’s parent/guardian cannot be contacted.

In the case of an anaphylaxis or asthma emergency, medication may be administered to a child without authorisation following the direction of the child’s medical management plan. In this circumstance, the child’s parent/guardian and/or emergency services must be contacted as soon as possible.

Medical Conditions and First Aid

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, requiring an EPIPEN. Up to two per cent of the general population and up to five per cent of children are at risk.

The most common causes of allergic reaction in young children are eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, cow’s milk, bee or other insect stings, and some medications.

If your child has been diagnosed at risk of anaphylaxis or has allergies, requiring medication, you will be required to provide the kindergarten with an approved individual medical management plan for your child signed by the medical practitioner who is treating your child. This will be stored with your child’s enrolment form and on display in the service for the information of all staff.

More information is available at www.education.vic.gov.au/anaphylaxis

There is at least one educator at all times who has current and approved, anaphylaxis management training.

Asthma, If your child has Asthma it is important that our educators are advised of the condition. As part of enrolment you will be provided with an Asthma Action Plan which needs to be completed in consultation with, and signed by, a medical practitioner. Please ensure children with asthma have reliever medication and a spacer (including a child’s face mask, if required) at all times your child is attending the service. Ideally, this would be left at the kindergarten, however if families choose to bring medication back and forth, it is important they take responsibility to take the medication out of the bag and put it in the medication area and also to collect it at the end of the day to take home.

At least one educator who has current approved Emergency Asthma Management (EAM) training is on duty at all times.

A Risk Minimisation and Communication Plan will also need to be completed for any child with a plan, in consultation with educators.

Incident, Illness, Injury, First Aid Provision

If an accident occurs, or your child becomes unwell whilst at kindergarten, educators will administer first aid, and provide care and comfort to your child. In some more serious instances, the family will be advised to collect their child.

When there is a medical emergency, educators will where necessary, call an ambulance if a child appears very unwell or has a serious injury that needs urgent medical attention. Parents/guardians will be notified as soon as possible of any serious medical emergency, incident or injury concerning the child, and request that you make arrangements for the child to be collected from the service, or inform you that an ambulance has been called.

Smoke Free Zone

All GEKA Kindergartens are a smoke free zone. Smoking is not permitted within the building and grounds of the centre or within the sight of children.

Emergency Procedures

There is an Emergency Management Plan developed for the kindergarten which outlines specific emergency and evacuation procedures, practices and guidelines. Educators know the emergency evacuation plans and all related procedures as they are aware of the children’s need for comfort and security during an emergency. Procedures are practiced regularly to ensure familiarisation of how to respond should an emergency arise.

There are three types of emergency responses: Lockdown, Lockout and Evacuation. These responses are practiced each term with anyone present on site at the time. Procedures are displayed at the kindergarten so everyone can develop awareness and follow them.

Family Handbook

GEKA Vision: To be the leading provider of innovative, professional, inclusive Early Years Education that fosters a lifelong love of learning

Issue 1 · 29 Sep 2020

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