The health and safety of all staff, children, families and visitors to our Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) Service is of the utmost importance. We aim to reduce the likelihood of incidents, illness, accidents and trauma through implementing comprehensive risk management, effective hygiene practices and the ongoing professional development of all staff to respond quickly and effectively to any incident or accident.
We acknowledge that in education and care services, illness and disease can spread easily from one child to another, even when implementing the recommended hygiene and infection control practices. Our OSHC Service aims to minimise illnesses by adhering to all recommended guidelines from relevant government authorities regarding the prevention of infectious diseases and adhering to exclusion periods recommended by public health units.
When groups of children play together and are in new surroundings accidents and illnesses may occur. Our OSHC Service is committed to effectively managing our physical environment to allow children to experience challenging situations whilst preventing serious injuries.
Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, an approved provider must ensure that policies and procedures are in place for incident, injury, trauma and illness and take reasonable steps to ensure policies and procedures are followed. (ACECQA, 2021). In the event of an incident, injury, trauma or illness, all staff will implement the guidelines set out in this policy to adhere to National Law and Regulations and inform the regulatory authority as required.
Our OSHC Service implements risk management planning to identify any possible risks and hazards to our learning environment and practices. Where possible, we have eliminated or minimised these risks as is reasonably practicable.
We are committed to minimise the spread of infectious diseases such as coronavirus (COVID-19) by implementing recommendations provided by the Australian Government- Department of Health and Safe Work Australia.
Our OSHC Service implements procedures as stated in the Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (Fifth Edition) developed by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council as part of our day-to-day operation of the Service.
We are guided by explicit decisions regarding exclusion periods and notification of any infectious disease by the Australian Government- Department of Health and local Public Health Units in our jurisdiction under the Public Health Act.
IDENTIFYING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS
Educators and Management are not doctors and are unable to diagnose an illness or infectious disease. To ensure the symptoms are not infectious and to minimise the spread of infection, medical advice is required to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
Recommendations from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and Department of Health will be adhered to minimise risk where reasonably practicable.
During a pandemic, such as COVID-19, risk mitigation measures may be implemented within the service to manage the spread of the virus. These measures may include but are not limited to the following:
- notifying vulnerable people within the workplace of the risks of the virus/illness including:
- people with underlying medical needs
- children with diagnosed asthma or compromised immune systems
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50 with chronic medical conditions
- adhering to Public Health Orders for mandated vaccination requirements for all educators, staff and visitors
- restrict the number of visitors entering the Service
- request parents to drop off and collect children from designated points outside the service
- enhanced personal hygiene for children, staff and parents (including frequent handwashing)
- full adherence to the NHMRC childcare cleaning guidelines and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces at least twice daily
- avoid any situation when children are required to queue- using the bathroom for handwashing or toileting, waiting their turn to use a piece of equipment etc.
- cancelling excursions to local parks, public playgrounds and incursions during a pandemic
- recommending influenza vaccination for children, staff and parents
Children who appear unwell at the OSHC Service will be closely monitored and if any symptoms described below are noticed, or the child is not well enough to participate in normal activities, parents or an emergency contact person will be contacted to collect the child as soon as possible. A child who is displaying symptoms of a contagious illness (vomiting, diarrhoea) will be moved away from the rest of the group and supervised until he/she is collected by a parent or emergency contact person.
SYMPTOMS INDICATING ILLNESS MAY INCLUDE:
- behaviour that is unusual for the individual child
- high temperature or fevers
- loose bowels
- faeces that are grey, pale or contain blood
- vomiting
- discharge from the eye or ear
- skin that displays rashes, blisters, spots, crusty or weeping sores
- loss of appetite
- dark urine
- headaches
- stiff muscles or joint pain
- a stiff neck or sensitivity to light
- continuous scratching of the scalp or skin
- difficulty in swallowing or complaining of a sore throat
- persistent, prolonged or severe coughing
- difficulty breathing
As per our Sick Children Policy, we reserve the right to refuse a child into care if they:
- are unwell and unable to participate in normal activities or require additional attention
- have had a temperature/fever, or vomiting in the last 24 hours
- have had diarrhoea in the last 48 hours
- have been given medication for a temperature prior to arriving at the Service
- have started a course of antibiotics in the last 24 hours
- have a contagious or infectious disease
HIGH TEMPERATURES OR FEVERS
Children get fevers or temperatures for all kinds of reasons. Most fevers and illnesses that cause them last only a few days. However, sometimes a fever will last much longer and might be the sign of an underlying chronic or long-term illness or disease.
Recognised authorities suggest a child’s normal temperature will range between 36.0°C and 37.0°C, but this will often depend on the age of the child and the time of day.
Any child with a high fever or temperature reaching 38°C or higher will not be permitted to attend the OSHC Service until 24 hours after the temperature/fever has subsided.
WHEN A CHILD DEVELOPS A HIGH TEMPERATURE OR FEVER WHILST AT THE OSHC SERVICE
- Educators will closely monitor the child focusing on how the child looks and behaves and be alert to the possibility of vomiting, coughing or convulsions
- Educators will notify parents when a child registers a temperature of 38°C or higher
- The child will be cared for in an area that is separated from other children in the service to await pick up from their parent/guardian or authorised nominee
- The child will need to be collected from the OSHC Service and will not be permitted back for a further 24 hours
- Educators will complete an Illness, Injury, Trauma and Illness record and note down any other symptoms that may have developed along with the temperature (for example, a rash, vomiting, etc.).
METHODS TO REDUCE A CHILD’S TEMPERATURE OR FEVER
- encourage the child to drink plenty of water (small sips), unless there are reasons why the child is only allowed limited fluids
- remove excessive clothing (shoes, socks, jumpers, pants etc.) Educators will be mindful of cultural beliefs.
- before giving any medication to children, the medical history of the child must be checked for possible allergies
- the child’s temperature, time, medication, dosage, and the staff member’s name will be recorded in the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record. Parents will be requested to sign and acknowledge the Administration of Medication Form when collecting their child.
DEALING WITH COLDS/FLU (RUNNY NOSE)
It is very difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of COVID-19, influenza and cold. If any child, employee or visitor has any infectious or respiratory symptoms (such as sore throat, headache, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, cough or runny nose) they may be requested to either stay at home or self-test for COVID-19.
(see: Australian Government Identifying the symptoms )
Colds are the most common cause of illness in children and adults. There are more than 200 types of viruses
that can cause the common cold. Symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and coughing, watery
eyes, headache, a mild sore throat, and possibly a slight fever.
Nasal discharge may start clear but can become thicker and turn yellow or green over a day or so. Up to a quarter of young children with a cold may have an ear infection as well, but this happens less often as the child grows older. Watch for any new or more severe symptoms—these may indicate other, more serious infections. It is not unusual for children to have five or more colds a year, and children in education and care Services may have as many as 8–12 colds a year. As children get older, and as they are exposed to greater numbers of children, they get fewer colds each year because of increased immunity.
Management has the right to send children home if they appear unwell due to a cold or general illness. Children can become distressed and lethargic when unwell. Discharge coming from a child’s nose and coughing can lead to germs spreading to other children, educators, toys, and equipment.
DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING (GASTROENTERITIS)
Gastroenteritis (or ‘gastro’) is a general term for an illness of the digestive system. Typical symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, and vomiting. In many cases, it does not need treatment, and symptoms disappear in a few days. However, gastroenteritis can cause dehydration because of the large amount of fluid lost through vomiting and diarrhoea. Therefore, if a child does not receive enough fluids, he/she may require fluids intravenously.
If a child has diarrhoea and/or vomiting whilst, at the OSHC Service, Management will notify parents or emergency contact to collect the child immediately. In the event of an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis, management will contact the local public health unit on 1300 066 055 (NSW).
Public Health Unit- Local state and territory health departments
Management must document the number of cases, dates of onset, and duration of symptoms. An outbreak is when two or more children or staff have a sudden onset of diarrhoea or vomiting in a 2-day period. (NSW Government- Health 2019)
Children that have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting will be asked to stay away from the OSHC Service for 48 hours after symptoms have ceased to reduce infection transmission as symptoms can reappear after 24 hours in many instances.
An Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness record must be completed as per regulations. Notifications for serious illnesses must be lodged with the Regulatory Authority and Public Health Unit.
INFECTIOUS CAUSES OF GASTROENTERITIS INCLUDE:
- Viruses such as rotavirus, adenoviruses and norovirus
- Bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and Shigella
- Bacterial toxins such as staphylococcal toxins
- Parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium
NON-INFECTIOUS CAUSES OF GASTROENTERITIS INCLUDE:
- Medication such as antibiotics
- Chemical exposure such as zinc poisoning
- Introducing solid foods to a young child
- Anxiety or emotional stress
The exact cause of infectious diarrhoea can only be diagnosed by laboratory tests of faecal specimens. In mild, uncomplicated cases of diarrhoea, doctors do not routinely conduct faecal testing. Children with diarrhoea who also vomit or refuse extra fluids should see a doctor. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be needed. The parent and doctor will need to know the details of the child’s illness while the child was at the education and care Service.
Children, educators and staff with diarrhoea and/or vomiting will be excluded until the diarrhoea and/or vomiting has stopped for at least 48 hours.
Please note: If there is a gastroenteritis outbreak at the OSHC Service, children displaying the symptoms will be excluded from the Service until the diarrhoea and/or vomiting has stopped.
PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS
To reduce the transmission of infectious illness, our Service implements effective hygiene and infection control routines and procedures as per the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee guidelines.
If a child is unwell or displaying symptoms of a cold or flu virus, parents are requested to keep the child away from the OSHC Service. Infectious illnesses can be spread quickly from one person to another usually through respiratory droplets or from a child or person touching their own mouth or nose and then touching an object or surface.
PREVENTION STRATEGIES
Practising effective hygiene helps to minimise the risk of cross-infection within our OSHC Service.
Signs and posters remind employees and visitors of the risks of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and the measures necessary to stop the spread.
Educators model good hygiene practices and remind children to cough or sneeze into their elbow or use a disposable tissue and wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching their mouth, eyes or nose.
Handwashing techniques are practised by all educators and children routinely using soap and water before and after eating and when using the toilet and drying hands thoroughly with a paper towel. (See Handwashing Policy).
All surfaces including cushions and pillows used by a child who is unwell, will be cleaned with soap and water and then disinfected.
Parents, families and visitors are requested to wash their hands upon arrival and departure at the OSHC Service or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. (Note: alcohol-based sanitisers must be kept out of reach of children and used only with adult supervision.)
