TAMAITI HEALTH POLICY

________________________________________________________________

RATIONALE        

At Geraldine Preschool the health and well-being of our tamariki, whānau and staff is essential.

We aim to provide an environment where:

• Health is promoted.
• Emotional well-being is nurtured.
• Tamariki and staff are kept safe from harm.

Objective

The objective of the illness policy is to work together to make sure that our practices and decisions regarding illness are reasonable and fair.  During the time your tamaiti is attending Geraldine Preschool there may be occasions when they will be affected by illness.  Exclusion of tamariki with infectious diseases from Geraldine Preschool is necessary where there is potential for further spread of the infection.  Time away from the centre will allow your tamaiti to recover and will also protect the health of the other tamaiti, whānau and staff.  Exclusion is at the centre manager’s discretion.

TE WHĀRIKI

Well-being/Mana atua – Strand: The health and wellbeing of the child are protected and nurtured.

Whānau and staff share the responsibility for creating a healthy centre environment, which will protect and nurture children.

Parent/Whānau Responsibilities:

• Provide the centre with up to date emergency contact numbers.
• Information should be shared with kaiako upon arrival at the centre.  This enables kaiako to be vigilant and alert to any changes in behaviour, or signs or symptoms of illness, and can respond to tamariki needs.
• Let kaiako know if you have given medicine to your tamaiti during the night or prior to arriving at the centre.  Staff are unable to administer Paracetamol at preschool.
• Any tamaiti requiring antibiotics should remain at home for the first 24 hours.
• Provide written authority for any medication required while the tamaiti is at the centre.
• Provide medication with a prescription label stating name of medication, dose and the to be given (ensure medication is within expiry date).
• Tamaiti should be collected by whānau or an emergency contact within half an hour if unwell.
• Allow your tamaiti time to recover before returning to the centre.
• If you are worried about your tamaiti health please seek advice from a whānau doctor before bringing your tamaiti to the centre.
• Provide details of immunisations that your tamaiti has had at the time of enrolment and at ages 15 months and 4 years.  This is a legal requirement under the Health (Immunisation) Regulations 1995.
• It is important to know that unimmunised tamaiti/kaiako at risk of disease may be required to stay away from the centre when there are cases of a vaccine preventable disease eg measles, mumps.  The Public Health Service will work with the centre and advise when these tamaiti/kaiako can return to the centre.  

When a whānau member is unwell and bringing a tamaiti who is well to the centre please support us in limiting the spread of an illness by making an arrangement for kaiako to meet tamaiti at the centre entrance for drop offs and pickups  (Please don’t bring sick siblings into the centre).

Staff Responsibilities:

• If we are concerned that a tamaiti may be unwell we will keep a record detailing any changes in behaviour, symptoms, temperature recordings, food and drink consumption, and any authorised medication.
• Whānau will be contacted if there are concerns about a tamaiti health and maybe asked to take the tamaiti home.
• Tamaiti who are unwell will be isolated away from other tamaiti until they are collected.  A kaiako will supervise them and ensure they are comfortable and emotionally supported.  If whānau is unable to be contacted to collect their tamaiti an emergency contact person listed on the tamaiti enrolment form will be contacted.
• Provide authorised medication; document time, dosage, expiry date and time of administration.
• Medical help will be sought if a child becomes more ill.  We may seek advice from a doctor or Healthline.
• Individual health plans will be written in consultation with whānau for tamariki who have high health needs eg Epilepsy, Diabetes or other medical conditions.

General conditions indicating that a child should not attend the centre:        

• The illness prevents the tamaiti from participating comfortably in programme activities.
• The illness results in a greater care need that the centre can reasonably provide without compromising the health and safety of other tamariki.
• The child has any of the following conditions: fever, constant runny nose, persistant coughing,  difficulty breathing, or other signs of possible illness. (if tamaiti has been seen by a medical professional and deemed not to be contagious they may provide a medical note that will remain current for three weeks).

Specific symptoms indicating that a tamaiti should not attend the centre:

• Temperature: If a tamaiti has a temperature that is 37.8 degrees or higher they should not return to centre for 24 hours.

• Diarrhoea: No child should attend if they have diarrhoea.  When Diarrhoea is accompanied by any other symptoms such as fever, stomach pains, nausea, vomiting or headache, this indicates a gastrointestinal infection, and the child should stay away until they have been symptom free for at least 48 hours.
• Vomiting: The tamaiti needs to stay away until at least 48 hours after the last symptoms.  A child who vomits at the Centre will be isolated and whānau contacted to collect.
• Mouth sores: associated with the inability of the child to control his or her saliva unless the tamaiti whānau Doctor advises that the tamaiti is non infectious
• Rash: with fever or behaviour change, until your whānau Doctor has determined the illness is not a communicable disease.
• Respiratory infections: A tamaiti should not attend if they have persistant and or  uncontrolled coughing or sneezing as the result of an infection.  A runny nose related to a respiratory infection that the tamaiti has difficulty controlling the spread of nasal secretions and/or has a negative social impact upon the tamaiti (refer to Regional Public Health Green Nose Fact Sheet).
• Skin Infections: A tamaiti should not attend if they have open wounds/sores that cannot be covered either with clothing or bandages to prevent the child from scratching.  
• Conjunctivitis: A tamaiti should not return until there is no discharge present.
• For specific diagnoses eg: chicken pox, measles, Hepatitis A, influenza, refer to the Ministry of Health Infectious Disease information and exclusion list (attached).

Date approved: August 2023

Review date: August 2024