There are a number of children and teens within our programs who have allergies and some are quite severe and potentially life threatening (e.g. anaphylaxis)

Allergies are easily identifiable on the child's registration tag. It's a little harder with our Youth programs but it's our job to ask the question when they first register with us. 

Take note when any type of food is around or when giving out sunscreen to kids. Your program leader will have a list of kids or teens with allergies and will communicate who they are before each program. 

If you come across an allergic reaction, please notify your Program Leader asap who will deal with the medical emergency and will call the parent on their mobile, while sending someone to place the child’s number on the service screen that their parent attends as well. We are not to administer medication (such as an Epi-pen) unless otherwise communicated in writing by the parent upon dropping their child off to the Program (the First Aid person must always be the one to administer any medication).

FOR ALL INCIDENTS MINOR OR MAJOR, FILL IN A CITIPOINTE INCIDENT REPORT FORM. YOUR PROGRAM LEADER WILL NOTIFY A PASTOR OF ANY ALLERGIC REACTIONS IMMEDIATELY!

Common symptoms or an allergic reaction are: 

• Stomach: vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea.

• Breathing: wheezing; difficulty breathing; cough; throat or chest tightness.

• Skin rashes: hives, itchy rashes, or red patches on the skin.

• Other: difficulty swallowing; runny nose; itchy, watery, or bloodshot eyes; sneezing; anxiety; headache; feeling faint; fatigue.

• Anaphylaxis: signs of shock (low blood pressure; skin that is pale or red, sweaty, or dry; confusion, anxiety, or unconsciousness); difficult or noisy breathing.

Always ask parents about allergies - the connect form to enter the program asks the parents such questions. 

Plan with parents of identified children a plan of action in case that child has an allergic reaction. NB Citipointe cannot administer medication except where parents have given explicit permission and instruction. 

Ensure staff and volunteer working with that child are aware of the allergy. 

Generally:

• Store food out of reach of young children. 

• Clean and sanitize surfaces before children eat. 

• See that both adults and children wash their hands before and after eating. 

• Set rules prohibiting certain foods if a child in your care is highly allergic. 

All staff and volunteers should be aware of the Medical Emergency Procedures document to respond to an allergic reaction. 

Ensure that all areas where children play are kept free of unnecessary clutter that could cause injury. 

Keeping an area safe where children play, congregate or their Program takes place:

• Check equipment is safe (eg basketball hoops should not be lose and able to be pulled down and off)

• The area should have adequate lighting.

• Electrical equipment, leads and cords should be safely stored.

• Ensure drawers are not left ajar, so little fingers can’t get them jammed or pull a chest of drawers over on them. 

• Equipment – understand safety regulations and instructions of all equipment before use.

• Read all safety signs.

When driving on to church properties observe speed limits.  Be aware of speed bumps, boom gates, students, infants and other pedestrians. Observe all signs and instructions of other institutions that share the campus. At Carindale this includes: Citipointe Childcare Centres, Citipointe Christian College and Christian Heritage College.

Alcohol and Drugs of abuse are not permitted anywhere on church property

Smoking is not permitted in or around buildings

Staff, volunteers, parents and visitors can assist us by maintaining a hygienic environment by following simple hygiene rules while they are working with children. 

Infection can be spread through direct physical contact between people, airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing or from contact with surfaces and objects. 

Hygienic strategies include:

• Thorough hand-washing and drying by adults and children;

• Ensuring equipment and toys are regularly cleaned/washed and are well maintained;

• Having hygienic procedures for wiping children’s noses;

• Implementing hygienic food handling preparation and storage and rubbish removal;

• Excluding ill or contagious children from the program and; 

• Encouraging families to keep their unwell children with them in the service. 

Certain events  are considered high risk activities (eg Camps) and as such they require an extensive Risk Management Plan. Any activity, that is not a church service, requires a Safety Management Plan. 

There are Risk Management Plans and Safety Management Plans in place for recurring  activities. Your Leader will consult with you on risk plans when running any event.

In the case of an incident involving a head injury, breathing difficulties, severe lacerations, suspected fractures/breaks or allergic reactions parents/guardians must be informed immediately.

Any injury inflicted by a secondary party as a result of a physical altercation must be reported to parents of both parties involved while maintaining the child’s anonymity. 

Medication can only be administered with direct supervision of a parent or guardian or by expressed permission of the parent or guardian for example on Youth Camp. 

In case of emergencies, first aid staff are permitted to carry out required treatment of the children following all expected protocol.

What does Manual Handling mean?

Manual handling is basically how you move something. It means any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain a person, animal or thing.

You might not realise it but manual handling is one of the most costly and common causes of injury in the workplace. 

10 Key Points for Manual Tasks

• Soften the knees to prepare for movement.

• Sink back at the hips.

• Stabilise your abdominal and shoulder muscles.

• All of the movement is in the lower body-legs and hips.

• Hold the load close to the body.

• Use trolleys and assistive devices to move items.

• Vary posture – get up from the desk!

• Attend postural stretching exercises at least every 30 minutes.

• If any manual handling task you believe may place you at risk of injury. Notify your manager immediately.

• If you experience discomfort and strain in arms, neck, hands or back: report the problem to your manager early.

Response to a suspicion of an infectious disease includes:

• Isolating the child from the other children; 

• Ensuring the child is comfortable and appropriately supervised;

• Contact the child’s parents or guardian and inform them of the suspicion and ask them to collect their child as soon as possible; 

• Ensure any toys or equipment that the child had been playing with is disinfected and cleaned; 

• Inform all other parents in the room of the presence of an infectious disease. 

If, after a program has concluded,  and a parent discloses their child has an infection, Citipointe will contact all parents of children who were in the program, of the infection and to keep an eye out for similar symptoms. 

Citipointe will as much as possible maintain confidentiality of the child and their family. 

A child who has had an infection should wait until all symptoms of the infection have passed and the doctor has given the ‘all clear’ before they can return to the program.

Slips, trips and falls are common risks in an office or program areas, accounting for the majority of minor injuries in the workplace or in a program.

Use the following measures to minimise slips, trips and falls:

• Keep passageways, exits, corridors and aisles clear of equipment, rubbish and electrical leads.

• Ensure floor surfaces are even and do not use rugs in regular traffic areas, e.g. the walkway from the front door.

• Position filing cabinets so the drawers do not open into aisles or walkways.

• Clean floors regularly and make sure that a build-up of cleaning product residue does not create a slip risk.

• Use signs or barricades to identify wet or slippery areas.

• Make it clear to your staff that they must clean up immediately if they spill anything, e.g. coffee, on the floor.

• Ensure passageways, corridors and stairways are adequately lit (read more).

• Minimise the use of ladders, e.g. store items that are regularly accessed at floor level, and don’t expect office staff to change light globes.

• Consider the type of flooring in your office and whether all forms of footwear are safe to wear, e.g. will the floor be slippery for someone wearing thongs? You may need to implement a dress code if some forms of footwear will be unsafe.

Citipointe realises the need to protect children’s skin and educate them about SunSmart behaviour, thus reducing the risk of skin damage from exposure to the sun.

Encourage all staff/volunteers to act as positive role models for Children in all aspects of SunSmart behaviour by:

• wearing hats and appropriate clothing for all outdoor activities;

• using SPF 30+ broad-spectrum, water resistant sunscreen;

• seeking shade where possible;

• wearing sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard (AS/NZS1067:2003).

Ensure that 30+ broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen is included in the Citipointe first aid kits, available in Kids Rooms and nursery areas and made available to all Youth, when engaging in outside activities.