Illness and Infectious disease and exclusion procedure

Illness, Infectious disease and exclusion procedure

I do my very best to keep children safe while they are with me. I promote good health, and take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection within my setting.

I understand that as working parents you need to be able to go to work, however, your child will be cared for better by you, in their own home. I am happy to care for children if they have minor coughs and colds, but I am unable to care for children who are very unwell, infectious or have a high temperature during the last 48 hours , this is because I have to take into consideration the other children and my own family’s welfare. Please consider the implications of knowingly bringing a poorly child to my setting. If you bring a poorly child to my setting it could result on me having to close the setting due to becoming poorly which would have an impact on the other children I care for and their parents. I am also a self-employed person, if I don’t work – I don’t earn and like you, I have bills to pay for.

As set by The Public Health Agency, if your child has had diarrhoea or sickness in the last 48 hours please do not bring them in, but please let me know.

If your child becomes unwell whilst in my care, I will make them as comfortable as I can, isolate them from the other children if necessary and reassure them. I will have no choice but to contact you immediately and will continue to care for your child until you arrive.

I reserve the right to act on advice from the NHS or the Health Protection Agency regarding an infectious illness. I will not accept a child with conjunctivitis who still has discharge coming from their eyes or a child with untreated head lice. This is in order to reduce the risk of an infection spreading to other children, myself or members of my household.

If I think a child in my care is suffering from a notifiable disease, I will act on advice given by the Health Protection Agency and inform Ofsted of any action taken.

I am happy to administer medication provided by you, providing the guidelines of my ‘Administering and Storing Medicine Policy’.

I will continue to work when I have minor illnesses, such as coughs or colds etc. I will not, however, work if I have sickness or diarrhoea or any other infectious illnesses. I do not want to spread infections and would not be able to provide your child with the care they deserve.

If for any reason I am unable to care for your child on a contracted day – I will contact you as soon as I can; either the night before or as early as I can in the morning. I will also contact you if my child is not well. I will inform you of the illness/symptom and if I am able to work or not. This will then allow you to make the decision if you would like to bring your child or not. I do not charge if I am unable to care for you because of mine or my family’s illness.