Medical Care and Additional Needs

The Parent/Carer understands that:

• Abacus Ark Nursery School staff are not permitted to administer un-prescribed medication other than as described below;

• Prescribed medication must be in-date, prescribed for a current condition and have a pharmacist’s label on (indicating Name, Surname, Child’s D.O.B.);

• The Parent/Carer will also be required to complete a Medication Consent Form before any prescribed medication may be administered;

• Children’s Calpol (un-prescribed and provided by Abacus Ark Nursery School) can only be administered with the written consent from a Parent/Carer followed by a verbal consent of the parent in the case of a high temperature i.e. between 37.5c – 40c. This is to prevent febrile convulsions and will be given where a Parent/Carer or named person is on their way to collect the Child;

• In an emergency, including where a Child’s temperature exceeds 40c, professional medical treatment will be sought;

• Every attempt will be made to contact them or a nominated person first and that such measures would only apply if they are not available;

• When the Parent/Carer is contacted and requested to collect their Child, the Parent/Carer will make every effort to do so as soon as possible;

• The Nursery staff cannot undertake the care of sick children, in particular those with an infectious disease, diarrhoea, vomiting and high temperatures;

• In the event of the Parent/Carer suspecting or being informed of the above, they are to notify the staff immediately so that appropriate procedures may be put in place to safeguard all other children and staff at the Nursery.

The Nursery will:

• Administer medication related to teething (Calpol, teething gel, Nurofen) only where the Parent/Carer provides Abacus Ark Nursery School with a doctor’s letter stating that the Child is teething, the medication which may be given, how often the medication may be administered and for what length of time.

A doctor’s letter which does not state the exact length of time for which the treatment is to be given will not be accepted. A new doctor’s letter must be obtained for each episode of teething where a Parent/Carer wishes Abacus Ark Nursery School to administer medication.

Sickness Policy

Abacus Ark adopts the guidelines set out in the Public Health England publication “Guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings”. See Appendix 1 for a copy of this publication. Where your child is showing signs of rashes, skin infections, severe diarrhoea/vomiting or respiratory issues, we request that you seek medical advice. Once you have noticed symptoms/ received a diagnosis, please refer to Appendix 1 of this agreement for guidelines on the period over which you should keep your child away from the Nursery.

We kindly request that where you do become aware of symptoms or any illness on the list, you inform the Nursery Manager at your earliest convenience. Conversely, in the event that the Nursery has been informed of any illness, we aim to communicate this to parents via email within 4 hours.

Underlying Medical Conditions and Medication

The Parent/Carer will: 

• Disclose all underlying medical conditions of their Child and any medication taken by a Child to Abacus Ark Nursery School;

• Provide an Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) where requested.

New Medication and Antibiotics

The Parent/Carer understands that:

• If a child has not had a medication before, it is required that the Parent/Carer keeps the Child at home for the first 24 hours to ensure there are no adverse effects, as well as to give time for the medication to take effect;

• Where children have been prescribed an antibiotic, the Parent/Carer is asked to keep them at home for 48 hours before returning to the Nursery.

Allergies

The Parent/Carer confirms that:

• They have provided all information regarding their child’s allergies and intolerances within the child’s “Personal Detail” form.

The Parent/Carer understands that:

• The Nursery will take reasonable measures in ensuring that nuts and seeds/nut and seed products are not used within the Nursery, and as such the Parent/Carer will take reasonable measures to ensure that no nuts or nut products are brought onto the premises.

Additional Needs

While the Nursery has a policy of inclusivity, from time to time certain adjustments or changes to practice required to accommodate additional needs of children will not be possible. In these rare circumstances, it is with regret that the Nursery will not be able to provide childcare services. 

The Parent/Carer confirms that:

• They will accept the outcome of an internal assessment or risk assessments that confirms the Nursery will not be able to provide high quality and safe childcare.