Sickness

Child Illness Notification  

We kindly request that parents notify us as soon as possible if their child is unwell. It is imperative to note that we are unable to provide care for children who are ill, in accordance with NMS Standard 10. Therefore, prompt communication regarding the child's illness is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of all children in our care. 

If a child exhibits any of the following conditions, they cannot be accepted into the childcare premises: 

• Fever (temperature above 38 degrees Celsius) or has had one within the past 48 hours. 

• Heavy nasal discharge. 

• Constant cough (excluding allergy-related coughs). 

• Vomiting within the last 48 hours. 

• Diarrhoea within the last 48 hours. 

• Contagious conditions or diseases such as mumps, measles, chickenpox, conjunctivitis, hand, foot and mouth disease, impetigo, pink eye, or any other easily spread condition. 

• Severe distress following an incident or accident. 
• Although head lice aren't a severe medical condition, we will ask that your child be treated with head lice treatment and that no live lice remain on the head before the child can return to the premises.

 

Response to Illness  

If a child becomes unwell during their time with us, we will take immediate action to ensure their comfort and safety while minimising the spread of potential infections. This includes promptly notifying parents, ensuring the unwell child is kept comfortable and separate from others, implementing rigorous handwashing and hygiene practices, and adhering to stringent cleaning routines. 

In cases where a child's temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius or if the child is visibly in discomfort despite initial first aid intervention, emergency administration of Calpol will be considered. Please see Medication Policy.  

 

Parental Collection  

Parents will be requested to collect their child as soon as possible if they become unwell. In emergency situations, we will contact the emergency contacts provided by parents and request them to keep us updated with any changes in contact details. 

 

Immunisation Records 

We stress the importance of all children being fully immunised to safeguard them from serious diseases. We will ask parents to keep us informed about their child's immunisations, and we will maintain a record of this information.  

 

Exclusion Guidelines 

In the event that a child has an infectious illness, we will refer to the exclusion guidelines to determine the appropriate exclusion period from our care (June 2023 guidelines).  

 

Communication with Parents 

We are committed to informing all parents if anyone within our setting, including ourselves, our family members, or any childminded child, has an infectious disease, while maintaining confidentiality. 

 

Infection Prevention and Control 

We will strictly adhere to the Public Health Wales infection prevention and control guidance for childcare settings (0-5 years) and undergo relevant training to ensure compliance with infection prevention and control measures in Wales. 

 

Notification to Authorities  

As required, we will notify the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) of notifiable illnesses and Environmental Health of sickness outbreaks. Additionally, if necessary, we will seek further information and guidance from Public Health Wales. 

 

Risk Assessment and Review 

Following an infectious illness within our setting, we will conduct a thorough review of risk assessments, including those for children with increased vulnerability.  

 

Partnership Working 

We are committed to collaborating with parents, schools, and other settings to minimise the risk of further infection. 

 

Regular Health Updates 

To safeguard the health and well-being of all individuals within our care, we may request parents to provide regular updates on the health status of their family/household.