Download 2.3 Notification Procedures in Infectious

2.3 Notification Procedures in Infectious
Disease Cases
Policy: The centre will take appropriate action by notifying families and the Public Health
Unit when a child is acutely ill from an infectious disease, or when other children, or the
children’s centre staff or a person normally working or visiting the centre is confirmed as
having an infectious disease.
Background: Families need to be informed when their child is acutely ill from an infectious
disease to enable them to decide what action to take, and other families need to be informed
to decide whether they would like their child to remain in care or not.
Relevant Legislation: Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Services Regulation (No.2)
1996 (NSW); Public Health Act 1991 (NSW); Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and
Regulations 2001 (NSW).
Key Resources: Staying Healthy in Child Care, NHMRC, 2001:
http://www.health.gov.au/nhmrc/
Practices:
When a child is acutely ill from an infectious disease or the children’s centre staff or a person
normally working at or visiting the centre is suspected as having an infectious disease as
listed by the Scheduled Medical Conditions, the NHMRC exclusion guidelines, or
Recommended Notifiable Disease, centres should:

Under the Public Health Act and Regulation 1991 (NSW), exclude from care or work,
notify the local Public Health Unit and provide any details of any known or suspected
person (children or staff) with any of the following vaccine preventable diseasesmeasles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis (whooping cough).

Report to and seek advice from the local Public Health Unit if two or more persons
(children or staff) have gastroenteritis.

Seek advice from the Local Public Health Unit if any person has a serious illness
such as meningitis, food poisoning, gastroenteritis, streptococcal infection, tuberculosis,
hepatitis A or a disease as listed by the recommended notifiable diseases (see Appendix
D).

Notify the family as soon as practically possible, request they or a responsible person
nominated by the parent or guardian, pick up and take charge of the child and take to the
doctor.

Isolate the child from other children providing the sick child and all other children can
be adequately supervised.

Isolate the staff member from other children and staff and ensure they are replaced
for appropriate supervision of children.

Assess the child for any need for first aid or emergency treatment, make them
comfortable and reassure them. Keep the child under adult supervision until the child’s
family or some other responsible person who has consent takes charge of the child
except as required by law under the Public Health Act (1991).

Inform all families as soon as possible of the presence of the infectious disease in a
child in care, a centre staff or a person normally working or visiting the centre. In
providing such information, ensure confidentiality of any personal identifying or health
information of any person or child with an infectious disease.

When a confirmed outbreak of an infectious disease has occurred, discuss the
situation with the local Public Health Unit, and request the Public Health Unit to provide
written advice and information about identification, prevention and management of
possible infection or serious illness. The WorkCover Authority may also need to be
notified.

Ensure all bedding, towels, clothing, toys, equipment and utensils used by the
child or staff member are washed and dried in the sun, or give the child’s clothes to
the family to wash.

Be vigilant for the same disease occurring in any other child or person that has been in
contact with the child (most incubation periods for common infectious diseases are
around 1 to 2 weeks).

Ensure confidentiality of any personal or health related information obtained by
children’s centre staff in relation to any children, children’s parents and families.

Be aware that infection with HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C, are not grounds
for exclusion (unless the person is acutely infectious or has an infectious secondary
infection).

Be aware that if a children’s centre staff or other staff member is informed that a
child or any person associated with the centre has HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B, or
Hepatitis C, this information must remain confidential unless the person or parent
has given explicit consent to inform others.
Note: In accordance with the Child Care and Mobile Child Care Services Regulation (No.2)
(NSW), 1996, the Regulation and these policies do not authorise the disclosure of any
information concerning exposure to or infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus or
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).