Download Dealing with Infectious Disease

Health and Exclusion
Dealing with Infectious Disease
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy and procedure is to provide guidance in the reporting and
investigation of serious incidents that occur in the Childcare Services.
2. Policy
Stonnington Childcare Services has a duty of care to ensure a healthy environment
for all children, carers and visitors who attend the services. The wellbeing of all
children is of the highest priority to reduce the opportunity for cross infection within
the service. Measures to isolate and remove the potential for illness form a part of
the daily operations as well as centre management principles.
Children who are unwell, or appear to be unwell must be kept away from the service
until they are no longer contagious. Stonnington Childcare Services acknowledges
that child/carer ratios are not sufficient to provide the degree of individual care and
comfort that an unwell child deserves. Stonnington Childcare Services believes it is
in the best interests of the unwell child, as well as the other children within the group,
to not attend at the service. A child who attends the centre while unwell
compromises the health and well being of other children within the group.
3. Scope
This policy applies to parents/guardians with children enrolled in the service and all
educators within Childcare Services, including students/volunteers and agency relief
educators engaged by the City of Stonnington.
4. Responsibilities
Childcare Services Co-ordinator
Team Leaders
Educators
Occupational Health and Safety representative
5. Procedure

If a child becomes unwell * whilst at the service, parents/guardians will be
contacted to collect the child. If parents/guardians cannot be contacted, one of
the emergency authorised nominees named on the enrolment form will be
contacted to collect the child.
(* Unwell is representative of showing one or more of the following symptoms:
coughing, high temperature, rash, thick discharge from nose, discharge from
eyes, lethargic, blisters or open sores, vomiting, diarrhoea, excessively irritable or
“not themselves”)
Version Control: 2
D:\769860973.doc
Date Issued; 26 October 2011
Date Reviewed: 22 February 2016
Health and Exclusion
Dealing with Infectious Disease












Whilst Stonnington Childcare Services acknowledges the constraints of
working parents/guardians, for the safety and wellbeing of all children we
must achieve adhere to a strict exclusion policy.
Educators/Team Leaders have discretionary authority to send a child home if
she/he believes that child is unwell. This can only be disputed with a
medical certificate from a medical practitioner deeming the child is no
longer infectious and is fit to attend childcare.
The Service does not have the facilities or educator numbers to care for sick
children, however effort will be made to keep a sick child comfortable until the
child is collected from the service.
If a child becomes unwell while at the service the educator with the child must
complete an illness record which details the circumstances surrounding the
child becoming unwell and any apparent symptoms. The illness record should
state the details of the action taken by the educator in relation to the illness.
Parents/guardians are required to inform the service if their child becomes
unwell, this will allow educators to be alerted to symptoms in other children.
In the case of a serious/urgent illness or accident, an educator will, if
necessary accompany the child (by ambulance) to the casualty section of a
local hospital or local doctor.
In accordance with the Education and Care Services National Regulations
2011, parents/guardians must, on enrolment, authorise the service to seek
emergency medical, hospital and ambulance services if necessary.
Parents/guardians are responsible for any costs involved.
When a child is showing any symptoms of an infectious disease every effort
will be made to keep them away from the group to prevent the spread of any
infectious disease at the service.
For the wellbeing of the child if
parents/guardians are contacted to collect their child and have not arrived in a
reasonable time (1 hour or as determined by the Team Leader) emergency
authorised nominees named on the enrolment form may be contacted to
collect the child.
Parents/guardians are requested to keep their children home if they show any
signs of illness.
If vomiting has occurred and it is in relation to a known illnesses currently
identified at the services then parent/guardians are to be contacted and the
child will need to be collected from the service immediately. The child will
need to stay away from the service for up to 24hrs since last vomit. This
also applies if child vomits a large amount which is uncommon to the child’s
normal wellness. Children with diagnosed or recorded known developmental
ales may be excluded from this circumstance of needing to leave the service.
The Team Leader will keep parents/guardians informed about infectious
disease outbreaks in either children or educators by displaying a notice in a
prominent position within the service.
If children have an infectious disease as listed on the school exclusion table
they will be excluded for the period outlined in the table. The school exclusion
Version Control: 2
D:\769860973.doc
Date Issued; 26 October 2011
Date Reviewed: 22 February 2016
Health and Exclusion
Dealing with Infectious Disease



table indicates the minimum period of exclusion from schools and childcare
services required for infectious diseases cases and contacts as described
under Victorian Health Department regulations.
Educators will follow appropriate hygiene and food safety procedures as
outlined in these policies to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases in the
service.
It is important that parents/guardians are open with communicating to
educators and advise them of any health related information about their child
each day on arrival at the service.
Educators who are unwell will need to remain away from the service in line
with requirements listed on the school exclusion table.
6. References
Department of Health Minimum Period of Exclusion from Primary Schools and
Children’s Services Centres for Infectious Diseases Cases and Contacts
January 2010
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
National Health and Medical Research Council Staying Healthy in Childcare Fifth
Edition June 2013
National Quality Standard
7. Forms/Checklists
Enrolment Form
Exclusion Table
Version Control: 2
D:\769860973.doc
Date Issued; 26 October 2011
Date Reviewed: 22 February 2016
Health and Exclusion
Dealing with Infectious Disease
School Exclusion Table
Condition
Exclusion of Cases
Exclusion of Contacts
Amoebiasis (Entamoeba
histolytica)
Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion
for 24 hours.
Not excluded.
Campylobacter
Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion
for 24 hours.
Not excluded.
Chickenpox
Exclude until all blisters have dried. This is usually at
least 5 days after the rash appears in unimmunised
children, but may be less in previously immunised
children.
Any child with an immune
deficiency (for example,
leukaemia) or receiving
chemotherapy should be
excluded for their own
protection. Otherwise not
excluded.
Conjunctivitis
Exclude until discharge from eyes has ceased.
Not excluded.
Diarrhoea
Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion
for 24 hours.
Not excluded.
Diphtheria
Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is received
following at least two negative throat swabs, the first
not less than 24 hours after finishing a course of
antibiotics and the other 48 hours later.
Exclude family/household
contacts until cleared to
return by the Secretary.
Hand, Foot and Mouth
disease
Exclude until all blisters have dried.
Not excluded.
Haemophilus influenzae
type b (Hib)
Exclude until at least 4 days of appropriate antibiotic
treatment has been completed.
Not excluded.
Hepatitis A
Exclude until a medical certificate of recovery is
received, but not before 7 days after the onset of
jaundice or illness.
Not excluded.
Hepatitis B
Exclusion is not necessary.
Not excluded.
Hepatitis C
Exclusion is not necessary.
Not excluded.
Herpes ("cold sores")
Young children unable to comply with good hygiene
practices should be excluded while the lesion is
weeping. Lesions to be covered by dressing, where
possible.
Not excluded.
Human immunodeficiency virus infection
(HIV/AIDS)
Exclusion is not necessary.
Not excluded.
Impetigo
Exclude until appropriate treatment has commenced.
Sores on exposed surfaces must be covered with a
watertight dressing.
Not excluded.
Influenza and influenza
Exclude until well.
Not excluded unless
Version Control: 2
D:\769860973.doc
Date Issued; 26 October 2011
Date Reviewed: 22 February 2016
Health and Exclusion
Dealing with Infectious Disease
like illnesses
considered necessary by the
Secretary.
Leprosy
Exclude until approval to return has been given by the
Secretary.
Not excluded.
Measles*
Exclude for at least 4 days after onset of rash.
Immunised contacts not
excluded. Unimmunised
contacts should be excluded
until 14 days after the first
day of appearance of rash in
the last case. If
unimmunised contacts are
vaccinated within 72 hours
of their first contact with the
first case, or received NHIG
within 144 hours of
exposure, they may return
to the facility.
Meningitis (bacteria other than
meningococcal
meningitis)
Exclude until well.
Not excluded.
Meningococcal
infection*
Exclude until adequate carrier eradication therapy has
been completed.
Not excluded if receiving
carrier eradication therapy.
Mumps*
Exclude for 9 days or until swelling goes down
(whichever is sooner).
Not excluded.
Pertussis* (whooping
cough)
Exclude the child for 21 days after the onset of cough
or until they have completed 5 days of a course of
antibiotic treatment.
Contacts aged less than 7
years in the same room as
the case who have not
received three effective
doses of pertussis vaccine
should be excluded for 14
days after the last exposure
to the infectious case, or
until they have taken 5 days
of a course of effective
antibiotic treatment.
Poliomyelitis*
Exclude for at least 14 days from onset. Re-admit after
receiving medical certificate of recovery.
Not excluded.
Ringworm, scabies,
pediculosis (head lice)
Exclude until the day after appropriate treatment has
commenced.
Not excluded.
Rubella (german
measles)
Exclude until fully recovered or for at least four days
after the onset of rash.
Not excluded.
Salmonella, Shigella
Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion
for 24 hours.
Not excluded.
Severe Acute
Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is
Not excluded unless
Version Control: 2
D:\769860973.doc
Date Issued; 26 October 2011
Date Reviewed: 22 February 2016
Health and Exclusion
Dealing with Infectious Disease
Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS)
produced.
considered necessary by the
Secretary.
Streptococcal infection
(including scarlet fever)
Exclude until the child has received antibiotic treatment
for at least 24 hours and the child feels well.
Not excluded.
Tuberculosis
Exclude until receipt of a medical certificate from the
treating physician stating that the child is not
considered to be infectious.
Not excluded.
Typhoid fever (including
paratyphoid fever)
Exclude until approval to return has been given by the
Secretary.
Not excluded unless
considered necessary by the
Secretary.
Verotoxin producing
Escherichia coli (VTEC)
Exclude if required by the Secretary and only for the
period specified by the Secretary.
Not excluded.
Worms (Intestinal)
Exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion
for 24 hours.
Not excluded.
Version Control: 2
D:\769860973.doc
Date Issued; 26 October 2011
Date Reviewed: 22 February 2016