Dealing With Infectious Disease Policy
References: Regulations 168(2)(o)
National Quality Standard 6& 7
Policy Purpose
At Karalee Kindergarten & Early years learning, we value the relationships we have with the families of children in our care. Educators and Team Members build these relationships over time, through effective communication and ensuring that all families know that the Education and Care Services doors are always open. This ensures that our practices and procedures are transparent and open for discussion or observation at any time.
It is recognised that there may be occasions where families are not satisfied with an aspect of the Education and Care Services policy or practice. For this reason, our service believes that it is important that families have a genuine and consistent procedure to follow should they wish to raise issues of this nature. A procedure that keeps them informed of the progress of their complaint and provides feedback as to the outcome and/or future planning that has resulted.
Scope
Background Information and Procedures
In regards to receiving complaints the Education and Care Service will:
All complaints/ concerns will be fully investigated, documented and followed up with the complainant once the investigation is complete. The Parent Grievance Record provides opportunities for the Education and Care Service to document actions taken to rectify the situation and an ongoing process for follow up and providing feedback.
In relation to Guiding Complainants through the Complaints/ Grievance Process the Education and Care Service will:
Policy Review
Relevant Centre Policies and Source Acknowledgements
Policy Reviewed | Modifications | Next Review Date |
January 2020 | No information updated, all still relevant
Policy review table added |
January 2021 |
January 2021 | No changed required | January 2022 |
January 2022 | No changes required | January 2023 |
Regulations 88, 168(2)(c)
National Quality Standard 2.1.
Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (5th)
Policy Purpose
Education and Care Services, as semi-public spaces, are a potential site of cross infection and contagion. These risks are accentuated by the fact that young children and their Educators are particularly vulnerable to infectious illnesses. Karalee Kindergarten & Early Years Learning is committed to providing policy and practice that will assist with the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases in the Education and Care Service. This policy looks at the three elements that enable us to do this.
Scope
Background Information and Procedures:
Infection Control
For the effective maintenance of infection control in the Education and Care Service it is crucial that all that come into the services are contributing to a healthy and safe environment. To achieve this, the following must be considered:
Personal Hygiene – Educators, Children, Families and Visitors to the Education and Care Service
Effective personal hygiene includes but is not limited to:
Other considerations to prevent the spread of infectious disease
Some areas of the Education and Care Services require special attention in order to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. These include using sandpits, blowing out candles on cakes and playing with play dough. The following procedures are outlined in Staying Healthy In Childcare (5th Edition) as best practice:
Sandpits
Sandpits can be great fun, but they are also a potential source of infection. They need to be well maintained and kept clean.
Adults and children must, where practical and possible wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub before and after playing in the sandpit. This is available in our outdoor environment through on our veranda stations.
Celebration cakes and blowing out candles
Many children like to bring a cake to share with their friends on their birthday. Children love to blow out their candles while their friends are singing ‘Happy Birthday’. Cakes and candles may also be brought into the Education and Care Service for other special occasions.
To prevent the spread of germs when the child blows out the candles, parents should either:
Play dough
Play dough can be great fun. Play dough has a high salt content, which discourages germs from living and multiplying. The following simple steps will reduce the risk of spreading infections when using play dough:
Effective Environmental Cleaning
The cleaning procedures adopted at the Education and Care Services are influenced by best practice from leading authorities in the field. In relation to cleaning as an effective tool to minimise the spread of infectious diseases, the Education and Care Service has adopted procedures that include, but are not limited to:
Immunisation and Exclusion
Immunisation is seen as one of the most effective methods of preventing the spread of infectious disease. Immunisation is encouraged for both the children and the Educators in the Education and Care Service. For those families that have conscientious objection to immunisation, their choice is respected but an exclusion period may apply should a vaccine preventable disease be detected in the Education and Care Service.
The policy and procedures for vaccination in our service include but are not limited to:
Exclusion due to illness
There are instances where a child/educator may need to be excluded from the Education and Care Service due to illness symptoms they displayed at the Education and Care Service or that the Education and Care Service was made aware of by the parent/legal guardian of the child or the Educator/Team Member themselves.
This exclusion may include, in some instances, the additional requirement of a Medical Clearance before the child/Educator/Team Member can return to the Education and Care Service.
The nominated supervisor or Responsible Person will work with the West Moreton Public Health Unit in the event of an outbreak or infectious disease to ensure effecting cleaning of the service.
Exclusion may occur in instance including, but not limited to:
All Covid-19 symptoms as stated and published by Queensland Health- medical clearance certificate by doctor
instances of an outbreak.
In the event of a specific outbreak, the service reserves the right to alter the needs for a medical clearance to work with the advice given by Queensland Health or the centre’s duty of care to centre children, families and staff.
Please note if siblings must attend pick up/ drop off with their parent, all siblings must now stay with their parent to ensure supervision is provided by the parent. Our Director cannot provide supervision for siblings and our foyer will not be supervised continuously. Parents have a duty of care to supervise all siblings when inside our service.
If a sibling is unwell, please do not bring them to attend pick up/ drop off. A rule of thumb is that if a sibling is unwell enough to not attend school, they should not attend our service to collect siblings and potentially spread illness.
Older siblings cannot wait in the service foyer as a means of parents collecting them from their school. If you require your child to meet you at the service, they will need to wait outside the service until they attend inside with you.
Policy Review
Relevant Cenre Policies and Source Acknowledgements
Policy Reviewed | Modifications | Next Review Date |
January 2020 | Information added about collaboration with the West Moreton Public Health Unit.
Policy review table was added. |
January 2021 |
March 2020 | Information regarding sibling/ family exclusion from centre classrooms whilst ill was added. Information regarding increased hand hygiene when entering centre classrooms was added. | March 2021 |
March 2021 | Additional information in regards to surgical masks during out breaks. | March 2022 |
December 2021 | Covid-19 symptoms requiring medical clearance in line with Queensland Health updated symptoms published for Covid-19 Omricon spread and infections throughout Qld | December 2022 |
March 2022 | Siblings must only attend the service when supervised by parents. If they are unwell they are not to attend. Supervision is the parent’s responsibility for siblings. | March 2023 |