Welcome to West Wycombe Preschool

    Sick Child Policy (Including COVID)

    Statement of Intent

    We believe that children learn and develop to their full potential when they are feeling well and healthy.

    Aims

    ?       To provide a healthy environment free of illness and infectious diseases.

    ?       To prevent the spread of any illness or infectious diseases.

    ?       To ensure children can thrive and enjoy their time at pre-school.

    Methods

    ?       With regard to illnesses and infectious diseases requiring an exclusion period from Pre-school, please contact your GP. If in doubt of your child’s well-being keep them at home.

    ?       Pre-school MUST be informed of any absence due to illness so that we can inform other parents, carers and staff in order that they can observe their own children but we will respect confidentiality by not identifying the child(ren) concerned.

    ?       Families need to be mindful that there are children, staff and families with underline health conditions which could be effected by certain illnesses. It is therefore paramount that we are notified as soon as possible. 

    ?       Notification of sickness should be reported on the pre-school telephone number 01494 438996 or the pre-school email wwpspg@gmail.com. Staff should not be contacted using their private emails and telephone numbers in relation to pre-school matters.

    ?       Pre-school MUST also be notified if a child has a contagious infection or disease so we can ensure the Department for Health is notified of the exact numbers for each outbreak.

    ?       Ofsted is notified if we have reason to believe that any child is suffering from a notifiable disease (this will include COVID-19) identified as such in the Public Health (Infection Diseases) Regulations 1988

    ?       If a child becomes unwell at Pre-school, a designated member of staff will make them comfortable in a quiet area and monitor their well-being and ensure their privacy is maintained.

    ?       Their temperature will be taken and noted to inform parents.

    ?       Parent/carer contact details are checked annually (usually September).

    ?       Another member of staff will contact the parents/carer or nominated person using telephone numbers provided on the child’s registration forms. We will request the child be collected as soon as possible and notify of symptoms and temperature.

    ?       If emergency treatment is required 999 will be called in the first instance. The parents will then be contacted. A member of staff will accompany the child to hospital and act on behalf of the parents if required. A full report will be written and a copy sent to relevant bodies.

    ?       In the case of minor accidents the first aider will treat the child and details will be recorded on an individual page in the accident book. Parents will be made aware of their child’s accident when they collect their child. They will be asked to sign the record of the accident.

    ?       Our inclusive admissions practice ensures equality of access and opportunity for children with long term illness.

    Contagious Diseases/Infections at Pre-school

    ?       We receive statutory guidance from The Department for Health for central government and must follow their guidelines for incubation periods. Where we feel it is necessary to stop the spread of infection to other we will enforce pre-schools own incubation periods.

    ?       For sickness and diarrhea we inforce a 48 hour rule. All children must be symptom free for 48 hours before returning to pre-school. The reason we enforce this is because infectious bacteria can live inside the human body for up to 48 hours after the symptoms have finished.

    ?       For chicken pox we request that children are temperature free for 24 hours and all blisters have scabbed over to ensure they do not burst while at pre-school.

    ?       For hand, foot and mouth we request that children are temperature free for 24 hours and all blisters have scabbed over.

    ?       For conjunctivitis children can return once they have sought treatment from the GP or pharmacist.

    ?       For thread worms children can return once they have sought and started receiving treatment from the GP or pharmacist.

    ?       For head lice children must have received treatment before they return to pre-school.

    ?     For slapped cheek children are able to return 48 hours after the rash has appeared, when the risk of them being contagious has gone down.

    ?       For all other infectious diseases children MUST have been temperature free for 24 hours and be well enough to be part of a ratio of 1:8 (over 3 years) or 1:4 (2-3 year olds).

    Covid-19 Control

    ?       As per current government regulations anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is no longer required to be tested and excluded from Preschool. However we ask that children who are showing signs of being unwell with a cough, temperature and cold remain off Preschool until they have been free of a temperature for 24 hours.

    ?       As a setting we have strong handwashing practices and ask that families ensure children are washing hands regularly at home including after the toilet, after coughing and sneezing and before eating any meals.

    ?       If a child at preschool is identified as having a positive COVID test result they must remain off Preschool for 5 days. They are welcome to return to preschool once they have no temperature and are well in themselves.

    ?       A positive case as the Preschool may impact upon the opening of preschool if a number of staff are required to stay at home. If necessary the preschool will close until sufficient staff are able to return to work.

     

    Children who have Sought Hospital Treatment

    ?       Any child who has been admitted to hospital for treatment, including A&E appointments must be monitored at home for a minimum of 24 hour.

    ?       Where the manager or committee feel it is appropriate for the child’s welfare they will insist children need longer monitoring at home.

     

    Notifying Families of Infectious Diseases

    ?       If children do need to be absent from pre-school to stop the spread of infection to others we will notify parents but maintain each families confidentiality.

    ?       Any infectious diseases or viruses that have been identified will be communicated to all parents via email and a note on the door.

    ?       Our advice for exclusion periods is taken from the Department for Health, the NHS and where necessary using pre-schools own policy.  

    This policy was adopted by West Wycombe Pre-school in October 2013.  Policies are updated when necessary and reviewed on a yearly basis.

    Reviewed and amended September 2022