Health Protection

Ensuring the safety and the well-being of the children in our care is paramount. It requires not only vigilance but also an awareness of children's individual needs.

Medicines

The Statutory Framework for the EYFS includes guidance on medicines for childcare providers this states that providers:

  • must have and implement a policy, and procedures, for administering medicines.
  • must have discussed with parents and/or carers the procedures for responding to children who are ill or infectious,
  • must take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection, and take appropriate action if children are ill
  • must not administer prescription medication unless they have been prescribed for a child by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist (medicines containing aspirin should only be given if prescribed by a doctor)
  • must not administer any medicine (both prescription and non-prescription) to a child unless written permission for that particular medicine has been obtained from the child’s parent and/or carer.

Please see the examples and guidance below to help you develop and embed processes to meet these requirements.

 

Infectious Diseases

UK Health Security Agency have produced a practical guide for staff on managing cases of infectious diseases in schools and other childcare settings: Health Protection in Schools and Other Childcare Facilities.

Not all infectious diseases require you to report it to your local Health Protection Team (HPT) and not all infections require exclusion. It is important to read the following guidance document to ensure you are taking the correct actions in response to an infectious disease notification. Your local team can give you additional advice and support as needed. 

There are several actions that schools should be taking to prevent and control the spread of disease at their setting. More information can be found here.

If providers need to contact the HPT to report cases of a notifiable disease at your setting; seek advice and support managing an outbreak of an infectious illness; or inform the HPT of a hospitalisation or death related to an infectious illness you will need to use the following details from now on: (phone: 0300 30 30 450) (email: necl.team@ukhsa.gov.uk).

 

Winter Readiness

During an extended period of cold weather, there are a number of actions which schools can take to mitigate the impact of the cold weather on staff, pupils and their families. This information is currently being updated for 2023 and will be shared here in due course.

Key school staff should sign up to receive Met Office cold weather alerts so that they can be aware of any forecasted cold weather which may affect their staff and pupils. You can sign up to receive these alerts here.

 

Resources

e-Bug Teaching Resources

These resources have been developed by the Primary Care and Interventions Unit within UKHSA to educate students aged 3-16 about infection prevention, control and treatment. The packs include lesson plans, worksheets and activities. Download below: 

Guidance on the use of emergency inhalers in schools

The NHS guidance to managing Asthma in the setting provides useful information to support in the management of children's medical requirements. The guidance is downloadable from the section below and covers the following:

  • how to recognise an asthma
  • what to do in the event of an asthma attack
  • arrangements for the supply, storage, care and disposal of the inhaler

More information on managing Asthma in the early years and schools

Downloads

Should I keep my child off school guidance poster

Poster

Download

Managing cases of Infectious diseases

Guidance document

Download

Use of emergency inhalers in schools

Guidance 2014

Download

Medicines in school policy

Example

Download

Early years medication consent form

Example

Download

Record of medicine administered

Example

Download

Vomiting & Diarrhea Outbreak Management by UK Health Security Agency

Webinar PowerPoint slides

Download

Waltham Forest Vomiting & Diarrhea Case Study

Download

Vomiting & Diarrhea Check List

Download

School Nursery Norovirus Toolkit London

Download

NENCL HPT Factsheet

Download

Winter readiness information for London Schools and Nurseries 2022

Download

Listen to the webinar held on Wednesday 2 February 2022 

Last update: Wednesday 6th of September 2023 02:02:53 PM