Thank you so much for an excellent Science camp. Ethan loved every minute of it.
Pomi H
STEM-Buddy – Dr Zeeshan Sialvi
Children's Health
First Aid, Illnesses, Infection Control & Accidents
Last updated: 22nd September 2024
Next review: 22nd September 2025
Adopted by: Zeeshan Sialvi
Signed: Amber Parvaiz
Summary
At STEM-buddy we will promote the good health, including oral health of the children that we look after. We will deal promptly and effectively with any illnesses, accidents or injuries that occur while children are in our care. We take all practical steps to keep staff and children safe by taking appropriate action if children are ill or infectious. This keeps children and staff safe from communicable diseases.
All parents or carers must complete the Medical Form when their child joins the Club, requesting permission for emergency medical treatment for their child in the event of a serious accident or illness.
We will record any accidents or illnesses, together with any treatment given, on an Incident Record or Accident Record sheet as appropriate, which the parent or carer will be asked to sign when they collect the child.
STEM-buddy cannot accept children who are ill or infectious. If any children are ill when they first arrive at the Club we will immediately notify their parents or carers to come and collect them. Any children who have been ill or infectious should not return to the Club until they have fully recovered, or until after the minimum exclusion period has expired (see table at the end of this policy).
First aid
The Club’s Paediatric First Aid trained staff’s names and certificates are displayed within the club at all times. These members of staff have a current paediatric first aid certificate and have attended a 12 hour paediatric first aid course, which complies with the requirements of Annex A of the EYFS. This training will be renewed every three years.
To ensure that there is a qualified paediatric first aider present and available at all times we will take into account the number of children and layout of the premises to ensure that first aiders are able to respond quickly to any incident. Other staff who do not hold Paediatric First Aid 12 hour training will be available to ensure timely and effective first aid response to any incident requiring attention.
The location of the first aid box and a list of qualified first aiders are clearly displayed at the Camp. The designated First Aider and manager regularly check the contents of the first aid box to ensure that they are up to date, appropriate for children and comply with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
The manager will ensure that a first aid kit is taken on all outdoor activities and that at least one member of staff on the outdoor activity holds a current paediatric first aid certificate.
Procedure for a minor injury or illness
The first aider at the session will decide upon the appropriate action to take if a child becomes ill or suffers a minor injury.
- If a child becomes ill during a session, the parent or carer will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible. The child will be kept comfortable and will be closely supervised while awaiting collection.
- If a child complains of illness which does not impair their overall wellbeing, the child will be monitored for the rest of the session and the parent or carer will be notified when the child is collected.
- If a child suffers a minor injury, first aid will be administered and the child will be monitored for the remainder of the session. If necessary, the child’s parent will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible.
Procedure for a major injury or serious illness
In the event of a child becoming seriously ill or suffering a major injury, the first aider at the session will decide whether the child needs to go straight to hospital or whether it is safe to wait for their parent or carer to arrive.
- If the child needs to go straight to hospital, we will call an ambulance and a member of staff will go to the hospital with the child. The staff member will take the child’s Medical Form with them and will consent to any necessary treatment (as approved by the parents on the Medical Form).
- We will contact the child’s parents or carers with all urgency, and if they are unavailable we will call the other emergency contacts that we have on file for the child.
- After a major incident the manager and staff will review the events and consider whether any changes need to be made to the Club’s policies or procedures.
- We will notify child protection agencies in the event of any serious accident, injury, illness or death of a child in our care as soon as reasonably possible and within 14 days at the latest.
- We will notify HSE under RIDDOR in the case of a death or major injury on the premises (eg broken limb, amputation, dislocation, etc – see the HSE website for a full list of reportable injuries).
Infection Control
Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that children are especially susceptible to. We will ensure access to soap, warm water and paper towels are available at all times. In the case where this is not possible, alcohol hand gel can be used on hands that are not visibly dirty.
All children will be reminded to clean their hands after using the toilet, before eating and handling food and at other times necessary (such as messy activities or if animals are present).
Our setting is cleaned regularly and to a set schedule. We will take advice of the UKHSA health protection team should any outbreak of infection at our setting be noted.
STEM-buddy follows the advice set out in the UK Government guidance ‘Health Protection in Children and Young People settings’ on the prevention of infection, including Covid-19.
Communicable diseases and conditions
If a case of head lice is found at the Camp, the child’s parents or carers will be discreetly informed when they collect the child. Other parents will be warned to check their own children for head lice, but care will be taken not to identify the child affected.
If an infectious or communicable disease is detected on the Camp’s premises, we will inform parents and carers as soon as possible.
If there is an outbreak of a notifiable disease at the Camp, we will inform the local health protection unit, HSE under RIDDOR (if appropriate).
Useful contacts
Health Protection Unit: 0300 303 8537
RIDDOR Incident Contact Unit: 0845 300 99 23
Minimum exclusion periods for infectious conditions and diseases
| Disease/Condition | Exclusion period |
|---|---|
| Chicken Pox | At least 5 days from onset of rash and until all blisters have crusted over |
| Cold Sores | None. Avoid contact with sores |
| Conjunctivitis | None |
| Covid-19 and other respiratory infections | Should not attend if displaying a high temperature and are unwell. Those who test positive for Covid-19 should not attend the setting for 3 days after the day of the test |
| Diphtheria* | Exclusion always essential; consult local Health Protection Team |
| Diarrhoea and Vomiting | 48 hours after last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting |
| Flu (influenza) or similar | Until recovered |
| Glandular Fever | None |
| Gastro-enteritis, E. Coli, Food Poisoning, Salmonella and Dysentery | 48 hours after last episode of diarrhoea – further exclusion may be required for some children |
| Hand, Foot and Mouth disease | None |
| Head Lice | None |
| Hepatitis A* | Until 7 days after onset of jaundice |
| Hepatitis B* and C* | None |
| High temperature | 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | None |
| Impetigo | Until lesions are crusted and healed, or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment |
| Influenza | Until recovered |
| Measles* | 4 days from onset of rash and well enough |
| Meningitis* | Until recovered |
| Mumps* | 5 days from onset of swollen glands |
| Pertussis* (Whooping cough) | 5 days from commencing antibiotic treatment or 21 days from the onset if antibiotics not given |
| Ringworm | Exclusion not usually required |
| Rubella* (German Measles) | 4 days from onset of rash |
| Scabies | Until first treatment has been given |
| Scarlet fever* | 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment |
| Slapped Check, Fifth Disease/Parvovirus | None (once rash has developed) |
| Threadworms | None |
| Tonsillitis | None |
| Tuberculosis* | Consult local Health Protection Team |
| Typhoid*, Paratyphoid* | 48 hours after last episode of diarrhoea – further exclusion may be required for some children |
| Warts (including Verruca) | None. Verruca sufferers should keep feet covered |
* Denotes a notifiable disease.
If in any doubt contact local health services for further information.
