Illness & Medication

Our priority is to ensure that all our families are protected from illness as much as we can, and our medication policy enables children who may require medication to have it safely administered with parents’ consent.

We encourage any children that are unwell to stay at home to prevent illness spreading, and we reserve the right to send any children home that we feel are struggling and not coping with the nursery day.

Any children that are presenting with illness while at nursery, parent/carers will be contacted to collect your child as soon as possible.

We would also ask that Parents/carers adhere to our stay at home policy enabling children to recover before coming back to nursery, to help us stop the spread of infection.
Children should only return to Nursery after the isolation period for the following infections have ended.

• Chicken pox
  After all spots have scabbed over. (usually around 5 days)
• Diarrhoea and vomiting
  48 Hours after diarrhoea & vomiting has stopped
• Conjunctivitis
  When symptoms have cleared
• Impetigo
  When lesions are crusted over or healed
• Hand, Foot & Mouth
  This is a contagious virus and children must be kept off until symptoms have gone and the child is well.

Administrating Medication.

While we will administer medication, this should be only if necessary, and everything is logged, and signed for by parents and staff. Despite this, we still reserve the right to call parents if we feel they are struggling and need to be at home.

The medication book is filled in by the parent giving direct instructions of the child’s name, what medication, when it was last taken, when the next dose is required and the correct dosage. This is then signed by the parent.

The medication book must then be filled in by the staff member each time the medication is given. This is witnessed by another member of staff who will watch and check both the medicine and dosage . This signature is to say that everything given and witnessed was correct.

Medication prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist

(Medicines containing aspirin will only be given if prescribed by a doctor)

• Prescription from a doctor or dentist can be given without written consent but the medication book must still be filled in following the directions on the prescription from the doctor.
• Prescription medicine will only be given to the person named on the bottle for the dosage stated
• Medicines must be in their original containers
• The nursery will not administer a dosage that exceeds the recommended dose on the instructions unless accompanied by written instructions from a relevant health professional such as a letter from a doctor or dentist
• If a child becomes unwell in our care and medication has not been signed for, the key worker must call parents to collect them or sign them up for medication.
• Any inhalers or creams that do not need to be kept cold will be kept in the first aid cupboard or draw; these will need written consent from the parent’s and instructions on use and timing and will be kept in agreement folder labelled (Permissions)
• All medication is stored in a high cupboard, draws or in the child’s room refrigerator.

Non-prescription medication

• The nursery will not administer any non-prescription medication containing aspirin
• The nursery will only administer non-prescription medication for a short initial period, dependant on the medication or the condition of the child. After this time medical attention should be sought
• If the nursery feels the child would benefit from medical attention rather than non-prescription medication, we reserve the right to refuse nursery care until the child is seen by a medical practitioner
• The nursery DOES NOT administer any medication unless prior written consent is given for each and every medicine.
• All medication must have a clear label on with the child’s name and date.
• The nursery will not administer a dosage that exceeds the recommended dose on the instructions unless accompanied by written instructions from a relevant health professional such as a letter from a doctor or dentist
• If a child becomes unwell in our care and medication has not been signed for, the key worker must call parents to collect them or sign them up for medication.
• Any inhalers or creams that do not need to be kept cold will be kept in the first aid cupboard or draw; these will need written consent from the parent’s and instructions on use and timing and will be kept in agreement folder labelled (Permissions Folder)
• All medication is stored in a high cupboard, draws or in the child’s room refrigerator.