HEALTH AND HYGIENE POLIY AND PRACTICE
Our playgroup aims to promote a healthy lifestyle and a high standard of hygiene in our day to day work with children and adults. Smoking, vaping or the use of E-Cigarettes is not permitted anywhere on the premises.
Agreed Practice:
Food
- Children will be provided with fresh fruit, a plain biscuit, and a choice of water or milk daily.
- In the provision of drinks and food due attention will be paid to children's particular dietary requirements.
- All children and adults will wash their hands before handling food.
- Adults will never cough or sneeze over food and the children will be taught not to do so.
- Food will be kept covered and refrigerated if necessary. A fridge thermometer is kept in the fridge so that staff can check that the required temperature is being maintained.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables will be washed thoroughly before use.
- Drinking water will be available at all times.
- Tea towels will be kept scrupulously clean and washed and ironed between each session.
- All utensils will be kept clean and stored in a closed cupboard or drawer.
Ofsted will be notified, within 14 days, if 2 or more children, looked after on the premises, are affected by food poisoning. Staff induction will include training in food hygiene practices and all staff will hold a level 2 Food Handling certificate within 3 months of joining the setting.
Outdoor Play
Children will have the opportunity to play in the fresh air throughout the year. Parents are asked to send their child to playgroup with appropriate outer clothing for the weather. In the summer parents will be asked to provide their child with a sunhat and to apply sun-block cream to any exposed skin before leaving them at playgroup. Spare sunhats are available if a parent has forgotten their child’s sunhat. We supervise outdoor activities at all times; and particularly children on climbing equipment.
Our outdoor area is securely fenced, when children are out in the front playground a bungie rope is applied to each gate to ensure that the gates cannot be opened.
Our outdoor area is checked for safety and cleared of rubbish, animal droppings and any other unsafe items before it is used.
Adults and children are alerted to the dangers of poisonous plants, herbicides and pesticides.
We leave receptacles upturned to prevent collection of rainwater. Where water can form a pool on equipment, it is emptied and cleaned before children start playing outside. The outdoor sand pit is covered when not in use and is cleaned regularly.
Illness and Injuries
Parents are asked to keep their children at home if they have any infection, and to inform the playgroup as to the nature of the infection so that the playgroup can alert other parents. Staff should not come to work if they have an infection and must notify the supervisor of their absence by 7.30am
Parents are informed that they must not bring into the playgroup any child who has been vomiting or had diarrhea until at least 48 hours after the last attack, this also applies to staff.
If a child becomes unwell during a session, either with a temperature of 37.8 and above or other symptoms such as sickness etc, they will be supervised in a quiet area until their parent or an authorized contact person can collect them. Staff who are unwell will be sent home.
If the children of playgroup staff are unwell, the children will not accompany their parent at work in the playgroup.
Cuts or open sores, whether on adults or children, will be covered with a sticking plaster or other dressing.
The playgroup will ensure that the first aid equipment is kept clean, replenished and replaced as necessary. Sterile items will be kept sealed in their packages until needed.
An Accident Book is always available for the recording of all injuries/illnesses/incidents and first aid treatment given. The child’s parent/carer will be shown the record and asked to sign it at the end of the child’s session.(see Accident and Incident Policy) When playgroup is closed the book is kept securely in a locked cupboard. These records are archived in a locked cupboard until the children they relate to reach the age of 21, they will then be shredded. Staff accident records will be kept for at least 3 years and then shredded.
Ofsted, RIDDOR and C-Spa will be notified of any serious accident or injury to, or serious illness of, or the death of, any child whilst in our care, and we undertake to act on any advice given.
The local Public Health England (PHE) Health Protection Team (HPT) will be informed of any outbreak ( 2 or more cases) of a notifiable disease in the setting. (see list of notifiable diseases attached to this policy).
All the staff will hold a current pediatric first aid certificate.
Medicines
If a child is prescribed new medicine the child must stay off Playgroup for 48 hours to ensure there are no side effects from the medication. After that if Medication is still required to be given during Playgroup Hours then a Medical form must be filled out and signed by the parent to give permission for a member of staff to administer the medication.
With regard to the administration of life saving medication such as insulin or adrenalin injections or the use of nebulisers, the position will be clarified by reference to the playgroup's insurance company Sun Alliance through the Insurance Officer at Pre-school Learning Alliance National Centre.
If the administration of the life saving drug requires technical/medical knowledge then individual training will be provided for the staff by a qualified health professional. Training will be specific to the individual child concerned.
Live saving medication will be kept in a container clearly marked with the child’s name and placed in the top drawer of the filing cabinet. The parent/carer will provide a written record of when, why and how the medication is to be given, a copy of which will be kept with the medication and another copy attached to the “Medicinal Record” book. Details of each time the medication is used will be recorded in the Medicinal Record book and the parent/carer will be asked to sign it at the end of the session. These records are archived in a locked cupboard until the children they relate to reach the age of 21, they will then be shredded.
Life saving medication along with a copy of the parent’s signed permission and administration instructions from the Medication Record book will be taken on any outings that the child participates in.
Staff medication must be securely stored, and out of the reach of children, at all times. Staff must check that any medication they take will not affect their ability to care for children.
Hygiene
To prevent the spread of any infection, adults in the group will ensure that the following good practices are observed:
- Hands washed using liquid soap and warm water after using the toilet
- A large box of tissues is available in each room and children encouraged to blow and wipe their noses, when necessary, and dispose of the tissue hygienically in a covered bin.
- Children and adults should wash their hands after blowing their noses. After blowing noses staff should clean their own hands with antibacterial gel handwash if they are unable to access running water straight away.
- Children are encouraged to shield their mouths when coughing and wash their hands afterwards.
- Hygiene rules related to bodily fluids are followed with particular care and all staff are aware of how infections, including HIV, can be transmitted.
- Disposable rubber gloves and disposable aprons will always be used when cleaning up body fluids. Floors and other affected surfaces will be disinfected. Soiled or wet nappies and trainer pants will be bagged before being deposited in the “Sanigen” nappy disposal unit.
- Spare laundered pants, and other clothing, will be available in case of toileting accidents and polythene bags available in which to wrap soiled garments.
- Different types of cloths will be used for: food preparation and eating areas; washing up; cleaning craft tables.
-Equipment, toys and resources will be washed regularly.
- Dummies (pacifiers) will not be used and parents/carers will be asked not to bring their child’s into the setting.
- Surfaces will be cleaned with Anti-bacterial/viral spray.
Activities, resources and repairs
- Equipment and resources will be checked to ensure that they are safe for the ages and stages of the children currently attending the setting.
- A full inventory of all items in the setting for audit and insurance purposes.
- The layout of our play equipment allows adults and children to move safely and freely between activities.
- Our equipment is regularly checked for cleanliness and safety, and any dangerous items are repaired or discarded.
- We make safe and separate from general use any areas that are unsafe because of repair is needed.
- All our materials, including paint and glue, are non-toxic.
- We teach children to handle and store tools safely
- Children learn about health, safety and personal hygiene through the activities we provide and the routines we follow, this includes that of Oral Health.
Jewellery and accessories
- Our staff do not wear high heels, that may pose a danger to themselves or children.
- Children are not permitted to wear jewellery at playgroup. If Ears are pierced, then earrings
must be taken out for the duration of the session or covered in plasters.
The policy was adopted by Laleham Church Playgroup at a meeting on- ……21st March 2024
Signed on behalf of Laleham Church Playgroup...........................................
Contact details:
Ofsted- Telephone 0300 123 1231
C-Spa (for all referrals and advice) - Telephone 0300 470 9100
between 9am-5pm from Monday to Friday.
Email- cgmash@surreycc.gov.uk;
Secure email – csmash@surreycc.gcsx.gov.ukor Egress
RIDDOR – www.hse.gov.uk/riddor
HSE Incident Contact Centre 0845 300 9923
PHE Surrey and Sussex Health Protection Team – 0344 225 3861
option 1-4 depending on area, then option 1.
List of notifiable diseases
Registered medical practitioners have a statutory duty to notify the ‘proper officer’ at their local council or local health protection team (HPT) of suspected cases of certain infectious diseases.
Diseases notifiable to local authority proper officers under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010: