Medical conditions

Purpose
To provide clear guidelines in providing safe and healthy environment as far as practicable, in which children are diagnosed with any medical conditions.

Scope
These guidelines will apply to the Approved provider, nominated supervisor, Certified supervisor, educators, staff, students on placement, volunteers, parents, children and others attending the service.

Objectives
Reduce the risk of any medical conditions to the children being educated and cared for.
To ensure all the stake holders are educated about the involved risks, procedures to eliminate risks and emergency procedures in case of any incidents.

Policy
At FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, we are committed to ensure children’s needs are accommodated; we recognise there are risks involved with a child diagnosed with a medical condition and we are committed to working with families to ensure that each child is protected from hazards that may cause risk or harm. We ensure that the parent/guardian of a child who is diagnosed with any medical condition, must provide a Medical Management Plan (MMP) prepared by the child’s doctor, if required.

Procedures
Approved Providers and delegates are responsible for:

• Requiring families provide information of their child’s health, medications, allergies and medical practitioner details prior to the child commencing at the service or upon diagnosis
• Ensuring families provide a Medical Management Plan (MMP) of a child diagnosed with a specific medical condition including asthma, diabetes and at risk of anaphylaxis – to be followed in the event of an incident relating to the child’s specific health care needs, allergy or relevant medical condition
• Ensuring Medical Management Plan (MMP’s) practices in relation to managing medical conditions is communicated to all stakeholders
• Ensuring educators display in a prominent position Medical Management Plans (MMP) of children diagnosed with a specific medical condition and a photograph for easy identification for educator assistants and visitors
• Ensuring children that require medication are in attendance with their medication – by checking on arrival the child’s medication is physically present and within expiry. Children will not be accepted into care without the required medication – families will be asked to find alternate care arrangements or return with the child and the child’s medication.
• Ensuring educators are developing a risk minimisation strategy in consultation with families.
• Establishing and maintaining a database of children diagnosed with Medical Management Plan (MMP) – available to approved provider, delegates and educators
• Any risk relating to child is assessed and minimised i.e. Checking of plants for pollen levels, latex alternative, minimising use of harmful chemicals and aerosols, not in a venue with animals.
• Identified allergens or risk to a child, as determined by the Medical Management Plan will be immediately communicated with families, removed or minimised.
• Requiring educators to implement practices and procedures in relation to safe handling, preparation, consumption and service of food.
• Requiring the educator to develop and implement a communication plan that encourages ongoing communication between families and educators regarding the status of the child’s specific health care need, allergy or other relevant medical condition. Communication plans will be developed with the coordinator/educational leader, educator and family (if the child is old enough to manage their own health condition, the child would also be involved.
• Requiring communications plans to be updated at every attendance, for; other stakeholders to access child’s specific care and health arrangements and can be sent home with the family for further communication between the service and the family (means of communication can include – written or verbal, email)
• Requiring educators to ensure children over preschool age able to self-administer medication have been;
  1. authorised to do so by their family and/or medical practitioner (educators may request additional information from the child’s medical practitioner)
  2. this authorisation is recorded and kept with the child’s enrolment documents
  3. medication is self-administered in accordance with the child’s Medical Management Plan (MMP)
  4. the child is adequately supervised during the self-administration of medication or in accordance with the Medical Management Plan
  5. once medication has been administered this is recorded in the ‘Administration of medication record’ and countersigned by educator and parent/guardian.
• Ensuring all educators homes have suitable storage for medication that is accessible to them and out of children’s reach.
• Monitoring, maintaining and storing all legislated and required records confidentiality including, medication records, illness, accident and injury records, incident reports etc
• Being contactable by telephone whilst children are in attendance at the service
• Providing any updated related medical information through newsletters, notice boards and emails
• Developing and distributing monthly reminders (newsletter, email notice board) for educators and families check expiry dates on ALL/ANY medications
• Notifying Department of Education and Training (DET) within 24 hours of any serious incident or a complaint alleging legislation was breached.

Educator and educator assistants are responsible for:

• Checking all authorisations are completed and signed prior to commencement of the education and care.
• Ensuring any received updates in relation to the child’s file, including Medical Management Plans (MMP) are communicated to the approved provider within 24 hours
• Ensuring that children who are over preschool age who are able to self-administer medication have been;
  1. authorised to do so by their parent/guardian and medical practitioner (educators may request further information from the child’s medical practitioner)
  2. this authorisation is recorded and kept with the child’s enrolment documents
  3. medication is self-administered in accordance with the child’s Medical Management Plan (MMP)
  4. the child is adequately supervised during the self-administration of medication or in accordance with the Medical Management Plan
• once medication has been administered this is recorded in the ‘Administration of medication record’ and countersigned by educator and parent/guardian in accordance with ‘Authorisations – refusal and acceptance policy.
• Ensuring a photo of the child is displayed along with their Medical Management Plan (MMP)
• Ensuring children that require medication are in attendance with their medication – by checking on arrival the child’s medication is physically present and within expiry. Children will not be accepted into care without the required medication – families will be asked to find alternate care arrangements or return with the child and their medication.
• Ensuring to implementing risk minimisation strategies in accordance with the Medical Management Plans (MMP) for each child with specific medical conditions
• Ensuring to developing a risk minimisation strategy in consultation with families.
• Ensuring the implementation of risk minimisation strategies in accordance with the Medical Management Plan for each child with specific medical conditions.
• Requiring a Medical Management Plan (MMP) to be communicated to all stakeholders, of a child diagnosed with a specific medical condition including asthma, diabetes and at risk of anaphylaxis
• Ensuring all children are monitored for anaphylaxis or allergic reactions.
• If needle, ‘sharps’ are used by a child attending the service, these will be disposed of in an approved sharps dispenser.
• Ensuring that the parent/guardian of the child and emergency services are notified as soon as is practicable when medication has been administered in an emergency.
• Ensuring that emergency phone numbers’ information is displayed near all telephones, kept in all the first aid kits and emergency bag.
• Ensuring that practices and procedures in relation to safe handling, preparation, consumption and service of food are developed and implemented.
• Ensuring all visitors are aware of the presences and location of children’s Medical Management Plan (MMP) and of child’s medication at the educator’s residence
• Developing and implementing a communication plan and encouraging ongoing communication between families and educators regarding the status of the child’s specific health care need, allergy or other relevant medical condition.
• Communication plans are to be updated at every attendance, for other stakeholders to access child’s specific care and health arrangements and can be sent home with the family for further communication between the service and the family (means of communication can include – written or verbal, email,)

Families are required to:

• Ensure documentation/authorisations are completed and signed.
• Engage with your child’s educator daily to discuss your child’s health and wellbeing.
• Ensure any changes to children’s information or status is communicated promptly to the educator.
• Ensure Management Plans (MMP) are up to date at all times and communicated back to the educator and approved provider.
• Collaborate with educator and approved provider in implementing risk minimisation strategies in accordance with child’s Medical Management Plans.
• Provide medication directly to educator (do not leave in child’s bag).

NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010	Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011	National Quality standards	National Quality Standard Elements
167, 165,174	90 – 91, 92-96, 178,181-184	2.1,2.3	2.1.1, 2.1.4, 2.3.2
		4.1	4.1.1
		6.3	6.3.1,6.3.2
		7	7.3.1, 7.3.5

RELATED LEGISLATION

• Children’s Health and Wellbeing Act 2009
• Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
• Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
• Health and Safety Act 2004
• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
• Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 2001
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cwlth)
• Information Privacy Act 2000
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
• Privacy Act 2000 (Vic.)
• Working with Children Act 2005

RELATED POLICIES

• Administration of medication
• First aid kit requirement
• Asthma
• Anaphylaxis
• Diabetes
• Authorisations – Acceptance and Refusal
• Code of Conduct
• Confidentiality
• Enrolment and Orientation
• Excursions
• Incident, Illness, and Trauma
• Medical Conditions

References and resources

• Department of Education and Training (DET)
• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
• Belonging, Being & Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
• Guide for Family Day Care Educators
• DET Emergency Management Guidelines
• Royal Children’s Hospital
• Allergy Australia
• The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
• Diabetes Australia

REVIEW

POLICY REVIEWED	July 2018	NEXT REVIEW DATE	July 2019
MODIFICATIONS	Policy created for First Idea Family Day Care Services, inclusive of changes to the National Quality Standards and Education and Care National Regulations