Parent Resources

Rationale

Living & Learning is committed to providing an environment that protects the hauora, marutau, and wellbeing of tamariki, whānau, and our team. Because of the high risk of spread of infection in group care, we are unable to care for sick tamariki at Living & Learning.

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Details

Tamariki must be cared for at home if they have any of the following symptoms:

• High temperature
• Inflamed throat or eyes
• An unidentified rash
• An upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhoea
• Strep throat or other streptococcal infection
• Streaming nose (with green or yellow mucous)
• Persistent coughing and/or wheezing
• Conjunctivitis with yellow discharge from eyes

Tamariki who develop a temperature while at Living & Learning

• If a child seems unwell, and has a temperature of 37.5 degrees or above, start monitoring at 10-minute intervals, and record this on the “Fever and Action Taken” form.
• Before seeking the Centre Director’s permission to arrange for the child to go home, temperatures of 38° or above will be reported to the Centre Director/Supervisor and monitored from first symptoms, as no further symptoms/sickness may occur. While continuing to monitor the child’s temperature, team members will follow the first aid procedure to try and bring the child’s temperature down (Refer to Guideline / Checklist—Fever in Children).
• Tamariki who have vomited and/or had diarrhoea, either at Living & Learning or at home, must be excluded from the centre for a period of at least 48 hours from the last episode of vomiting/diarrhoea. At Living & Learning, we use Schedule 1 Infectious Diseases Chart (Health New Zealand) to determine exclusion. In some circumstances of prolonged or communicable illness, we may request a doctor’s clearance before a child may return to our care in the centre.
• If a child becomes ill during the course of the day, and/or has a temperature which stays at 38˚C or above, a parent will be notified to pick up their child or arrange for their child to be picked up as soon as practically possible—ideally this would be within 30 mins, but our expectation is within the hour.

To contain the spread of infection and best support the sick child, they will be taken out of their room and settled comfortably in a cot or bed, preferably in the office, where one of our team will care for them, until the child is taken home.

If a child is unable to attend Living & Learning due to illness, we advise whānau to notify the centre by 8:30am. A doctor’s release statement must be presented if the illness is communicable because this helps us to provide a safe and healthy environment in the centre, for everyone.

Special Note

Parents and Whānau

Administering Paracetamol to your child just before dropping them off to mask the symptoms for a few hours, does not prevent the spread of germs. While your child is at Living & Learning, many other children and employees are at heightened risk of infection. For this reason, and as a courtesy to other families, your child must be cared for at home until they are well. This also reduces the risk of our team becoming ill, and ensures every child has daily continuity of care by trusted, familiar Kaiako.

Living & Learning employees

It’s not unusual for preschoolers and infants to experience an isolated episode of vomiting or diarrhoea due to factors like a change in diet, car sickness, anxiety, excitement, or teething. If this occurs, the team must first inform the Centre Director or Supervisor and begin monitoring the child from first signs of symptoms, as it may not progress into further sickness. Permission to arrange for the child to go home must only be sought after this initial monitoring.

These isolation and exclusion requirements and criteria apply to all Living & Learning team members as well.