Should I keep my child at home?

Children should not attend the Centre if they are clearly unwell or distressed through illness. Children who are unwell with an infectious disease should not be attending the Centre, only returning once the risk of spreading the infection has passed.

We are aware that it can be difficult for parents to take time off to look after children, but equally, we have a duty to protect other children in our care and ourselves from the risk of infection.

Medicine Information

Parents and carers need to ensure that the Centre has adequate contact numbers should your child be taken ill during the day.

If your child displays a high temperature and appears unwell, we can with written parental/guardian consent (please see the Medical Consent form as part of your Welcome Pack, alternatively please ask at the Centre office for a copy) administer one, age appropriate dose of a paracetamol based medicine i.e. Calpol. You will be asked to collect your child if they remain unwell.

The Pre-School can only administer UK prescribed medication, cough syrups and over the counter products will not be administered.

If you choose to administer homeopathic medicines to your child, we will at the discretion of the Manager or Senior Staff administer these on receipt of written confirmation on headed paper from the Homeopathic Practitioner. This needs to clearly state the time and dosage required.

Recording medication with the Pre-School Centre

All medication brought into the Centre to be administered by the Pre-School staff must be recorded. Please email pscentre@lancaster.ac.uk with the following information:

• Your child’s full name
• The name of the medication
• The time and dosage required

This information will then be checked and must correspond with the prescription label, any discrepancies will be communicated to you for clarification prior to administration of the medication.

Please ensure you acknowledge the medication has been administered when you receive the notification from staff via the ParentZone app.

Long term medication

Long term medication i.e. inhalers etc. also require recording if they are to be administered by the staff.

In addition, a care plan will be drawn up following discussion with yourself, your child’s key person and one of the Pre-School Centre’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators.

Antibiotics

Children prescribed antibiotics to treat infections should remain at home for at least 24 hours to support them with their recovery returning only when they are well enough to participate in a normal day.

Children who are regularly being prescribed antibiotics to deal with an ongoing medical condition may be allowed to attend during the first 24 hours at the discretion of the Manager or Senior staff.

Immunisation Schedule

The NHS immunisation schedule details the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free with the NHS, along with the recommended age at which your child should have them.

NHS Immunisation Schedule

Sickness Guide

The following information gives some guidance on the control of the most common and more important infections encountered and the recommended period of time to keep your child away from the Centre.

Please note: This information is not intended to act as a guide to a diagnosis, this should only be undertaken by an appropriately qualified health professional.

If your child has been diagnosed with Measles, Chickenpox or Slapped Cheek disease, please inform a Manager or Senior Early Years Practitioner, as some infections if caught by pregnant women can pose a danger to the unborn baby.