Learning Land Policies - Learning Land

Policy Category: Health& Safety

Policy Name: Child Safety Policy

The purposeof this operational policy is to establish the actions that are to be taken toprotect children from abuse and neglect by meeting Ministry of Education EarlyChildhood Education Licensing Criteria HS31 and provisions of the VulnerableChildren Act 2014.

For the purpose of this policy,abuse is used in the context of adult to child. This could be staff to child or an adult (outside of the centre) to thechild.

Abuse relating to child to childor child to adult is not within the scope of this policy.

Position Statements

We have an obligation to ensure the wellbeing of children in our care and are committed to the prevention of child abuse and neglect and to the protection of all children. The safety and wellbeing of the child/children is our top priority.

We support families/whānau to protect their children.

We provide a safe environment, free from physical, emotional, verbal or sexual abuse.

Our centre is committed to work with New Zealand Police and Oranga Tamariki as well as other agencies where necessary to respond to the needs of vulnerable children and families/Whānau.

Issue Outline

Child abuse and neglect is not acceptable. Children need our protection.

Prevention is always better than cure. Too many children are not cared for andprotected adequately by adults.

The ECE sector has a key role to play in providing a safe environment forchildren, free from physical, emotional, verbal or sexual abuse and alsosupporting families/whānau to protect their children.

Definitions

Child Abuse is defined by the Ministry of VulnerableChildren, Oranga Tamariki as “anychild or young person that has been, or is likely to be, harmed (whetherphysically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected ordeprived”.

Child Abuse can be:

· Physical Abuse

· Emotional Abuse

· Verbal Abuse

· Sexual Abuse

· Neglect.

Neglect “is a pattern of behaviour which occursover a period of time and results in impaired functioning or development of achild. It is the failure to provide fora child’s basic needs.

Neglect may be:

Physical - failure to provide necessary basic needs of food, shelter or warmth
Medical - failure to seek, obtain or follow through with medical care for the child
Abandonment - leaving a child/young person in any situation without arranging necessary care for them and with no intention of returning
Neglectful supervision – failure to provide developmentally appropriate or legally required supervision
Refusal to assume parental responsibility - unwillingness or inability to provide appropriate care for a child.”

From Child Matters website: www.childmatters.org.nz

Policy principles

The interest and protection of the child is paramount in allactions.

We recognise the rights of family/Whānau to participate in thedecision-making about their children.

We have a commitment to ensure that all staff are able to identifythe signs and symptoms of potential abuse and neglect and are able to takeappropriate action in response.

In order for children to be safefrom abuse and or neglect, both parents and teachers need a sharedunderstanding of what abuse is and how it can be prevented.

We are committed to supporting all staff to work in accordancewith this policy, to work with partner agencies and organisations to ensurechild protection policies are consistent and high quality.

We will always comply with relevant legislative responsibilities.

We are committed to share information in a timely way and todiscuss any concerns about an individual child with colleagues or the Person inCharge.

We are committed to promote a culture where staff feel confidentthat they can raise issues of concern without fear of reprisal.

Detail

Competent and supported staff

We make sure all staff know andunderstand what abuse and neglect are, and how to recognise the signs (seeattached table).

We also encourage our staff to talk tosomeone experienced, for a different point of view, or for ideas about how tohelp. We also have these contactsreadily displayed on our noticeboard and in newsletters:

Parent Help – 0800 568 856
Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki – 0508 326 459
Are You OK – 0800 456 450 (Family Violence Information Line)
PlunketLine on 0800 933 922.

SafetyChecking of Staff

· We conduct safety checks of all staff in accordance with MoE andVulnerable Children’s Act requirements.

Relationships with Parents

We will form good relationshipswith parents and be aware of issues that make life extra hard for parents (seeattached examples).

We will monitor situations and offerhelp and support to parents where we can.

Our centre will share with parentsof children who attend our centre our centre child protection and child abusepolicies.

The Manager will:

· Alwaysprioritise the safety and wellbeing of the child

· Maintainconfidentiality. Failure of staff tocomply with this policy will be regarded as serious misconduct

· Maintainand increase staff and parental awareness of how to prevent, recognise andrespond to abuse, including learning about appropriate touching

· Carryout staff safety checking (including Police Vetting) in accordance with theVulnerable Children (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers)Regulations 2015

· Giveno persons, other than employed staff over the age of 17 years, tasks thatinvolve nappy changing, toileting or responsibility for the supervision ofchildren

· Ensurethat staff and other adults visiting or working in the centre are wellsupported and visible in the activities they perform with children. While the centre respects the privacy of ourchildren, staff and visitors, visibility will be given priority to ensure thesafety of all concerned

· Respondappropriately to a child who initiates physical contact in seeking affection,reassurance or comfort. It is not appropriate to force any form of unwantedaffection/touching on a child. Touchingshould not be initiated to gratify adult needs. Physical contact during the changing orcleansing of children must be for the purpose of that task only and not be morethan is necessary for the job

· Ensureno child is taken from the centre by any staff member or adult, without thepermission of a parent, except in the case of an emergency where clearance hasbeen obtained from the Owner

· Maintainappropriate records

· Ensurethe centre’s procedures protect staff from unjustified allegations of abuse

· Ensurethe centre has educational and informational resources for children and adultson child abuse.

Staff will:

· Alwaysprioritise the safety and wellbeing of the child

· Familiarisethemselves with this centre policy

· Immediatelynotify the Manager if they observe signs of child abuse or anyone reports tothem any suspicions of child abuse of children at the centre, or a pattern ofneglect or concerns is identified

· Maintainconfidentiality. Failure of staff to comply with this policy will be regardedas serious misconduct

· Respondappropriately to a child who initiates physical contact in seeking affection,reassurance or comfort. It is notappropriate to force any form of unwanted affection/touching on a child. Touching should not be initiated to gratifyadult needs. Physical contact during thechanging or cleansing of children must be for the purpose of that task only andnot be more than is necessary for the job

· Nevertake a child from the centre without the permission of a parent, except in thecase of an emergency where clearance has been obtained from the Owner.

Protected Disclosure

Whena staff member or associate brings a case of child abuse to the attention ofthe center or the authorities, our centre will not disclose the name of theperson without their permission unless it is to Oranga Tamariki or the Policeand is necessary to do so in the interests of the child.

Alignment with Other Policies

· Personnel policies – police checks andcareful employment of temporary staff, casual staff, friends of friends,volunteers

· Outings and excursions policy

· Information & Complaints policy

Relevant Background (includinglegislation/regulation references)

Regulation 46 Health and Safety Practices standard: general (1) of the Education(Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 Healthand Safety practices criterion 31 and 32.

Further information can be found on: http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Traumatic-incidents-and-emergencies/MoE-STA-

www.mvcot.govt.nz

Vulnerable Children Act 2014 and associated regulations.

Impacts of Policy on Staff,Parents and Children

Information, discussion, trustingrelationships and clear procedures will strengthen the ability of staff,parents and children to work together to adequately protect all the childrenwho attend the centre.

Alignment with the Philosophy ofthe centre

This policy is aligned with thecentre’s philosophy.

Impacts of Policy on Staff,Parents, Children

Clear procedures will strengthen the abilityof staff, parents, and other agencies to adequately respond to signs of abuseand or neglect. Busy Bees childprotection, Procedures for responding to suspected abuse and or neglect.

Detailed documentation is kept for toiletingand sleep rooms checks, and filed appropriately.

Suspected abuse will be reported within the centre and with outside agencies, ie Police 03 5463840 and CYF 03 9891981 – confidentiality will be maintained at all times
Parents/caregivers are to be informed by the Head teacher and Manager when abuse is suspected or alleged
If a staff member is under suspicion of child abuse, they will be directed to appropriate legal/professional advice and support
Immediate support to be provided for the child (until they are returned to the care of the parent) as well as the person reporting the incident
A detailed record of suspected abuse is to be kept in the “Incident Book” and contain the child’s name, date, time, what happened, what was said and who was present
The incident Book will be kept in the locked file in the office
All practicable steps are taken to protect children from exposure to inappropriate material

Responding to a child when the child discloses abuse

i. Listen to the child

Disclosures by children are often subtle and need to be handled with particular care, including an awareness of the child’s cultural identity and how that affects interpretation of their behaviour and language.

ii. Reassure the child

Let the child know that they:

· Are not in trouble

· Have done the right thing

iii. Ask open-ended prompts – eg: “what happened next?”

Do not interview the child in other words, do not ask questions beyond open prompts for the child to continue

Do not make promises that cannot be kept, eg: “I will keep you safe now”

iv. If the child is visibly distressed

Provide appropriate reassurance and re-engage in appropriate activities under supervision until they are able to participate in ordinary activities

v. If the child is not in immediate danger

Re-involve the child in ordinary activities and explain what you are going to do next

vi. If the child is in immediate danger

Contact the Police immediately (call 111)

vii. As soon as possible, formally record the disclosure

Record:

· Word-for-word what the child said

· The date, time and who was present

Recording and notifying OrangaTamariki of suspected child abuse or neglect

What process to follow

For example

Key considerations

i. Recording

Formally record:

· Anything said by the child

· The date, time, location and the names of any staff that may be relevant

· The factual concerns or observations that have led to the suspicion of abuse or neglect (eg: any physical, behavioural or developmental concerns)

· The action taken by your centre

· Any other information that may be relevant

Relevant information can inform any future actions

ii. Decision-making

Discuss any concern with the centre manager/supervising teacher or designated person for child protection

No decisions should be made in isolation

iii. Notifying authorities

Notify Oranga Tamariki promptly if there is a belief that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected.

A phone call to the National Contact Centre (0508 Family / 0508 326 459) is the preferential initial contact with Oranga Tamariki as this enables both parties to discuss the nature of the concerns and appropriate response options.

Phone: 0508 Family / 0508 326459

Fax: 09 914 1211

e-mail: Oranga Tamarikicallcentre@Oranga Tamariki.govt.nz

Oranga Tamariki will:

1) Make the decision to inform the parents or caregivers in consultation with your centre

2) Advise what, if any, immediate action may be appropriate, including referring the concern to the Police

iv. Following the advice of Oranga Tamariki

Oranga Tamariki advice will include what, if any, immediate action may be appropriate, including referring the concern to the Police

Oranga Tamariki is responsible for looking into the situation to find out what may be happening, whether they need to work with the family or to put them in touch with people in their community who can help

v. Storing relevant information

Securely store:

· The record of the concern

· A record of any related discussions, including copies of correspondence where appropriate

· A record of any advice received

· The action your centre took, including any rationale

· This concern with any earlier concerns, if the notification is based on an accumulation of concerns rather than a specific incident

Records assist in identifying patterns

Signs of Abuse and Neglect (Ministryfor Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki)
The physical and behavioural signs,symptoms and history listed below, may indicate abuse or neglect. However they are not specific to abuse orneglect. In certain situations, contexts and combinations they may indicateother conditions. All signs must beexamined in the total context of the child or young person’s situation.

The Child

Consider physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect

Recognise disclosure as a sign of abuse

Recognise Physical Signs

Record Parent, Caregiver or family signs

Observe Behavioural Signs

Child/family Vulnerabilities

Identify Developmental Signs

· Bruises and welts

· Cuts and abrasions

· Scalds and burns

· Fractures

· Head injuries

· Sexually transmitted infections

· Failure to thrive and malnutrition

· Dehydration

· Inadequate hygiene and clothing

· Poisoning

· Exposure to family violence

· Unrealistic expectations

· Terrorising

· Corrupting

· Isolating

· Humiliating

· Dependency

· Closure

· Flight

· Aggression

· Withdrawal

· Anxiety, fear and regression

· Sadness

· Overly responsible

· Obsessions

· Substance abuse

· Suicidal thoughts/ plans

· Addictions

· Mental health

· ORANGA TAMARIKI history

· Age of parents or child

· Attachment

· Disability

· Global development delay.

· Specific delays:

o Motor

o Attachment

o Speech and language

o Social cognitive

o Vision and hearing

o Unusual develop-mental patterns

From Ministry for Vulnerable Children,Oranga Tamariki website: www.mvcot.govt.nz

Issuesin the home

Issues in the home that teachersor centre staff might become aware of, that might lead to abuse and neglectinclude:

Parents with money problems, being out of work
Overcrowding or housing struggles
Parents with stress
Child with special needs
Parents isolated from friends, family and whānau
Parents with a history of depression or other mental illness
Parents separating.

Early signs that can lead to abuse andor neglect can be;

· Parent hasa drug, alcohol or gambling problem

· Parent doesnot engage with their child or has a difficult relationship with them

· Child doesn’thave enough clothes on and is often cold and hungry

· Child hasunexplained or changeable emotions (eg, withdrawn or depressed)

· Parents frequentlyyell at, swear at or shame a child

· Child seemsscared of a particular adult.

Child protection procedure:

The purpose of this operational policyis to ensure all practical steps are taken to ensure children are kept safe inalignment with the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 2008(Regulation 47, Criteria 9).

Position Statement

Our Centre endeavours to provide an environment in which children’s wellbeing is promoted and they are kept safe from harm in accordance with the Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, Regulation 47

Issue Outline

Centres should have an approvedprocess in place to manage child collection to avoid a child being released toan unauthorised or unsafe person.

Detail

General;

· The parent/caregiver must sign the attendance register and record thetime of the child’s arrival and departure. This is a MOE requirement

· Child collection authorization needs to be in writing

· A child will only be released to person(s) authorised to collect thechild as detailed on their enrolment form

· A child may be released to unauthorised person(s) in situations wherethe parents/whanau have specifically advised the Centre in person or over thephone giving the persons full name

· Staff will not release a child if they suspect the person collecting thechild is under the influence of drugs or alcohol or where the staff have goodreason to believe the child will be unsafe

· If an unauthorised person arrives to collect a child and the Centre hasnot been informed of this:

o Theparent/caregiver will be contacted for authorisation

o If they areunable to be reached then the secondary emergency contacts will be rung forverification

o If no one canbe reached to authorise the identity, the child will not be released untilcontact is made with the parent/caregiver or other emergency contact who isable to verify the person’s identity

· Children under the age of 14 cannot collect and sign out a child unlessstaff have checked that there is an authorised person waiting outside

· If a child is asleep when their parent/caregiver arrives to collectthem, they will not go into the sleep room alone, a staff member will either gowith them or bring the child to them

· If there has been a custody change the centre will need a copy of acourt order to confirm this change, and staff will be advised of details thatrelate to the collection of the child

· If a child is to be sent home for any reason, the parent/caregiver willbe contacted. If they are unable to bereached then a secondary authorised emergency contact person will be asked tocollect the child as soon as possible and sign the child out. A message will be left for theparent/caregiver advising them of this

· Staff will advise parents/caregivers at collection time of any accidentthat may have occurred during the day and ensure that the child’s accident formis signed

· Parents/caregivers to collect their child punctually, ringing the Centreif delayed. There will be a $10 late charge for 10 minutes and additionalcharge after this.

· Parents and whānau should have a car seat or appropriate child restraintif using a vehicle. Staff can promotethis with families through newsletters. If staff have concerns about a child being transported in an unsafe way,they will speak to the parents.

Alignment with Other Policies

This policy aligns with:

· ChildProtection Policy

· ChildAbuse Policy.

Relevant Background (includingLegislation/Regulation/Licensing references)

LicencingCriteria 2008, Governance, Management and Administration; Planning andDocumentation;

· GMA10 – Enrolment records for each childcurrently attending, include;

o the names of the people authorised bythe parent to collect the child

o and court orders affecting day to daycare of, or contact with the child

VulnerableChildren’s Act 2014

Impacts of Policy on Staff,Parents, Children

Having a clear policy in placeprovides guidance and back up to teachers who have to sometimes make difficultdecisions on the spot when children are being collected. The policy to manage child collection isdesigned to keep the children safe and give parents confidence that their childwill only be collected by authorised persons.

Alignment with the CentrePhilosophy

This policy ensures a safe environment, acrucial part of creating and maintaining the well-being of children in ourcare.

Implications and/or Risks

Following this policy significantlyreduces the risk of harm to a child, losing trust with parents and not meetingour obligations under the Vulnerable Children’s Act.

Implementation

Clear procedures have been developed andstaff trained to follow them.

Child image procedure:

The purpose of this operational policyis to keep children safe by establishing some clear rules around how and whenimages and other information relating to children at our centre may bepublished. “Published” means on theInternet (whether on this centre’s website or Facebook page or elsewhere), orin print material.

PositionStatement

Our Centre provides a safe environment for children. We achieve this by ensuring all practicable steps are taken to prevent the unapproved or inappropriate use of images and information relating to the children in our care.

IssueOutline

With the advancement of technology hasemerged the misuse of images and other information relating to children. While our centre embraces the use oftechnology as a teaching aid and to help our parents be more engaged in theirchild’s education and care, we must be clear and vigilant that images and informationwe gather is used appropriately and (where necessary) securely.

Detail

The following are the good practices you can expect fromour centre in respect of the publication of images or other informationrelating to children:

· This policy will be clearly displayed for all to see andcovers the publishing of images of children, including what is consideredappropriate behaviour when obtaining photographs using a camera, mobile phoneor video. Permission on enrolment issought for Facebook/website photos.

· We will make sure professional photographers are awarethat any images taken will remain the property of our centre and cannot be usedor sold for other purposes

· We will not allow photographers to be unsupervised orwith individual access to children.

· We believe there should be no identifying personalinformation accompanying photographs, such as the child's name, address ortelephone number. We believe groupphotographs reduce the risk of identifying individual children.

· We will only use images of children that are relevant tothe centre's activities and services, such as children participating in alearning activity or at play. Particularcare will be taken when using images of children for the centre's activities thatinvolve minimal clothing, such as swimming or gymnastics.

· Photographers brought into the centre will be done so atthe discretion of management, for reasons such as “school photos” which aredone yearly. This person will be not left alone with the children and will betold that we do not want our photos used in any advertising material. They willbe asked to only add names to a group photo when given permission bymanagement.

· Staff will take photos for the purpose of learningstories and documenting learning and centre happenings. These will be taken onapproved devises and will be monitored by management. These will be used in theindividual profile books in printed form and on centre walls to show the fun wehave at Learning Land. Permission is sought for this on enrollment.

· We will not display information about children's hobbies,likes or dislikes, where they live, etc. because this can be used as groomingtools for paedophiles or other persons.

Relevant Background (includinglegislation/regulation references)

Education (Early Childhood Services)Regulations 2008

Ministry of Education Licensing Criteriafor Education and Care Services

Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014

Impacts of Policy on Staff,Parents, Children

Following this policy will ensure thatchildren attending our centre are kept safe; and that parents and appropriateauthorities are kept informed and have the opportunity to consent to theappropriate use of images and information relating to their child.

Alignment with the CentrePhilosophy

This policy ensures a policy is in placethat supports a safe environment, a crucial part of creating and maintainingthe well-being of children in our care.

Implications and/or Risks

Following this policy significantlyenhances the opportunity for this centre to comply with legislative andlicensing obligations, gaining trust with parents because of the extra care andattention we pay to the care and welfare of their children.

Implementation

We builddiscussions into enrolment procedures and staff meetings.

Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or when there is a significant changein the area of the policy topic.

Authorised:

Maree Claridge and Jemma Burn

Date:

January 2022

* * *

Policy Category: Health and Safety

Policy Name: Child Health Policy

The purpose of this operational policy is to keep children and adults safe by meeting Licensing Criteria HS25, HS27 and HS12.

Position Statement

The health and safety of a child and of all children in our centre is important to us. We maintain this by ensuring all reasonable steps are taken to prevent the spread of illness and the treatment of illness when this is noted. Our job is to maintain the wellbeing of our children by creating a safe and healthy environment and acting urgently and effectively to ensure the health and well-being of all children.

Issue Outline

Both children and adults have accidents, even in safe environments. Children can also get sick quite suddenly or can be unwell on arrival at the centre. Sometimes these illnesses can be contagious. An incident is an adverse or unexpected event. This event may or may not result in personal injury or illness.

Detail

Classification of incidents:

1. Minor

2. First Aid treatment required

3. Medical treatment required

4. Serious harm injury, serious illness, or serious property damage.

For all incidents rated as 3 or 4 on this scale, an incident register form will be completed by the Centre Manager/staff member. If a hazard is identified as a result of this incident, the hazard will be transferred to the Hazard Register. Incident register forms are retained.

General:

All permanent staff have current first aid training gained from a New Zealand Qualifications Authority accredited first aid training provider

· If a child is injured, any required first aid is administered or supervised by a first aid-trained adult

· We have a first aid kit equipped to the standard set by the Ministry of Education and kept fully equipped. Our first aid kit is checked and fully stocked by Triple One Care, yearly, and checked by the Head teacher monthly.

· We have an area where we can isolate sick children.

Injury Prevention:

· All staff take account of injury prevention in the layout, daily activities and rules in our centre.

· We check the centre daily for hazards.

· All staff are trained in first aid and in hazard identification and management.

· All staff are trained to notify maintenance needs to the centre manager. The centre manager acts promptly on dangerous or urgent repair work and programmes in other maintenance work. Maintenance work is recorded.

· The hazard management approach we take is to eliminate, isolate or minimise hazards in the centre. Our staff are trained to do these things.

· A staff member is appointed to take care of any animals at the centre.

Response to child injury:

· In the event of an injury to a child, a first aid trained staff member assesses the severity of the injury and gives the necessary first aid.

· If the injury needs urgent medical attention, the centre manager calls an ambulance. If the centre manager is unavailable, the head teacher calls the ambulance. They also call parents.

· If it is a head injury, an ice pack wrapped in a towel will be held on the child’s head for up to 10 minutes. If it is a burn, the injured area will be put under cold running water immediately for at least 10 minutes.

· If the injury is minor, 2, the staff member will complete an accident form and will get parents to sign.

· If a child needs to go to hospital/doctor, parents/guardians are informed immediately and asked to collect their child and get them checked by a doctor or health professional immediately.

· In the event that a parent or guardian cannot be contacted, the centre manager will take the child to a doctor, primary care or emergency department at the local hospital.

· In all cases,3 and 4, incidents are recorded on the incident register, located in the office, by the person who witnessed the injury and a copy is be given to parents the same day as the incident so they can take it with them to the doctor or health professional.

· If there is serious harm or a significant event occurs (defined under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015), the centre manager will report the incident to Worksafe New Zealand as soon as possible and send a completed accident form within 7 days.

· The head teacher will ensure that the accident/illness/incident book is completed.

Enrolling children with special health needs

· All relevant information for managing the child’s daily health needs, should be discussed with the Centre manager and head teacher

· Any specific training for the management of the condition will need to be provided by the parent or public health nurse

· A written authority from the parent will be required for any category iii medicines used for ongoing treatment of a pre-diagnosed condition

· An individual health plan will be documented with the required authority and staff trained to administer the medication.

Management of medications

· Medicines are stored safely and appropriately, and are disposed of or sent home with a parent (if supplied in relation to a specific child) after the specified time

· A record is kept of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service

· Adults who administer medicine to children are provided with information and or training relevant to the task and records of this kept.

Response to incident/Illness

· Urgent treatment will be sought for any sudden illness or injury that needs immediate attention

· Parents will be contacted immediately

· Immediate medical attention will be sought, or an ambulance will be called (at the discretion of the Centre Manager or person responsible)

· A staff member will remain with the child until a parent or guardian arrives or accompany the child to the doctors or hospital as required

· Management to be informed ASAP

· Manager will inform Ministry of Education and Worksafe New Zealand as required.

Use of Pamol and Antibiotics medication

· Pamol will only be used for a specified period of time to treat a specific condition or symptom case by case.

· Pamol will only be given with the written authority of a parent at the beginning of each day, including:

o Name of the child

o Name and amount (dose) of the medicine

o When (time or specific symptoms/circumstances) medicine is to be given

o Date and time the Pamol was given and by whom

o Parental signature

· Antibiotics there will be a 48hour stand down from the first dosage

· Staff who administer medicine to children are trained and authorised to do so. This will be signed by 2 staff members when administered.

Sick Children

In general children should stay away from an early childhood service when:

· They have no interest in activities or play

· Have little energy, want or need to sleep or rest for long periods

· Cry easily, are irritable or in pain

· Constantly want to be held and comforted

· Have a fever (Children will remain away from centre for 24 hours after last high temp.)

· Have diarrhea or vomiting (Children will remain away from centre for 48 hours after last episode)

· At our centre, we protect all children and staff from cross infection. We do not allow children with contagious diseases to be in contact with other children. When a child or adult becomes ill at the centre, the child will be kept at a safe distance from other children and the parent or caregiver will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible

· If the sickness needs urgent medical attention, such as suspected appendicitis or meningitis, the centre manager will call an ambulance. If the centre manager is unavailable, the most senior staff member present will call the ambulance. They also call parents

· Children who require antibiotics will have a 48hours stand down period as recommended by health officials.

· If we are unsure what to do, we will contact the child’s doctor or call the Health line on 0800 611 116 immediately

We ensure all parents understand this policy on enrolment
We have medicine policies and procedures and ensure staff understand them and follow them
Medicines may only be given with the written authority of a parent or caregiver or, in an emergency, by a qualified doctor or ambulance staff or staff member when advised by medical professionals such as ambulance staff/doctors.
Staff will use gloves and disinfectant when there is any concern about stopping the transmission of infectious diseases

· The Infectious disease exclusion policy has guidelines for when sick children should not attend the centre

· Any notifiable diseases are notified to the Ministry of Health

· Staff and parents are informed of health warnings and how to recognise signs of any illnesses for which we receive Ministry notifications

· We will work with parents to identify needs for staff training and to develop plans for providing the best care at all times such as any activities a child should avoid.

Staff illness and accidents:

· Staff with communicable illnesses must take sick leave

· Staff accidents and injuries are also recorded and procedures followed as for child procedures with next of kin notified where the incident is serious.

When we seek medical attention

· Medical advice or attention will be sought for any sudden illness or injury that cannot be safely dealt with using standard first aid, or requires immediate attention, including but not exclusive to;

o Unusual drowsiness, loss of consciousness or severe head injury

o Seizure or fit

o Severe injury or pain that cannot be explained

o Labored or unusual breathing, turning blue

o Has a rash which covers a large part of the body or a blood red or purple rash of tiny spots or bruises, but has not been injured

o Has faeces that are a worrying colour or consistency, bloody or green vomit

o Choking

o Suspected ingestion of a poisonous substance

o Severe allergic or anaphylactic reaction

o Has been ill, or is ill and seems to be getting worse

o Unusual rash

o High temperature

o Burn

o Suspected sprain or broken bone

o Asthma attack (inform parent and seek advice)

o Unusual cry or distress with or without pain

· Parents will be contacted and consulted.

Alignment with Other Policies

This policy aligns with:

· Child Health Policy Framework

· Fire and Emergency Evacuation Policy

· Health and Safety at Work Policy

· Medicine Administration Policy

· Nappy Changing Policy

· Outings and Excursions Policy

· Infectious Diseases Exclusion Policy

· and Personnel Policies.

Relevant Background (including legislation/regulation references)

Licensing Criteria 2008, Health and Safety, Child Health and Well Being documentation required:

· HS25, HS27: a record of all injuries and illness that occur at the service. Records include the child’s name, date, time and description of the incident, actions taken and by whom and evidence of parental knowledge of the incident. Copies of current first aid (or medical practising) certificates for adults counting towards the qualification requirement are at the centre.

Licensing Criteria 2008, Health and Safety, Hazards and Outings documentation required:

HS12: a hazard identification and management system. The system can be consistent with the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, but goes beyond the consideration of significant hazards to employees to include all hazards to children.

PF27: There is space (away from where food is stored, prepared, or eaten) where a sick child can:

o Be temporarily kept at a safe distance from other children (to prevent cross-infection)

o Lie down comfortably

o Be supervised.

· PF28: There is a first aid kit that:

o Complies with requirements

o Is easily recognisable and readily accessible to adults;

o Is inaccessible to children.

· HS30: Children are washed when they are soiled or pose a health risk to themselves or others.

· HS13: The temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40 degrees, and comfortable for children at the centre to use.

· HS14: Water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius.

· HS15: All practicable steps are taken to ensure that noise levels do not unduly interfere with normal speech and/or communication, or cause any child attending distress or harm.

· HS16: Safe and hygienic handling practices are implemented with regard to any animals at the service. All animals are able to be restrained;

· HS26 All practicable steps are taken to ensure that children do not come into contact with any person (adult or child) on the premises who is suffering from a disease or condition likely to be passed on to children and likely to have a detrimental effect on them.

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

Health (Immunisation) Regulations 1995 require services to have an immunisation register retained for at least 12 months (see the ECC’s online guideline for Retention of Records).

Check the Ministry of Education’s guidelines for schools on managing children with HIV to learn how to keep all children safe.

The Ministry of Health's website www.moh.govt.nz has a resource called Nga Kupu Oranga: Healthy Messages. It is a health and safety resource for early childhood services and is available to download.

The relevant sections are as follows;

· Section B: Preventing Infectious Illness 10

· B1 Spreading infectious illness 10

· B2 Strategies for early childhood services 11

· B3 Exclusion 13

· B4 Immunisation 18

· B5 Hygiene 19

· B6 Cleaning and disinfecting 22.

The Ministry of Health‘s website has information about preventing infectious diseases http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/immunisation-about.

Impacts of Policy on Staff, Parents, Children

Following these procedures will ensure that the environment is safe, that parents and appropriate authorities are kept informed of accidents and illnesses where appropriate, and that appropriate records are kept to meet licensing and other legislative requirements.

Alignment with the Centre Philosophy

This policy ensures a safe environment, a crucial part of creating and maintaining the well-being of children in our care.

Implications and/or Risks

Following this policy significantly reduces the risk of this centre being fined for not meeting criteria, losing trust with parents because of illness or accident issues and maintaining public credibility.

Implementation

Clear procedures have been developed and staff trained to follow them.

Review

Review annually or when there is a significant change in the area of the policy topic.

Authorised:

Maree Claridge and Jemma Burn

Date:

January 2022

* * *

Procedure Category: Health and Safety

Procedure Name: Evacuation Procedure

Thepurpose of this operational procedure is to ensure appropriate compliance withLicencing Criteria HS4, HS5 and HS7.

Position Statement

During emergencies, the safety of children and adults at the centre is paramount. Having an evacuation procedure will minimise the risk of injury and stress to children by being prepared. Our objective is to ensure that everyone either working at or visiting the Centre is aware of the Centre evacuation procedure and it is clearly visible.

Issue Outline

Our centrecould experience emergencies (a sudden or unforeseen occurrence of potentialdanger) that require us to quickly and safely evacuate the building. Having anevacuation procedure in place provides confidence in staff, families andchildren about handling emergencies.

Alignment with Policies

Thisprocedure aligns with the following Centre Policy:

· Emergency Response Policy

· Health and Safety Policy/Framework

Procedure Detail

Step

Procedure

Our evacuation plan is displayed on the parent notice board, parents are made aware of this on enrolment

There is an accurate record of who is on the premises at all times, this will include all staff and visitors will be signed in and out eg. Roll/Register

We carry out Fire and Evacuation Drills every term and record these, the Fire Department is notified of these and reports filed

Fire evacuation schemes shall be approved and reapproved as required by the New Zealand Fire Service and displayed

Centre Management have responsibility for ensuring emergency contact details for all children and staff are regularly updated and added to emergency phone/alert system

In all cases of Emergency evacuation, Management will be informed as soon as practical

Civil Defense supplies/grab bags are easily accessible, updated as per Centre Policy and staff are responsible for keeping their own emergency supplies/medication onsite. These are positioned on the front deck in a wheelie bin

EVACUATION –ONSITE

SUPERVISOR OR NOMINATED PERSONS WILL TAKE

· Emergency Cell Phone or other phone

· Roll / Enrolment Folder

FIRE

RESPONSE

· Staff member who notices a fire will activate the alarm and alert the Head teacher who will ring 111 (For a drill follow your Centre procedure)

· For a small containable fire, staff (at their discretion) will use the extinguisher (all staff are trained to use this)

· Teachers are to calmly take all the children (including parents/visitors) out of the nearest exit, PR checking each room as they go, including the sleep room and bathroom, to the designated evacuation area avoiding any hazards out to the front garden if appropriate

· Outside teachers are to calmly take the children to the designated evacuation point (checking for hazards) also directing any parents/visitors to the evacuation point.

· The Supervisor will check the building including the office, sleeproom and staff bathroom to ensure everyone is evacuated before exiting the building.

· 2IC or nominated person to remain outside the front entrance to stop any person entering the building and await Emergency Services. They will take with them the site plan including location of services

AT EVACUATION POINT TEACHERS TO:

- Seat and contain children within the evacuation area

- Call the roll and count heads, including staff and visitors

- For drill purposes, children will now be released back to play/ drill recorded

- Attend to any injuries

- Everyone is to stay at the assembly area until the ‘all clear’ is given from the Supervisor or Emergency Services. Let management know what has happened

- The responsibility of whether or not to continue ECE operations rests with the Manager

- Manage process for parents picking up their children if necessary

EVACUATION –ONSITE

EARTHQUAKE

RESPONSE

- Drop, Cover

- Children to stay in position until teachers tell them what to do

- Supervisor assess’ the safety of evacuating the children, removes any hazards and checks the safety of the assembly point.

- If you are in a Tsunami Zone follow your Tsunami Evacuation Procedure

- Supervisor will direct staff and children to move to the safest area on the premises.

- Health and Safety Officer will check the building is clear, turn off gas/services as required

WHAT TO TAKE

- Supervisor will take the Enrolment Folder, roll and Emergency Cell phone or other phone

- Emergency supplies will be taken from front of building

- Head Teacher, after checking the building will bring the emergency kit.

AT EVACUATION POINT, TEACHERS TO;

- Injuries will be attended to, roll called and heads counted.

- Drill – Children released back to play

- Real Event - Minor (No damage)– Email and Facebook message sent to all parents to advise them everyone is safe and centre will remain open.

- Major Earthquake – Bulk email and phone calls to all parents advising them to collect their children

- Children to be collected by authorised adult’s only, remaining children will be supervised at the centre.

- Follow your Centre’s Emergency Management Policy

OTHER

FOR EXAMPLE - FLOODED BUILDING, CHEMICAL SPILL, ELECTRICAL FAULT, STRUCTURAL PROBLEM OR GAS LEAK

EVACUATION – ONSITE

RESPONSE

· Teaching staff to immediately alert Supervisor. Begin evacuating, Supervisor rings 111 for Emergency Services or rings the appropriate authorized contractor i.e. Plumber, Electrician

· Health and Safety officer or nominated person to respond turning off services if applicable and safe to do so.

· Teachers are to calmly check each room including the sleep room and bathroom, taking all children (including any parents/visitors) safely out of the nearest exit to the designated evacuation area avoiding any hazards

· Outside teachers are to calmly take children/parents/visitors to the designated evacuation point which is Lancewood Way.

· The Supervisor or person in charge will carry out a check of the building alerting any staff in the staff room/bathroom to evacuate before exiting the building.

· nominated person to remain outside the front entrance to stop any person entering the building and await Emergency Services or authorized tradesperson where applicable, they will take with them a site plan containing the location of onsite services

SUPERVISOR OR NOMINATED PERSONS WILL TAKE

· Emergency phone or other phone

· Daily Roll and or Enrolment Folder

· First Aid Kit, Emergency kit

· Emergency Response Policy along with telephone contact list for services

AT EVACUATION POINT, TEACHERS WILL:

· Call the roll and count heads, include all adults

· Attend to any injuries / Apply first aid

· Advise any Management

· Follow the advice of Emergency Services or authorised tradesmen

· You may be advised to Evacuate off site

· The responsibility of whether or not to continue ECE operations rests with the Manager.

· Manage process for parents picking up their children if necessary

GAS OR ELECTRICAL FAULT INSIDE

Do not activate alarm or use any electrical switches

Do not use cell phone inside

Turn off main valve/switch box, open windows if safe to do so

Evacuate immediately – No smoking

CHEMICAL SPILL INSIDE

All chemical spills/leaks must be treated as toxic and dangerous.

Evacuate the building as per below

Contain if possible and safe to do so, protect yourself, ventilate the room, remove sources of ignition. Call 111 if necessary and prevent further access to the building. Alert Management

EMERGENCYEVACUATION OFF SITE

AT EVACUATION POINT

· Count heads and call the roll, include adults

· Attend to any first aid requirements

· Send out an email/Facebook message to parents letting them know your location

· Return to the centre will be when the all clear has been given by Civil Defence

· Follow process for parents picking up their children after immediate danger has passed

· Make children comfortable, reassure and comfort

· Advise Management of your location

DESIGNATED PERSONS TO TAKE

· Emergency Phone and the roll

· First Aid Kit, medication

· Civil Defence Kit

· All other teachers/staff to gather children

TSUNAMI

RESPONSE

If your Centre is located in a Tsunami risk zone and an earthquake is long (1 minute or more) or strong immediate evacuation will happen under the direction of the Supervisor or Manager

· Call the roll to ensure everyone is present, attend to any urgent injuries

· We will evacuate at least 1 kilometre inland and 35 metres above sea level to the nearest hill centre of New Zealand if deemed safe or Central School – Civil defence point

· How you will get there we will travel the best we can either by foot or cars if a need to leave quickly

· Leave a sign on the door saying where you have gone

· Our Defence kit easily transportable a wheelie bin

EMERGENCYEVACUATION OFF SITE

FLOOD

CHEMICAL SPILL GAS LEAK

RESPONSE

Flooding can happen quickly and have serious impacts. Flooding may be caused by heavy rain, overflowing creeks and rivers and high tides or tsunamis in coastal and low-lying areas.

· Check the source of the flood and that no children or adults are in danger

· Turn off water mains if cause is a burst pipe

· Listen to radio for Civil Defence emergency information or ring them for advice, let Management know

· If situation becomes urgent, or told to do so by Civil Defence, evacuate immediately to higher ground

· Gather the children, call the roll, turn off all services and electrical appliances, leave a sign on the door;

Our off-site safe evacuation place is Centre of NZ or Central School

· Cars will be used or foot depending on circumstance.

Our nearest Civil Defence Emergency Centre is Central School

Follow the instructions of the Emergency Services

DESIGNATED PERSONS TO TAKE

· Emergency Phone and roll

· Emergency kit

· First Aid Kit, medication

DESIGNATED PERSONS TO TAKE

· Emergency Phone/Roll

· Emergency kit Back Packs including portable radio

· First Aid kit, medication

· Children’s coats and bags only if there is time

AT EVACUATION POINT

· Count heads and call the roll, include adults

· Attend to any first aid requirements

· Send out an email Facebook message to parents letting them know your location and the situation

· Tune into the emergency radio and/or follow Civil Defence or Emergency Services advice

· We will return to the centre when the ‘all clear’ is given by Emergency Services

· Follow process for parents picking up their children

· Make children comfortable, reassure

RESPONSE

· All chemical spills/gas leaks must be treated as toxic and dangerous

· Evacuate the building, ventilate the room

· Contain if possible and safe to do so, wear protection, remove sources of ignition

· Or call 111 – Prevent others from entering the building, provide services with a site plan

· Attend to any first aid requirements

· Count heads and call the roll, include adults

· Ring Management

· It may be necessary to evacuate the entire centre off site, follow the advice of Emergency Services

· Leave a sign on the door, tell Emergency Services where you will be

· Our off-site evacuation is across road at Lancewood Way

EMERGENCYEVACUATION OFF SITE

BOMB THREAT OR SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE

RESPONSE

· Person in charge to alert staff to begin clearing and evacuating the building to designated spot at least 100m from site. Cell Phones not to be used in the building or near the suspicious package

· Person in charge will leave the building before using the emergency cell phone to call 111 and follow their advice

· 2IC to remain at the front of property away from the building with a site plan to prevent access to the building by any other persons and await Emergency Services.

· Our off-site evacuation area at least 100m away is Centre of NZ

AT EVACUATION POINT

· Count heads and call the roll, include adults

· Attend to any first aid requirements

· Send out an email to parents letting them know your location and the situation, inform Management or Board

· Follow Emergency Services advice

· We will return to the centre when the ‘all clear’ is given by Emergency Services or Manager will decide to call parents to collect their children following due process

· Make children comfortable, reassure

DESIGNATED PERSONS TO TAKE

· Emergency Phone and roll only if able to be accessed safely

AT EVACUATION POINT

· Inform neighbours if applicable

· Count heads and call the roll, include adults

· Send out an email to parents letting them know your location and the situation, inform Management

· Follow the advice of Police

· We will return to the centre when the ‘all clear’ is given by the Police

· The responsibility of whether or not to continue ECE operations rests with the Manager.

· Follow process for parents picking up their children

· Ring the Ministry of Education Trauma Team, attend to children and staff trauma, support

INTRUDER / TRESPASSER

RESPONSE

· Alert the person in charge

· Violent intruder – Call 111 and evacuate the building immediately if safe to do so or lock yourselves in a safe predetermined place. The main play area with blinds down.

· Unknown – Person in charge and one other to approach and greet the person to determine their nature and what they are doing on the property. If it is for a legitimate reason take them to the office, if not, ask them to leave, if they refuse, call the Police.

· If it is safe, stay with them until the Police arrive (keep a colleague with you). If you have concerns move away and use your centre’s code word or phrase (not the alarm) to alert other staff to begin calmly clearing and evacuating the building to a predetermined spot to await the Police.

· Our alert system is to evacuate to Lancewood Way

DESIGNATED PERSONS TO TAKE

· Emergency Phone and roll

· Emergency Kit if safe to access

· First Aid Kit, medication if safe to access

Relevant Background (including Legislation/Regulation/Licensingreferences)

Licencing Criteria 2008, Health and Safety, Emergencies.

· HS4: A current Fire EvacuationScheme approved by the NZ Fire Service.

· HS7: An evacuation procedure for thepremises.

· HS5: Designated assembly areas forevacuation purposes do not unnecessarily place children at further risk.

· HS6: Heavy furniture, fixtures, andequipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage aresecured.

· HS8: Adults providing education andcare are familiar with relevant emergency drills and carry these out withchildren on at least three-monthly basis; and a record of the emergency drills arekept. .

Other legislation:

· The Fire Safety and Evacuation of BuildingsRegulations 2006

· The Fire Service Act 1975

Implementation

Clear processes and procedures have been developed andstaff trained to follow them. We have put a plan in place that allows forstaffing variations so that everyone knows their role should the Supervisor or2IC be absent.

Review

Review annually or whenthere is a significant change in the area of the policy topic or the procedure.

The findings of the revieware discussed by all team members at the next available full team meeting andagreed changes are made to the plan. This is noted in the Team Meeting Minutes.

Emergency response procedures

Civil Defence Supplies

The following supplies are ready to go, for any emergency.

Water (enough for each child and staff member for at least one night).
Torch(es) and extra batteries
Battery powered radio and extra batteries
Plastic rubbish bags and toilet paper
Nappies, wet wipes and baby formula (check expiry and that it is age appropriate)
Sanitizer
Blankets
Non-perishable food items, including food for children and others with special
nutritional needs (plan for at least one night) Gluten/Peanut free options
First aid kits (at least one of which is portable)
Emergency Plan including map of area for evacuating and for locating shelters
Paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils
Non-electric can opener, utility knife
Matches in a water proof container
Paper and pencil or pen
Games/activity items for children, in order to distract them from the emergency
Copies of enrolment records and emergency contacts for each child and staff
member
Keys to all your service’s buildings (staff to take set)
Gloves
Small gas burner
Large containers food supplies in.
A staff member will take wallet, cellphone.

For all emergencies staff responsibilitiesare:

Person responsible

Gather staff and children and assemble in the designated safety meeting place (depending on the emergency)
Will decide if evacuation is necessary
Checks sleep areas, bathroom and outdoor areas
Collects the roll and parent contact list
Conducts head count

Health & Safety Officer

Operates the fire alarm and calls the fire service (or asks someone else to help)
Retrieves the supplies ready to be used
Stock will be checked 3 monthly and signed

All Staff

Keep calm and ensure children are assembled in the designated safety meeting place (depending on the emergency).
Follow the agreed emergency procedure
Instruct children to follow your lead. As much as possible, without endangering yourself, assist them.

Review

Review annually or when there isa significant change in the area of the policy topic.

The findings of the review arediscussed by all team members at the next available full team meeting andagreed changes are made to the plan. This is noted in the Team Meeting Minutes.

Learning Land Evacuationplan and Procedure

Alarm activated:Phone fire service 111

· Firewarden directs team- activating fire alarm and wearing high vis vest.

· Outsidestaff evacuate children via side gates and assemble at Corner of Driveway by Lemon Tree if safe or at Lancewood Way ifunsafe due to fire at the front of building.

· Insidechildren are evacuated either through veranda fire exit and gates or officefire exit, depending on position of fire.

Fire warden ensures:

· Buildingand grounds are cleared if children and adults

· Shutwindows and doors where possible

· Retrievessign in folder and portable phone or cell phone and proceeds to assembly point.

· Onceassembled fire warden ensures the call has been made to fire service- roll callis made to ensure everyone is evacuated.

Centre warden: Mandy(Curriculum leader)
All staff are trained to lead when called upon to do so.

Assembly point:Front of building (On drive way)

Note: If front ofbuilding is on fire we will assemble across the road at Lancewood Way.

Centre exits: FrontDoor (front of building), Red door (main area), Green Gate (Side of shed).

Call 111 in an emergency!

Authorised:

Maree Claridge and Jemma Burn

Date:

January 2022