Before your child can commence orientation or attend the service, a medical management plan must be developed by the parent/caregiver.
The record must contain:
detailed health information about each child’s health needs including details of:
any diagnosed medical condition
allergies and;
the risk of anaphylaxis (if they have been diagnosed).
a record of all authorisations to consent to medical treatment.
We will regularly consult parents regarding any diagnosed health care needs, allergies or relevant medical conditions a child may have developed since enrolment and update their records.
When we review the child’s enrolment form for the first time it alerts us to any diagnosed health care needs, and the extra steps we must take to meet the child’s health requirements to ensure their safety within our service.
Different requirements apply depending on whether the child has:
a diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition such as asthma, diabetes, or has been diagnosed as at risk of anaphylaxis
OR
a food preference or dietary restriction, for example not drinking cow’s milk as the parents do not want them to, this would not be considered a diagnosed health care need.
A number of issues must be considered, and key elements must be in place before the child begins orientation and attending the service. The following issues must be considered:
has the child’s parent provided a medical management plan for the child?
has a risk minimisation plan been developed in consultation with the parents of the child?
has the child’s parent provided authorisations for any medication that the child must take?
will it be necessary to adjust any of the usual practices of the service in order to be fully inclusive of the child?
Medical management plans
A medical management plan and risk minimisation plan must be in place for every child enrolled who has a diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition, and kept with the child’s enrolment record. It must be followed at all times.
It should include:
details of the diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition including the severity of the condition
any current medication prescribed for the child
the response required from the service in relation to the emergence of symptoms
any medication required to be administered in an emergency
the response required if the child does not respond to initial treatment
when to call an ambulance for assistance.
Risk minimisation plans
A risk-minimisation plan will be developed in consultation with the parents of a child with a diagnosed medical condition.
It must ensure that:
the risks relating to the child's diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition are assessed and minimised
practices and procedures are in place including the safe handling, preparation, consumption and serving of food are developed and implemented (where relevant)
parents are notified of any known allergens that pose a risk to a child, and that strategies for minimising the risk are developed and implemented
staff members and volunteers can identify the child, the child's medical management plan and the location of the child's medication are developed and implemented
there are practices and procedures to ensure that the child does not attend the service unless they have their relevant medications if this would pose a significant risk to their health.
It must ensure that:
National Regulations: regulation 90(c)(iii); CS Regulations: reg 59.
Communication plans
Our service will also develop a communication plan which is part of the medical conditions policy and must set out:
how staff members and volunteers are or will be informed about the service’s medical conditions policy
the medical management and risk minimisation plans for all children at the service who have a diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition
parents can communicate any changes to the medical management plan and risk minimisation plan for their child.
This will be kept on the child’s enrolment record.
Ongoing requirements
Once the child is attending, we will continue to:
monitor the safety, health and wellbeing of the child
regularly review the risk minimisation plan for the child
ensure that parents are regularly asked to provide any updated information relating to the nature of, or management of, their child’s diagnosed health care need, allergies or relevant medical condition
if necessary, ensure an updated medical management plan is provided by the child’s parents
ensure the practices and procedures of the service are inclusive of the child
consider what extra precautions may be necessary in order to protect the safety, health and wellbeing of a child who has a diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition.
Medication
Medication must not be given to a child being educated and cared for unless it has been authorised by:
a parent, or
another person named in the child’s enrolment record as authorised to consent to the administration of medication.
Administering medication
Everyone at the service must be:
aware of the Medication policy and any procedures, and
follow their them when administering medication.
Staff must check:
there is a proper authorisation to administer the medication to the child
the medication is administered from its original container with original label attached
the medication is not expired or passed the use by date
the dose and instructions on the label, as well as any verbal or written instructions from a medical practitioner are followed.
Before the medication is given to the child:
another staff member - other than the one administering it - must check the dosage of the medicine AND
that it is being administered to the correct child (ie. check the identity of the child).
Medication record
A medication record must be kept for each child to whom medication is to be administered by the service. It must include the appropriate authorisations.
In the case of an emergency
Authorisation may be given verbally by a parent or a person named in the child's enrolment record as authorised to consent to administration of medication or:
if such a person cannot reasonably be contacted in the circumstances, a registered medical practitioner or an emergency service
medication may be administered to a child without an authorisation in case of an anaphylaxis or asthma emergency.
First aid, anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management training
Although the requirement is to have at least one staff member or Nominated Supervisor on site at all times who holds this training, almost every staff member at our services holds the approved first aid, anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management training and are immediately available in an emergency.
We acknowledge the Wurrendjeri People, the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we work and play. We pay our respects to the Elders past and present.
