Health and Hygiene Policy

1.    Overview

1.1.  Purpose

The provision of a safe and healthy environment is vital for children, educators, staff and other stakeholders. Junior Adventures Group (JAG) is committed to providing health and safety practices that promote good hygiene and reduce avoidable harm through the spread of disease. Hygiene practices are promoted and implemented, and policies and procedures are followed to maintain the highest level of health and hygiene at our services.

1.2 Scope

All Junior Adventures Group (JAG) People are required to comply with the provisions set out in this policy, their contract of employment and all other relevant policies, procedures and legislation.

1.3.  Legislative Requirements

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, JAG is required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the children in care.

2.    Policy Statement

JAG is committed to providing health and safety practices that promote good hygiene and reduce avoidable harm through the spread of disease.

3.    Principles

3.1.  Duty of Care

Team Members have a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children attending the service. This includes regular risk assessments and audits of our hygiene practices.

3.2.  Promotion of Health and Hygiene

We actively promote health and hygiene. For example, we reduce the spread of disease by promoting immunisation. Additionally, hand hygiene and safe food handling practices are implemented to reduce cross-contamination.

Our team members verbally support and encourage children to practise health and hygiene behaviours that allow staff and children to work and play safely at the Service. We also use visual aids to encourage children to practise healthy and hygienic behaviours.

3.3.  Leading Safe Practices

JAG People will lead safe practice on-site by visibly completing equipment cleaning, washing their hands regularly and supporting people to follow hygiene procedures.

Team Members will wear gloves and use tongs when handling food and encourage children to follow practices that are being modelled (e.g., using tongs).

3.4.  Food Practices

Staffing will follow food safety requirements, including the safe handling, preparation and storage of food and disposal of waste.

3.5.  Service Responsibilities

JAG People are provided training and updates on changes in public health information and requirements from the health authorities.

Team Members will provide an inclusive approach to differences in hygiene practices and standards between families to support children’s developing sense of identity. Children are reminded that practices followed at the Service may differ from those at home.

Supervision will be particularly attentive to children and their hygiene practices during mealtimes and food experiences.

3.6.  Record Keeping

Records will be kept of cleaning regimes, food handling requirements and incidents where a change in practice may need to be considered to reduce risk.

3.7.  Illness and Infection

All illnesses and infectious diseases will be identified immediately and responded to with appropriate action to eliminate the spread of infection.

To limit the spread of illness and infectious disease, JAG People will not attend the Service if they are unwell.

Team Members are vigilant about the general health and wellbeing of each child. Any child with symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea or fever or who appears unwell and unable to participate in the full program will be supported by educators until parents or guardians can collect the child.

Team Members will be aware of symptoms that may indicate possible infection or a serious medical illness or condition. Refer to the Reference Section below for source material and exclusion recommendations.

Any child who has exhibited symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea or fever in the previous 24 hours will be taken for medical attention or treated as considered appropriate by parents or guardians before being readmitted to the Service.

Children with a diagnosed infectious illness will be excluded from the Service, as per the current recommendations for exclusions.

To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, services will adhere to the exclusion period table published by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Where relevant, JAG People will refer to their state-based health guidelines for symptoms of emerging infectious diseases, pandemics, or other public health concerns. If JAG people, children or parents on site exhibit such symptoms, relevant state or national health advice will be followed, including any recommended exclusion periods. Parents and guardians will be asked to pick up their children if they are ill or have infectious symptoms.

3.8.  Family Responsibilities

Parents or guardians will notify the Service Leader if they suspect their child has an infectious disease.

Parents/guardians will adhere to the guidelines of the NHMRC when their child is sick to minimise the spread of infection.

3.9.  Responding to Infectious Diseases at the Service

When a child displays symptoms of infectious disease, parents or guardians will be asked to collect their child and seek medical advice immediately.

Team Members displaying symptoms of infectious disease will be released from work to seek immediate medical attention and exclude themselves for the period of the infectious disease.

Family members or other adults displaying symptoms of infectious disease will be asked to leave the premises until they are no longer infectious.

In the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease at the Service, JAG People, families, visitors and the local public health unit will be notified to minimise the number of people who become unwell.

The relevant authority or regulatory body will be notified about recurring or notifiable illnesses.

In the event of a state or national pandemic or public health concern, the recommendations of the relevant health authority will be followed, including any required exclusionary periods.

The Service will notify families as required by the relevant health department of any infectious cases or outbreaks that must be reported to families, including links and useful information in accessible language to ensure that all parents and guardians have the best chance of taking the required precautions.

3.10. State-Based Public Health Information

Western Australia

Western Australian Government Department of Health

Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory Government Department of Health

Victoria

Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services

Tasmania

Tasmanian Government Department of Health and Human Services

South Australia

South Australian Government Department of Health

New South Wales

New South Wales Government Department of Health

Queensland

Queensland Government Department of Health

Northern Territory

Northern Territory Government Department of Health

3.11.  Child Safety

We safeguard children through our procedures and practices, with particular attention to their health and wellbeing during our service. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the Child Safe Standards. JAG provides policies and procedures to equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to guide children in health and wellbeing practices. Service Practices are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business. All matters regarding children’s health and wellbeing are appropriately discussed with children and stakeholders to ensure they are informed and involved in practices toward good health and wellbeing.

4. Key Terms

Child Care Legislation Amendment Act:

• Requires parents/guardians of all children enrolling in childcare facilities to provide documented evidence of the child’s immunisation status

Infectious disease:

• Also known as transmissible disease or communicable disease, an illness resulting from an infection

JAG People:

• Any adult that governs, manages, conducts work for, or provides activities and/or services to, JAG in a paid or unpaid activity spanning all levels of the organisational structure

Line Manager:

• The persons in the direct supervisory role overseeing the work of the particular JAG person; the JAG persons escalate matters toward the person in this role, in the event of incidents and breaches

Service Leader:

• Anyone who oversees the Service in one of the following roles:

  1. The Approved Provider; if the approved provider is an individual, in other cases, a person with management or control of the Service

  2. The Nominated Supervisor of the Service

  3. A Responsible Person who has been placed in day-to-day charge of the Service in the absence of the Nominated Supervisor.

Team Member:

• JAG People who work directly with children.

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard

Family Law Act 1975 (FLA)

Other Relevant Legislation

Section 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise children

Section 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards

Section 170 – Offence relating to unauthorised persons on education and care service premises

(applies to an education and care service operating in a participating jurisdiction that has a working with children law)

Section 175 – Offence relating to requirement to keep enrolment and other documents

Regulation 86 – Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness

Regulation 98 – Telephone or other communication equipment

Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care services premises

Regulation 100 Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion

Regulation 101 Conduct of risk assessment for excursion

Regulation 102 Authorisation for excursions

Regulation 102AAB Safe arrival of children policies and procedures

Regulation 102AAC Risk assessment for the purposes of safe arrival of children policies and procedures

Regulation 102C Conduct of risk assessment for transporting children by the education and care service

Regulation 102D Authorisation for service to transport children

Regulation 122 Educators must be working directly with children to be included in ratios

Regulation 123 Educator to child ratios

Regulation 157 – Access for parents

Regulation 158 – Children’s attendance record to be kept by approved provider

Regulation 160 – Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider and family day care educator

Regulation 161 – Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record

Regulation 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards

Regulation 168 – Education and care service must have policies and procedures

Regulation 170 Policies and procedures to be followed

Regulation 171 – Policies and procedures to be kept available

Regulation 172 – Notification of change to policies or procedures

WA only - Delivery to and collection of children from the education and care service (Regulation 99 and 168(2)(f). Approved providers in WA must ensure the service has a policy about the delivery and collection of children that is consistent with the procedures for ensuring children’s safety set out at section 165A of the National Law (WA).

Related Policies

Staff Supervision of Children

Incident, Trauma, Illness and Injuries

Transport

Child Safe Environments

Transport

Related Procedures

02P002 Delivery and Collection of Children Procedures

02P003 Absent and Missing Children Procedures

02P011 Extra-Curricular Activities Procedures

02P012 Transport Safety Procedures

07P012 Risk Assessment Procedures

Other

Quality Area 2, 6: Standards 2.2, 6.1

OCG Guide to Child Safe Standards - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-scheme

CCYP Child safe Standards - https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/

National Principles for Child Safe Organisations - https://childsafe.humanrights.gov.au/national-principles

Version

4.0

Change History

Change Register

Date Approved

27/11/2023

Date Implemented

27/11/2023

Document Owner

Quality Service Department

Document Approvers

CEO/Approved Provider

Next Review

12 Months