PRACTICAL STEPS FOR CHILDMINDERS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF PANDEMIC FLU
MAIN POINTS WHAT TO DO?
- Remember to wash your hands and remind children to wash their hands with soap and water, or use hand cleansers , and make sure supplies are available
You and children in your care must use soap and water to wash soiled hands. You may use a hand cleanser to wash your hands if they are not visibly soiled.
Wash your hands to the extent possible between contacts with infants and children such as before meals or feedings, after wiping the child?s nose or mouth, and after touching objects such as tissues or surfaces soiled with saliva or nasal secretions.
Wash the hands of infants and toddlers with soap and water as soon as possible when their hands become soiled.
Strongly encourage children to wash their hands with soap and water when their hands have become soiled ? teach them to wash their hands for 15-20 seconds. Children with medical conditions may need assistance, as they may be at greater risk if careful hygiene procedures are not followed.
Ensure that hand-washing areas are stocked with soap and paper towels.
Follow the manufacturers? guidance on the use of any hand cleansers.
- Keep your environment clean and make sure that supplies are available
Clean frequently touched surfaces such as toys and commonly shared items at least daily and when visibly soiled.
Use warm water and detergent or commonly available household disinfectants/cleaning products, and follow instructions.
Keep detergents, disinfectants and cleaning products out of reach and sight of children.
MAIN POINTS WHAT TO DO?
- Remind children (depending on their age) to cover their noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing and to wash their hands afterwards ? and make sure you do the same.
Remind children to cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when sneezing and coughing and to dispose of the tissue in a bag in a closed bin, which should be emptied before it becomes full.
Ensure tissues are available in all rooms you use for looking after children, including where meals are provided.
Encourage children to wash their hands as soon as possible, if they have sneezed or coughed in their hands ? wash the hands of those too young to do it for themselves.
- Observe all children for symptoms of fever and respiratory illness, especially when there is increased influenza in the community
Observe closely all children with respiratory illness or any of the symptoms given in paragraph 6 of the Infection Control Guidance for childminders.
If a child should fall ill whilst in your care, arrange (wherever possible) for the child to use a separate sick room to rest, away from other children to help prevent spread of the infection.
Notify parent(s) immediately for child to be taken home and advise parents to seek advice from the child?s doctor.
- Strongly encourage parents of sick children to keep their children home. If a child you normally look after is ill, do not accept them until they are fully better
Parents of sick children should keep them at home and away from the setting until they no longer have symptoms, to prevent spreading the infection to others.
- If you or your own children are ill, suspend your childminding work until fully better
If you are unwell with symptoms of flu in a pandemic, you should not look after any children until you have recovered.
If your own children are ill, you should not look after other children until they have fully recovered.
Before starting to care for children again, clean your home using warm water and detergent (or a commonly available disinfectant/cleaning product), paying particular attention to hard surfaces.