Hi I am new to this site so hello all my new friends!!!
I am a manager of a day nursery so I have a bit of insight in this.
Last year we were given a government directive through our local council stating that, we as carers / teachers etc, are NOT permitted to administer any medication unless it is prescribed and we have seen the original bottle / packet with the GP's details and administration information and only then at the end of the course, usually the pen-ultimate day.This rule is due to a NN once giving a child Calpol and it masked the systems of meningitis, which was not picked up as soon as it could have been.
We are not allowed to administer any unprescribed medication at all. For illnessess such as excema, ear infections or non-contagious diseases, we can give antibiotics only if accompanied by a letter from the GP to state that the child is well enough to attend nursery. ie we can apply cream for a child with severe excema.
In our nursery, if a child has a high temperature, sickness or upset tummy or is obviously very unwell, we will inform the parent and ask them to colect the child. If a child is simply showing signs of being under the weather and really not 'themselves' we will inform the parent and then leave it to them to decide whether or not to pick up, this way we have done what we can for the child.
In regards to colds, coughs, toncillitis etc, in our opinion the parent knows their child, if they choose to leave the child with us, they can, but in the event of that child needing medication (usually when the morning dose of Calpol has worn off!) we would put the above system into practice.
For the record, my boyfriend and i have 9 kids between us aged 17 to 3 so i do understand and have been in the situation of 'are they / arent they well enough to go' myself many times.
If a child is in a nursery is unwell the parents has to think of the following points...if my childs spreads their illness to others, it can re-occur again, and as carers we can also become ill which will obviously effect the running of the nursery, possibly in severe cases, we may have to bring in supply staff which will mean that the child will not be cared for by its familiar keyworker.
Hope that helps in any way!!
Twinkle.