Incident and Illness
Continued
If a child is injured or ill, but not required to leave, we will notify parents/guardians and the child will be able to rest in the classroom with a care-giver or brought to the office to rest until they feel well enough to join the group again. Injuries will be treated with necessary first aid and an incident form will be filled out accordingly.
Parents must have a back-up plan for care when their child is ill. This may be a grandparent, friend or neighbor that can care for the child if the parent needs to work but cannot bring the child to the center or home.
Possible reasons to call a parent to pick up a child or to exclude a child from care:
1. Fever – A child has a temperature of 101 degrees F or greater AND behavioral changes or other signs or symptoms. The child should not return until 24 hours of no fever, without using fever-reducing medications.
2. Diarrhea – If a child has two loose or watery stools, even if there are no signs of illness. The child should have no loose or watery stools for 24 hours prior to returning to care. Exception: This may occasionally be caused by antibiotics or new foods a child has eaten, but call the parent to find out if this is the likely cause.
3. Vomiting – If the child has vomited two or more times.
Exception: Some babies may burp/spit up following a feeding – this is not vomiting. A healthcare provider may also rule out an infectious cause.
4. Rash – If the child develops a rash and has a fever or a change in behavior. Exclude until a physician has determined it is not a communicable disease. Note: Rapidly spreading bruising or small blood spots under the skin needs immediate medical attention.
5. Crying and Complaining – Any time a child is not his/herself, is lethargic, is complaining about discomfort, or is cranky and crying more than usual for that child. The child should not return until he/she is acting normally.
Exclusion Policy for Employees and Volunteers:
1. Diagnosed with a “Big Five” illness:
Typhoid fever (Salmonella Typhi).
Shigellosis (Shigella spp.).
Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection (E. coli O157:H7).
Hepatitis A (hepatitis A virus).
Norovirus infection.
2. Jaundice has occurred within the last seven days.
3. Experiencing noro-like symptoms (vomiting and/or diarrhea).
Note: It is also recommended the employees and volunteers stay home if ill with symptoms such as fever, cough and sore throat.
The employee or volunteer can return to work:
When diagnosed with a “Big Five” illness: After health department approval and medical documentation states the excluded person is free of symptoms and free of the infectious agent.
When excluded for jaundice: The excluded person has provided medical documentation stating that they are free of the Hepatitis A virus.
When excluded for noro-like symptoms: 24-48 hours after the last symptom of illness. No handling of food or food ware for 72 hours after symptoms have resolved
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Discipline Policy
Children need to learn the tools to problem solve. In setting up a developmentally appropriate environment, with help from teachers using the problem-solving steps from the PQA, children will learn how to regulate themselves and problem solve with their peers. Teachers are also responsible for helping students recognize their emotions and teach them how to act appropriately. Children who are 3 and older will be given the choice to calm their bodies in the comfy reading area or use sensory toys. Children who are too young or unable to calm themselves will be given comfort and reassurance from teachers and caregivers.
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We will do our best to work with children and families to get children able to regulate, problem-solve, and thrive in the world within and after our program. Parents are their child’s first teachers and we will respect and involve guardians in our behavior plans on an individual basis. If parents are unwilling to work with staff to modify and correct unwanted behaviors in order to make our school a safer learning environment for all involved, we will suggest finding another center. If a child’s behavior is unsafe to other students in the classroom and behavior modification techniques are not working, we will suggest that the child must find another school that can meet their individual needs.
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Crisis Management Cont.
Assistant teachers will keep children calm and quiet until the emergency has passed. The director will make sure everyone is safe and unhurt and notify local authorities if there is a physical threat inside the center or if someone is injured and will send a group text to families notifying them of the emergency and plans for pick-up or relocation if necessary.
In the event of a bomb threat, the director will notify the authorities and staff and students will follow the relocation plan protocol.
Immediately upon discovery of a power outage, the director will determine why the power is out, check the circuit breaker, and contact the local power company, if necessary.
If compliance with the licensing rules cannot be maintained, such as running water, flushable toilets, temperature, visibility of children, the assistant director will contact parents letting them know that they must pick children up within the hour.
In the event of a suspicious package, the director will notify authorities and call 911 to report the box/package to the police. The assistant director will keep everyone away from the suspicious box/package. Each class will follow Relocation Plans for safely evacuating and relocating children.
In case of a missing child at the center, immediately upon discovery of a missing child, the caregiver who first notices shall alert the PROGRAM DIRECTOR, assistant director or staff member in charge of the missing child. All available staff will assist in searching the facility for the missing child (cook, assistant director, floaters available). Staff will quickly search in lavatories, closets, room corners, under desks, behind curtains, anywhere a child might have hidden or gone. Care-givers must be diligent about keeping other children at the center calm while the child is being found. If the child is not found within 10 minutes, the director will report the missing child to authorities and notify the parents. If the child is found, parents will be notified of the incident and it would be reported to licensing.
If there is a gas leak detected in or very near the center, the staff will immediately evacuate the children according to the EVACUATION / RELOCATION PLAN.
If the gas leak is in the vicinity of the center, the director will contact the gas company to determine if there is a need to go to the relocation site following the SHELTER-IN-PLACE PLAN.
In case of a water main break or total loss of water for any reason, the center must close because compliance with the licensing rules cannot be maintained, such as running water, flushable toilets, the director will contact parents letting them know that they must pick children up within the hour.
If the center still has water available, the director will contact the water company or local authorities to see if the facility needs to be evacuated or if the children can remain in the program until parents can arrive to pick up their children.
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Food Service Policy Cont.
SAMPLE MENU
Abuse and Neglect cont.
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From the licensing handbook:
The Child Protection Law requires mandated reporters to make an immediate verbal report to DHS upon suspecting child abuse and neglect, followed by a written report within 72 hours. Within 72 hours of making the verbal report, mandated reporters must file a written report as required in the Child Protection Law. DHS encourages the use of the Report of Suspected or Actual Child Abuse or Neglect (DHS-3200) form, which includes all the information required under the law. Mandated reporters must also provide a copy of the written report to the head of their organization. Mandated reporters must also notify the head of their organization of the report. Reporting the suspected allegations of child abuse and/or neglect to the head of the organization does not fulfill the requirement to report directly to DHS.
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