Medical Conditions Procedure

In this procedure, words in italic text are defined terms which have the specific meanings set out in Gowrie Victoria Policies and Procedures – Definitions and Abbreviations.

Purpose

This procedure set outs steps to be taken to ensure that:

• Gowrie Victoria complies with the national regulations in all matters relating to the education and care of children with medical conditions, including anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy and type 1 diabetes (National Regulations r90(1))
• staff members are notified about any child attending a Gowrie Victoria service who has a known medical condition (National Regulations r90(1)(b))
• all children with known medical conditions have medical management plans (National Regulations r90(1)(c))
• each of Gowrie Victoria’s services has appropriate risk minimisation procedures and practices in place which reduce the risks associated with the medical condition for the child (National Regulations r90(1)(c)(iii))
• there are clear lines of communication between staff members and the families of children affected by known medical conditions (National Regulations r90(1)(c)(iii))
• as far as possible, children with a medical condition are able to participate fully in Gowrie Victoria’s programs and activities

Scope

This procedure applies to all staff members, volunteers, students on placement and contractors/labour hire employees of Gowrie Victoria.

Procedure statement

Awareness of anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy and type 1 diabetes

The early years manager must take steps to raise awareness of the risks of anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy and type 1 diabetes in the service community by displaying at key locations in the service:

• the ASCIA generic poster ‘Action Plan for Anaphylaxis’
• Asthma Australia’s ‘Asthma First Aid’ poster
• Epilepsy Australia’s ‘Seizure First Aid’ poster
• information about type 1 diabetes (if available)

Resources

The early years manager must ensure that:

• at all times there is an adequate supply of medications and equipment available at the service to provide emergency treatment to any child who has not been diagnosed with a medical condition but who may suffer an anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy or type 1 diabetes emergency.
• there is a sharps disposal unit at the service for the safe disposal of needles.

Staff training

The early years manager must ensure that all early years leaders and educators:

• receive approved anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training, including refresher training (which satisfies National Regulations r136(1))
• practice using an adrenaline autoinjector at least annually, and preferably quarterly

If required, individualised training will be provided for educators working with children who have epilepsy or type 1 diabetes.

All training must be included in the staff record (National Regulations r147(c)).

Identification of children with medical conditions

The early years manager must have practices in place to ensure that all staff members, volunteers, students on placement and contractors/labour hire employees:

• can identify all children with a medical condition
• know where each child’s medical management kit is stored

Enrolment of children with medical conditions

The early years manager must ensure that enrolment procedures are followed so that:

• all children with a medical condition are identified during enrolment
• each child’s family provide the service with a medical management plan for the child (National Regulations r91(1)(c)(i)) and authorisation for the administration of any medication required
• the family of each child has given consent for the medical treatment and transport of the child by ambulance if required (National Regulations r161(1))
• the family is given a copy of the Child Medical Care Policy, this Medical Conditions Procedure (National Regulations r91) and the Administration of Medication Procedure

Induction of children with medical conditions

Before a child with a medical condition starts at the service:

• the early years manager must ensure that:
• a risk minimisation plan for that child is prepared in consultation with the child’s family (National Regulations r90(1)(c)(iii))
• a communications plan is agreed with the family (National Regulations r90(c)(iv))
• the family provides the service with any medication and special equipment needed for the child’s medical management kit
• the child’s medical management kit is made up
• early years leaders and educators who will be involved with the education, care and supervision of a child with a medical condition must have read the child’s:
• medical management plan
• risk minimisation plan
• communications plan

Newly diagnosed children

A child may be diagnosed with a medical condition after enrolment at a service. If this occurs, the early years manager must ensure that:

• all requirements for enrolment and induction of a child with a medical condition described in this procedure are completed for the child
• the child’s risk minimisation plan is implemented as described in this procedure
• the centre-wide medical risk minimisation plan is reviewed and amended as required to take account of the risks associated with the child’s medical condition

Administrative measures to support children with medical conditions

Keeping plans and medication up to date

While any children with a medical condition are enrolled at the service the early years manager must implement systems and practices to:

• ensure that the child’s medical management plan, risk minimisation plan and communications plan are:
• always up-to-date, and that any changes are made when required
• reviewed if no changes have been made in the previous 12 months (a log of review dates should be kept)
• ensure that any changes required to the child’s medical management kit are made immediately
• ensure that medication and other equipment included in each child’s medical management kit is in date (a log should be kept of the expiry date of all medication and other equipment so that families can be reminded to supply replacements as required)
• ensure that if required, the child’s family supplies additional medication and special equipment for the child’s medical management kit
• exclude the child if any required medication or special equipment is not made available by the family or is not in date (National Regulations r90(1)(c)(iii)(E))

Measures for children with anaphylaxis

While a child with anaphylaxis remains enrolled at the service, the early years manager must:

• display a notice which is clearly visible to anyone from the main entrance to the service premises stating that a child who has been diagnosed as at risk of anaphylaxis is enrolled at the service (National Law s172(f) and National Regulations r173(2)(f)(i))
• display a notice prominently at the entrance to each room where a child with anaphylaxis is being cared for and educated

Risk minimisation

Identification of children with a medical condition

The early years manager must implement and maintain a work practice to enable all staff members, volunteers, students on placement and contractors/labour hire employees at the service:

• to identify all children who have a medical condition
• to find each child’s medical management kit (National Regulations r90(1)(c)(iii)(D))

Centre-wide medical risk minimisation plan

The early years manager must write and implement a centre-wide medical risk minimisation plan. When preparing the plan, the early years manager must:

• identify all allergens and other environmental factors known to trigger an anaphylactic, asthmatic or epileptic episode in any children at the service (this information can be collected from each child’s risk minimisation plan)
• assess the prevalence of these allergens and environmental factors at the service
• set out reasonable steps to be taken to reduce or remove these allergens and environmental factors from the service (which may include matters relating to the safe handling, preparation, consumption and service of food, and cleaning products)

Implementation of children’s individual risk minimisation plans

Early years leaders and educators must ensure that the risk minimisation plans for all children in their groups with a medical condition are implemented, including where appropriate:

• agreeing with an affected child’s family what foods the child can eat, and any other special requirements for nutrition or cooking
• setting rules for the child’s group (which may include bans on certain foods, and on sharing food, eating utensils and water bottles, and for young children providing them with their own chair)
• planning extra supervision for the child when eating, on excursions or at service events
• washing table and bench tops after eating
• ensuring that children and staff members wash their hands on arrival in the child’s room and again before meals
• restricting use of food and food containers used in cooking, science and general play activities

Early years leaders and educators must also discuss the risk minimisation arrangements within their rooms with the family of each child with a medical condition to ensure that the service’s arrangements meet the family’s requirements.

Display of medical management plans and emergency telephone numbers

The early years manager must ensure that:

• the medical management plan of each child with a medical condition is clearly displayed in each children’s room
• the medical management plan of each child with a medical condition is accessible in the kitchen and in staff rooms
• telephone numbers for each emergency service are displayed next to telephones in all children’s rooms and in reception areas

Taking medical management kits with the child

Early years leaders must ensure that each child’s medical management kit:

• is taken with the child whenever they go on an excursion
• are taken with the child in any emergency evacuation of the service

Treatment

If a child with a medical condition needs to have medication administered, this must be carried out in accordance with the Administration of Medication Procedure.

Participation in programs

Early years leaders and educators must ensure that:

• all children with medical conditions participate as fully as possible in their groups activities and routines, and are given any special help required to allow them to do so
• if any children with medical conditions are unable to participate fully in any particular activity or routine with other children they are nevertheless included in the group to the maximum possible extent and are not socially excluded
• if a child becomes increasingly less able to participate in activities and routines as a result of their medical condition, the matter is discussed with the child’s family

Monitoring and vigilance

If early years educators and educators are concerned that a child appears to be affected by a medical condition which has not been diagnosed, they must discuss this with the child’s family and with the early years manager.

Reporting a serious incident to DET

The early years manager must ensure that any serious incident (which includes a severe asthma attack, seizure or anaphylaxis reaction) occurring at a Gowrie Victoria service is reported to DET within 24 hours of the incident (National Law s174(2) and National Regulations r176(2)(a)(ii)).

Authorisation

Approved by the Executive Manager, Early Learning

Name	Nicole Pilsworth
Signature
Date	18 August 2021

References