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AIM
To take appropriate action and notify families and the Public Health Unit when a child is acutely ill from an infectious disease, or when other children, or the Carer or a person normally residing at the home is confirmed as having an infectious disease.
RATIONALE
The Public Health Department requires notification of diseases specified below. Families need to be informed when their child is acutely ill from an infectious disease to enable them to decide what action to take, and other families need to be informed to decide whether they would like their child to remain in care or not.
STRATEGIES
When a child is acutely ill from an infectious disease or the Carer or a person normally residing in the home is suspected of having an infectious disease as listed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) exclusion guidelines, Carers should:
• Notify the Scheme Co-ordinator, provide details of the child and ask for advice on what immediate action to take.
• Notify the family as soon as practically possible, request they or a responsible person nominated by the family of guardian, pick up and take charge of the child and take to the doctor.
• Isolate the child from other children providing all children can be adequately supervised.
• Assess the child for any need for first aid or emergency treatment, make them comfortable and reassure them, and keep the child under adult supervision until the child’s family or some other responsible person who has consent takes charge of the child.
• Inform all families as soon as possible of the presence of the infectious disease in a child in care, the Carer or person normally residing in the home.
• Ensure all bedding, towels, clothing, toys, equipment and utensils used by the child are washed and dried in the sun, or give the child’s clothes to the family to wash.
• If a Carer or person normally residing in the home has the infectious disease, ask advice from the Scheme Co-ordinator whether to close the service until the person has received a medical certificate that they are not infectious.
• Be vigilant for the same disease occurring in any other child or person that has been in contact with the child (most incubation periods for common infectious diseases are around 1 – 2 weeks).
• Ensure confidentiality of any personal or health related information obtained by Carers or Staff in relation to any Carer- Carer’s family, children, and children’s families.
• Be aware that being infected with HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C are not grounds for exclusion (unless the person has an infectious secondary infection).
• Be aware that if a Carer or Staff member is informed that a child or any person associated with the service or home has HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, this information must remain confidential unless the person or family has given explicit consent to inform others.
REQUIREMENTS OF REGULATIONS AND OTHER STANDARDS
NSW Children’s Services Regulation 2004, Clause 82
Public Health (Amendment) Act (NSW) 1992
NSW Public Health Act and Regulation 1991 – notifiable diseases as follows:
• Diptheria
• Measles
• Mumps
• Pertussis (Whooping cough)
• Poliomyelitis
• Rubella (German measles)
• Tetanus
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