Support Children’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing

1. Implement hygiene and health procedures.

1.1. Follow health and hygiene regulatory requirements and service policies and procedures.

1.2. Support children to learn personal health and hygiene practices through discussion, modelling and repeated experience.

1.3. Identify practices that are not consistent with requirements and procedures and take corrective action within level of responsibility.

2. Support each child’s health needs.

2.1. Maintain knowledge of children’s health needs by seeking and sharing information with colleagues and families.

2.2. Maintain confidentiality in relation to children’s individual health needs.

2.3. Implement service risk-management strategies for children with long-term medical conditions.

2.4. Identify service and regulatory requirements and procedures for short and long-term medication administration.

2.5. Observe and respond to signs of illness and injury in children and systematically record and share this information with colleagues and families according to service policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.

3. Promote physical activity.

3.1. Encourage children to participate in regular movement and physical experiences.

3.2. Participate with children in their physical activity.

3.3. Promote physical activity through providing planned and spontaneous opportunities appropriate for each child.

3.4. Discuss with children how their bodies work and the importance of physical activity to people’s health and wellbeing.

4. Promote healthy and safe eating.

4.1. Provide opportunities for children to engage in experiences, conversations and routines that promote relaxed and enjoyable mealtimes, healthy lifestyles and good nutrition.

4.2. Encourage and support healthy eating and nutrition practices with children during mealtimes.

4.3. Check that children have ready access to water and are offered healthy food and drinks regularly.

4.4. Implement service food safety policies and procedures when assisting with practical mealtime tasks.

4.5. Share information with families that supports a healthy lifestyle.

5. Provide opportunities for sleep, rest and relaxation.

5.1. Use individualised sleep and rest practices that are consistent with approved standards and in consultation with families.

5.2. Provide developmentally appropriate restful play activities for children who do not sleep or rest.

5.3. Maintain children’s right to privacy during any toileting and dressing and undressing times.

5.4. Meet individual clothing needs and preferences within the scope of the service requirements for children’s health and safety.

5.5. Support wellbeing through exchange of information with families about individual child’s rest and sleep patterns.

6. Supervise children.

6.1. Follow regulations and implement service policies and procedures for active supervision of children.

6.2. Use positive, developmentally appropriate communication when informing children of safety requirements.

6.3. Adjust levels of supervision depending upon the area of the service and the skill, age mix, dynamics and size of the group of children, and the level of risk involved in activities and play.

6.4. Exchange information about supervision with colleagues to ensure adequate supervision at all times.

7. Minimise risks in the environment.

7.1. Check safety of buildings, equipment and the general environment according to scope of own role and service policies and procedures.

7.2. Use, store and label dangerous products according to manufacturer’s instructions, service policies and procedures and regulations.

7.3. Implement service procedures and regulations for safe collection of each child, ensuring they are released to authorised people only.

7.4. Assist in the supervision of every person who enters the service premises through observation and reporting.

8. Support children to respond to risks.

8.1. Assist children to recognise potential hazards and age appropriate responses.

8.2. Develop children’s knowledge of personal protective actions appropriate to their developmental stage.

8.3. Promote sun safety to children and implement measures to protect children according to service policies and procedures.

9. Provide a safe and healthy environment.

9.1. Check toys and equipment are safe for children and safe to use in their proposed area.

9.2. React promptly to incidences of illness or spills of bodily fluids and promptly respond to ensure a hygienic environment.

9.3. Liaise with families to ensure children who are unwell are excluded according to service policies and procedures and government guidelines.

9.4. Identify children who display signs of illness and take appropriate measures to prevent cross-contamination.

9.5. Report incidences of illness, infection or accident according to service policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.

9.6. Follow service policies and procedures to ensure that equipment, furnishings and resources are maintained in a hygienic manner.