23 Jun Medication Policy
As a responsible childminder, I understand the necessity of administering medication to children, both with short (i.e injured, cold) and long term illnesses (i.e asthma, epilepsy) and I obligate myself to do so. However, I have to follow some simple rules, that will make administration procedure safe for your children as well as for you as a parent and myself (especially from legal point of view).
Therefore:
- I will ask you (as a parent or carer) to fill in a form regarding your child’s health (illnesses, allergies), where you provide me with all necessary information I must know about your child’s existing condition, including: short description of an illness, for how long your child has been suffering, any triggers that might worse the condition, any medication (prescribed and non-prescribed) your child is receiving.
You will be asked to fill in that form before you child starts attending my setting, so I am aware of any conditions and can get myself ready (i.e read more about the condition itself and about medicines and their side effects).
I will review the form every month and ask you, if any changes occured. I also want you to notify me as soon as any changes happen.
- For each and any medication that should be administered to your child (prescribed and non-prescribed), I would ask for your written permission.
- All medicines provided to me must be in its original packaging and clearly labelled with your child’s name, the dose and when (preferably exact time) should it be given. The packaging must have manufacturer’s guidelines on it and, if it is a prescription medication – the details from the Doctor/Pharmacy/Dentist or Health Professional.
- I will not give your child the first dose of any new medicine, as there is always a risk of adverse reaction to it. Therefore, medicine should be given by yourself, at home, and if there are no side effects on child, I will carry on with administering medication in my setting.
- All medication will be kept in a locked box, in the top cupboard in my kitchen, so children have no access to it.
- I will not administer medicine that is out of date (that will be checked before every administration), has changed its form (i.e chipped or crushed tablets, tablets that stick together, are harder or softer than normal). I will give that medication back to you, so it can be safely disposed.
- It might happen that child will be prescribed antibiotics as a result of infection. Therefore, I will follow the guidance set out by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), where they detail the most common infectious diseases and the recommended periods for which children should be kept away from school or nursery. I might ask you to keep your child at home for 2-3 days, in case they react to the medication and to prevent the spread of an infection to others.
- Every time I give your child medicine, I will record the date, time, name of medicine and dosage given and sign this, you will be asked to counter sign the form when you collect your child. I will hold that record in my file.
- If your child has a self-held medication (i.e asthma inhaler, epi-pen), please obtain an additional one for me to be kept at my home. During my Paediatric First Aid course I had an epi-pen and asthma training but may need additional training before I can look after your child. Therefore, please discuss that matter with me prior your child starts attending my setting.