The centre has a large number of policies of which a booklet is given to families upon accepting a place. All policies can be viewed by families before accepting a place upon request. The following is an illness policy as an example.


ILLNESS POLICY:
The centre has an infectious disease policy that requires sick children to remain at home.
This is to minimise risk of spreading infections and to aid in the recovery of the ill child. Please see last page of this booklet.
When starting care at our centre you will receive a booklet that
provides more detailed advice on the above information.
- Guidelines on Infectious Disease

MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY FAMILY CLUB GUIDELINES ON INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Some infectious diseases are common amongst children, particularly children in child-care. Some of these diseases require specific medical treatment: others just need time and rest. Most require the infected child to be kept away from the centre for a certain period of time. This is for their own benefit as well as to minimise the risk of infection for the other children and staff. It may not always be easy for a parent to judge when a child is not well enough to attend child-care.

Below are guidelines for both parents and staff to follow:

symtoms
description
FEVER
A child with a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher should not be at the centre.
ANITBIOTICS
If your child requires antibiotic treatment they should remain at home for the first 24 hours of the treatment.
COLDS
Characterised by fever, malaise, sneezing, nasal discharge (green or yellow), any child with these symptoms needs to be kept home. They should also be watched for secondary infections such as tonsillitis/throat infections or ear infections.
GASTROENTERITIS
VOMITING &/OR DIARRHOEA: A child with vomiting or diarrhoea needs to stay at home until they have not had any vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours. Some viral cases are self-limiting; other causes such as Giardia require specific treatment.
CONJUNCTIVITIS
RED EYES – YELLOW DISCHARGE: Recognised by yellow discharge and redness around the eye. Requires medical treatment. Keep your child at home until discharge has cleared.
HEAD LICE
A child with headlice needs to be kept at home until their hair has been washed with the appropriate shampoo and the strands have been combed with a fine tooth comb to clear the hair of all lice and nits.
IMPETIGO (SCHOOL SORES)
USUALLY AROUND THE MOUTH: Requires specific medical treatment. An infected child needs to stay at home until sores have healed or until treatment has started and sores are covered.
COLD SORES
HERPES SIMPLEX: These are painful sores around the noses and mouth. A child with these sores has to be kept at home until the sores have healed. Medical treatment may be required.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT A CHILD WHO IS CHEERFUL AT HOME MAY NOT REAMAIN SO WHEN WITH A GROUP OF CHILDREN. A CHILD WHO IS MISERABLE AND DEMANDS CONSTANT ATTENTION IS TO ILL TO BE AT THE CENTRE. There are many other infectious diseases that require a child be kept at home the ones listed above are the common re-occurring child illnesses. There are also things such as chicken-pox, measles, mumps, ringworm, bronchiolitis, croup, hand, foot and mouth etc. which all require the child to stay at home until well.