PROMOTING HEALTH AND HYGIENE
KLOISTERS KINDERGARTEN
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES
While it is not our policy to care for sick children, who should be at home until
they are well enough to return to the setting. We will agree to administer
medication as part of maintaining their health and wellbeing or when they are
recovering from an illness.
If anti-biotics are to be administered, we will only agree to administer if the
medication has been used for at least 3 days or half of the bottle. This is to
make sure that the child does not have an adverse effect as well as to give time
for the medication to take effect.
If the child is contagious, they will not be allowed to return to kindergarten until
this period has lapsed.
When a parent/carer asks the kindergarten staff to administer medicines the
following procedures will be carried out.
. Oral medications must not normally be administered unless prescribed by a
GP/nurse/pharmacist or dentist and have manufacturers instructions clearly
written on them.
. We must be provided with clear instructions on how to administer such
medication.
The kindergarten staff must find out why, when and how much medicine the
child has already had.
Parents must sign the medication form and authorise for their child to be given
the medicine and then sign the medication book at the end of each day.
The staff must check the form to ensure:
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That the full name of the child is entered
The doctors name
The full name of medication
Dosage
Times at which medication is to be administered
Circumstances in which medication is to be administered (if in
emergency use)
 What would happen if the medication was not given
 What is the medication for
 Is the child well enough to be at nursery with this condition
 Where does the medication have to be stored
 Are there any side effects of this medication
 Parents must sign
 Must be dated at time of handing over medication
Medicines should be stored in either the fridge or medication cupboard in the
kitchen (the bottle should be checked for storage details and noted in the
medication record book). The medication should be clearly labelled and in its
original container.
Only qualified staff are to administer medicines. Before administering
medicine double check the name of the child, the name of the medicine, the
quantity and the time to be administered.
A witness must also check these details and be present when administering the
medicine.
After this the medication book must be filled in and signed by the person
administering the medicine and witness.
When the parent/carer collects the child they must sign the medicine book and
be given any remaining medicine back.
Any emergency medication such as inhalers should be available at all times and
to be kept in the medication cupboard in the kitchen (key-pad lock).
All medication stored permanently on the premises will periodically be checked
for expiry dates. Any out of date medicine is returned back to the parent.
No child may self administer. Where children are capable of understanding
when they need medication e.g. with asthma, they should be encouraged to tell
their key person what they need. However, this does not replace staff vigilance
in knowing and responding when a child needs medication.
If the administration of prescribed medication (ie. epi-pen) requires medical
knowledge, individual training is provided for the relevant members of staff by
a health professional.
Children who have long term medical conditions and who may require ongoing
medication will have a risk assessment carried out. This is the responsibility of
the manager along-side the key person. Other medical or social care personnel
may need to be involved in the risk-assessment.
The health care plan is drawn up with the parent, outlining the key-persons role
and what information is to be share with other staff that care for the child.
The plan must include the measures to be taken in an emergency and must be
reviewed every six months or more if necessary.
Parents receive a copy of the health care plan and it must be signed by the
parent and each contributor.
Records must be accessible and secure.
Staff medicines are the responsibility of the staff member and must be
stored in the medication cupboard in the kitchen and out of reach of
children.
If practitioners are taking medication which may affect their ability to care for
children, those practitioners should seek medical advice.
Providers must ensure that those practitioners only work directly with children
if medical advice confirms that the medication is unlikely to impair that staff
members ability to look after children properly.
A Unique Child
1.2 Inclusive
practice
1.4 Health and
well-being
Positive
Relationships
2.2 Parents as
partners
2.4 Key person
Enabling
Environments
3.2 Supporting
every child
Learning and
Development
Policy links – Safeguarding Policies
Health & Safety Policy
Managing children with alleriges, or who are sick or infectious
Policy
Confidentiality Policy
Individual HealthCare Plan’s
Risk Assessments Policy
First Aid Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy
This policy was adopted on
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The policy is to be reviewed on
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