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Health and hygiene

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Approved providers must ensure that educators serve food safely, take steps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and support all children's individual medical needs.

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Health and hygiene is a regulatory priority

The Early Childhood Regulatory Authority. Regulatory priorities—Health and hygiene

Supporting and promoting the health, safety and wellbeing of children is one of the most important responsibilities of an early childhood education and care service. Approved providers, nominated supervisors and educators have a duty of care for all children in their service and must ensure they meet the individual health needs of each child.

See health and hygiene considerations below.

Did you know?National Regulation 77—Health, hygiene and safe food practices is one of the most commonly breached regulations.

The Early Childhood Regulatory Authority is seeing increasing non-compliance in health, hygiene and food practices, particularly as more early childhood services are providing food services.

Medical conditions

Supporting children's individual medical needs

Children's medical needs can be complex. Approved providers must ensure all staff are prepared to meet these complex needs. To prevent things from going wrong:

  • understand requirements under National Regulation 90
  • be prepared for dealing with most common medical conditions in children, even if no children with those conditions are currently enrolled​. Ensure
    • ​​staff and educator qualifications, including first aid qualifications, are up to date and relevant for medical conditions that need to be managed at your service
  • policies and procedures are your key control—make sure they are based on the latest expert guidance, follow the dealing with medical conditions in children—policy and procedure guidelines (PDF, 234KB) when developing and reviewing, and take all reasonable steps (PDF, 606KB) to ensure staff follow them
  • undertake adequate risk assessment and implement mitigation strategies. Ensure each child with a medical condition has a
    • medical management plan
    • risk minimisation plan
  • communication is essential—inform staff, educators and volunteers; work closely with the child's family and make sure you have their latest medical management plan. Ensure
    • each child with a medical condition has a communications plan
    • all staff members, educators and can locate the child's medication
    • you give all parents or guardians of a child with a medical condition or allergy a copy of your medical conditions policy.

In an emergency situation, medication may be given to a child without a parent's authorisation—National Regulations 93(5)(b) and 94​ set out these requirements, including notifying a parent as soon as practicable.

Did you know? Children over preschool age can self-administer medication if your service permits this. Such practices must be set out in your medical conditions policy, including how this is recorded in the child's medication record.​

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Managing children's medical needs videos

Whether it is knowing how to recognise an allergic reaction in babies, or being prepared if a child has a medical incident, these resources have tips to help services ensure they keep children safe.

Tips for managing children’s medical needs

From food allergies to medical conditions, find out how to manage and support children's sometimes complex medical needs to ensure every child goes home safely.​​

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Medical incidents

It is always better to be prepared than to put children at risk. Learn 5 key steps to being proactive when managing medical incidents.

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Administering medication

Administering medication to children is critical to get right, learn the important steps to follow each and every time.

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Caring for babies

Allergic reactions in babies can be more difficult to identify and observe, and babies may also have a reaction for the first time when in a service.

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Medical forms

There are a range of different forms required to help keep children with medical needs safe. By using the correct one in the right situation, you minimise the risk of a medical incident.

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Resources

Food safety

Adequate health, hygiene and food safety practices for handling, preparing and storing food must be implemented at the service at all times.

Promoting a healthy diet is an important part of supporting children's health and safety in an early childhood education and care service. Regardless of whether or not food is provided by the service, the service has a responsibility to promote good nutrition for your child while they are in care.

Services that provide food for children must have nutrition, food and beverages and dietary requirements policies and procedures (PDF, 265KB) outlining their responsibilities for meeting children's nutritional requirements and how this will be achieved.
Educators should be particularly aware of:

  • safety standards for storing and reheating food, including food or beverages brought in from home
  • maintaining hand hygiene and closely supervising children during mealtimes are vital to ensuring food is consumed hygienically and safely.

Due to allergies, food intolerances, cultural background or family lifestyle preferences, some children may have very specific food requirements. In supporting the principles of inclusion, services should work with families to make sure that individual children's needs are met.

Read more about the Queensland Department of Health food licensing requirements for early childhood services.

Did you know? Early childhood education and care services are legally obliged to have a healthy eating and nutrition policy in place that meets the requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF).

Resources

View the links below to find out more about the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand Code.

Nutrition:

Disease prevention

Encouraging good hygiene in education and care services helps children develop lifelong healthy habits and reduces the risk of infections.

Approved providers must take reasonable steps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. This includes having written policies and procedures for dealing with infectious diseases (PDF, 261KB) based on recommendations from recognized authorities like the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

While not all infections can be prevented, effective hygiene practices significantly reduce the risk of illness. Educators can promote good health and hygiene by:

  • encouraging self-help and self-care skills in children
  • reinforcing positive hygiene habits through educational programs and daily routines, such as handwashing and toileting
  • regularly cleaning and maintaining equipment and toys as well as facilities like bathrooms, kitchens, sleep areas and play areas
  • displaying child-friendly signs and posters about hygiene in bathrooms and play areas
  • implementing proper food handling, preparation and storage practices
  • providing families with information on immunisation schedules and illness exclusion periods.

Read more about effective hand hygiene, immunisations and busting hygiene myths.

Watch the NHMRC's presentation unpacking the changes to the staying healthy guidelines which incorporate new evidence and considers all National Quality Standard quality areas.

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Resources

Help and support

Read more:

Ensure you understand these requirements of the National Regulations, in particular:

If you have further questions about health and hygiene requirements, please contact your regional office.​

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Last updated 19 December 2024