Understanding Our Nursery Sickness Policy
Knowing what to do when your child is unwell is an important part of our nursery policy for parents, and is reflected in the UK Government’s exclusion policies that can be found online.
As a general rule, when your child presents with sickness or symptoms of feeling unwell before coming into nursery, we ask that you keep them at home and wait for the sickness to pass. On those occasions where they fall ill at nursery, we have a sickness policy that we follow while your child waits to be picked up.
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Do Children Need to Be Immunised Before Attending Nursery?
At My Ohana, we are committed to creating a healthy nursery environment. While we strongly encourage all parents to ensure their child receives the recommended NHS immunisations, there are no specific immunisation requirements for enrolment.
As part of our registration process, we request details about your child's immunisation history and any relevant health concerns. Our pre-enrolment health questionnaire helps us gather this essential information so we can provide the best care for your child.
What to Do If Your Child is Ill at Home
Our nursery illness policy is designed to prevent the spread of infections and ensure children recover properly before returning to the nursery. If your child is unwell, we kindly ask you to keep them at home.
Here’s what to look out for:
General illness symptoms – If your child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, or conjunctivitis, they should stay home until they are well.
Infectious illnesses – If your child has mumps, chickenpox, or another contagious illness, they must not attend nursery to prevent spreading it to others, including pregnant mothers.
Rashes or unexplained viruses – Please seek medical advice before bringing your child to nursery. Contact your Nursery Manager to discuss the best course of action.
Vomiting and diarrhoea – If your child experiences sickness or diarrhoea, they must stay home and follow the 48-hour rule. This means they cannot return until they have been symptom-free for at least 48 hours.
When children are ill, rest and care at home are essential for their recovery. We appreciate your support in following these guidelines to keep all children safe and well.
How My Ohana Nurseries Manage Sick Children
If your child becomes unwell while at nursery, we will contact you immediately to discuss the next steps. In most cases, we will ask you to collect them as soon as possible. If you are unable to come yourself, you must inform us of the designated adult collecting your child. For security reasons, children can only be picked up by a pre-approved carer.
While your child is waiting to be collected, a dedicated staff member will care for them, ensuring they are as comfortable as possible. If necessary, and to protect other children, we may provide a quiet space for them to rest away from others. In the rare case that your child requires urgent medical attention, we will contact emergency services and keep you fully informed.
How My Ohana Minimises the Spread of Illness
Preventing the spread of illness is a key focus at My Ohana. Alongside our nursery sickness policy, we maintain high hygiene standards and teach children the importance of good health habits.
Our daily practices include:
Regular handwashing for children and staff
Encouraging children to cover coughs and sneezes
Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and toys
Reinforcing good hygiene habits at all times, not just during outbreaks
We also encourage parents to follow these habits at home to help reinforce positive behaviours.
Have Questions About Our Nursery Sickness Policy?
If you have any questions about our nursery sickness policy in the UK, need guidance on exclusion rules, or want to discuss your child’s health, please don’t hesitate to contact your My Ohana nursery team. We are always happy to support you in making the best decisions for your child’s wellbeing.