Staying Healthy in Child Care - National Health and Medical ...

Keeping records
The director should keep a record of any illness at the centre. Remember to record illness
in both staff and children. It is important to record which part of the centre the child or
adult was in for most of the day. A sample record is shown on page 7.
Keeping records can be a factor in preventing the spread of infection. Records show you
when your approach to infection control is working. They are invaluable in helping you
and public health workers identify the cause of any outbreak and how to control it.
Reporting to the parent and doctor
It may be useful for the parents and the child’s doctor to have written information on the
child’s illness. A sample report form is given on page 8. A photocopy of this form should
be kept in the child’s file.
Sample record of illness in the centre
Name Age Symptoms Room or Date Time of
Group
onset
John Smith 2 Rash on head and neck Toddlers 16/1/94 2 p.m.
Amy
Johnson
6
months
Fever, runny nose Babies 17/1/94 1.30 p.m.
Jason Brown 4 Weeping eye Pre-school 17/1/94 4 p.m.
June Jones Staff Weeping eye Pre-school 17/1/94 5 p.m.
7
Draft for Public Consultation
Comments
Remember
Symptoms Record what you see as best you can.
When Record when you first noticed the illness. You may wish to include further
information, for example, the action taken (exclusion for four days, review of nappy
changing practices etc.) and the doctor’s diagnosis.