COVID 19 Risk Assessment

 

  

 Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’

Available at :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures  

Updated 17th August 2021

and

Contingency framework: education and childcare settings

Available at :

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1011704/20210817_Contingency_Framework_FINAL.pdf

August   2021

 

 

 

To minimise the risk of children attending and staff from contracting Coronavirus the following control measures will be in place :

Ensure good hygiene for everyone – provision of tissues and bins, handwashing facilities, ensuring children wash their hands before and after eating and using the toilet. We promote and teach the children to ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ – Catch a cough/sneeze in a tissue and put it in the bin to kill the germs and then wash their hands. Hand sanitiser is provided for staff, who also follow the above.

Maintain appropriate cleaning regimes – The kitchen, toilets and tables/unit tops to be cleaned before children arrive. During the day – toilets are cleaned in the morning and afternoon. Tables are cleaned before and after snacks, before and after lunch and at the end of the day. Floors are swept/hoovered and mopped after eating and at the end of the day. All equipment and resources used on that day are sprayed and wiped. Any toys that have been in a child’s mouth will be removed and returned when disinfected. Frequently touched areas such as the cloakroom, cupboards ,doorframes etc will be cleaned at least twice a day.

Keep spaces well ventilated – all available windows are to be kept opened. When children are outside the side door remains open. For safety this is closed at other times such as lunch, group time. We have a CO2 monitor in the second class room which is checked regularly to ensure we have suitable ventilation within preschool.

Follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19- Management will keep up to date with any updates and work with different with agencies in the event of a confirmed case of coronavirus in a member staff or child.

In addition to the above staff will carry out Lateral flow home tests twice weekly unless they have symptoms of coronavirus then they will isolate and arrange a PCR test. The lateral flow tests are only suitable for children over 12 years old and adults . They are only to be used if the person taking them has NO symptoms of coronavirus. Anyone with symptoms should arrange a PCR test.

 

Attendance :

Children or staff are not permitted to attend preschool if they present with the following symptoms:

  • continuous cough
  • high temperature, fever or chills
  • loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
  • shortness of breath
  • unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
  • muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
  • not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
  • headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
  • sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
  • diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick

If your child tests positive for COVID or has COVID symptoms they must stay at home for 3 days or until they are well enough to attend preschool and no longer have a temperature.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19

If a child becomes ill with symptoms whilst at preschool the following procedure will be carried out :

The child will be separated from others and looked after by 1 member of staff in the cloakroom and adult toilet area.  The adult will put on – disposable gloves, a face covering and a disposable apron.

The child’s parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child as soon as possible. Advice will be given to the parent regarding self-isolation and testing procedures. The foyer and area where the child has been will be deep cleaned immediately after the child has left the setting.

The whole of the setting will be deep cleaned at the end of the day in addition to our increased cleaning schedule throughout the remainder of the day.

The staff member will dispose of the apron and gloves and change their clothing.

If a member of staff becomes ill with symptoms whilst at preschool the following procedure will be carried out :

The staff member will be asked to collect their belongings and to leave the premises as soon as possible. This may mean a short wait to allow time for management to ensure there are sufficient adults to care safely for the children. In this instance the staff member will be asked to isolate in the staff toilet area.

Advice will be given to the member of staff regarding self-isolation and testing procedures. The area where the staff member has been waiting will be deep cleaned immediately after the staff member has left the setting.

The whole of the setting will be deep cleaned at the end of the day in addition to our increased cleaning schedule throughout the remainder of the day.

To ensure the safety of all children and staff we are requiring anyone who has symptoms to arrange a PCR for Coronavirus.

To access testing please go to :

https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

 

If the child or member of staff tests negative to the PCR test they can resume coming to preschool as long as they are well within themselves.

If a child or staff member has tested positive, we are requesting confirmation of the results so that we can keep a record in the event of any further cases.

If the child or member of staff tests Positive to the PCR test they must follow government guidelines of isolating and must not attend preschool.

We are required to notify Ofsted  (Office for standards in education)  of any positive cases of coronavirus from either staff or children.

Advice on isolation periods can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

If we have several confirmed cases within 10 days, this may be deemed as an outbreak defined by the Department for Education thresholds as :

3 children, pupils, students or staff, who are likely to have mixed closely, test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period; or

10% of children, pupils, students or staff who are likely to have mixed closely test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period

There are currently 29 children on the register and 5 staff – total 34 – 10 % would be 3.4 – we will operate our outbreak plan if there are 3 or more staff and children combined who test positive via a PCR test within 10 days .

 

We follow our ‘Outbreak’ plan as follows:

In the event of the above thresholds being reached ( confirmed by PCR tests) we will review and reinforce our existing testing, ventilation and hygiene measures. This may include but is not limited to the use of an external cleaning company, spending more time outdoors, serving snacks to the children rather than the children choosing, increased supervision on handwashing, removal of equipment that cannot be cleaned easily eg fabrics, cushions.

Additional public health advice will be sought by contacting the Department of education helpline (0800 046 8687, option 1)

 

 

Staffing

If the outbreak is because of staff testing positive with a PCR test or being in close contact with a positive case, the manager will look at the number of staff required for each session – morning and afternoon .If there are enough remaining staff ,that are not affected, to meet the adult to child ratios then the playgroup will operate as normal. If there are not enough staff to safely care for the children then the manager will contact all families to offer alternative sessions where there is enough staff. If we are unable to do this we will try to arrange additional staffing from an outside source . At this point we will prioritise children attending to those defined as vulnerable by the Department of Education :

  • those with a social worker
  • those with an Education, Health and Care Plan
  • a group of children considered locally, including by settings and local authorities, to be ‘otherwise vulnerable’
  • children known to children’s social care services in the past
  • children whose home circumstances might be particularly challenging because of domestic abuse, parental offending, adult mental health issues, and drug and alcohol addiction

 

Children that meet the above criteria will be able to attend playgroup if there are enough staff to care for them .

After the children prioritised above we will aim to remain open for the following groups of children in this order:

  • Children with Special educational needs
  • Children of “critical workers ‘ as defined by government at :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

updated 2 January 2022

  • Children in receipt of 2 year old funding
  • Children in receipt of Early Years Pupil Premium
  • Children in receipt of 3/4 year funding

 

In the event that there is not enough staff and we cannot use staff from outside sources we will be forced to close temporarily until we can operate safely.

Children

If the outbreak is amongst children in the setting we will work closely with all of the relevant authorities and be advised by them. In the first instance a deep clean of the setting will take place .All parents will be notified of confirmed cases. No names will be given. All staff that have been in contact with a child who is positive will undertake daily lateral flow testing. Staff that are double vaccinated will not be required to isolate unless they present with symptoms.

Children under 5 are not required to take daily lateral flow tests. Children who are aged under 5 years old who are identified as close contacts will only be advised to take a PCR test if they develop symptoms or there is a positive case of coronavirus in their household.

 

Community

If we are advised of an increased amount of coronavirus cases within the community we will be advised by the local health protection authority and share any information with you.

If someone in your household has tested positive for coronavirus, we ask that the child/children of that household do not attend preschool for 3 days and return after a negative lateral flow test. Although children under 18 do not have to isolate ,they are more likely to become infected due living with an infected person who provides care for them. The rule of non-attendance if someone in the household test positive also applies to staff. This decision has been made to further protect staff and other children and their families and to try and prevent any possible spread of infection in the playgroup or the wider community. In this instance no charges will be made and your child’s place and any funding will be secured.

Current government advice is that children under 18 years old and adults that have been double vaccinated do not need to isolate if they have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus. This would mean that if a child/ staff member at preschool tested positive for coronavirus, the other children as they are under 18 and staff ( those who are double vaccinated) do not have to isolate and we will not have to close as we did previously. All families will be notified of any case of coronavirus and it will be the choice of the parent/carer if you wish your child to continue attending.

 

 

 

Symptoms of coronavirus