Ill Health and Exclusion Guidelines

While we understand that it can be frustrating and challenging to have to keep your child home when they are symptomatic of illness, it is necessary in order to allow them to heal and to prevent the spread to others.

If your child has a recurring, non-infectious condition which might trigger a symptom similar to one of these, please speak to your child’s centre supervisor about how you might get a doctor’s note to excuse that symptom. This is not an available option for every symptom.

We reserve the right to increase exclusion time in circumstances where multiple connected cases appear within a short time period. This is, at times, necessary in order to get such situations under control.

Please do not give your child fever or cold medication and then bring them to child care. If they are sick enough to require medication they should be at home.

We are not staffed to keep children inside when the rest of their group is going outside. If your child is not well enough to go outside, they are not well enough to be at child care. Parents should review these policies and be willing to adhere to them, prior to enrolling their child in our programs. These policies are non-negotiable and we appreciate your respectful cooperation.

These are minimum standards.  We encourage you to use your judgement and keep your child home if you feel they might be getting sick and we appreciate your cooperation in keeping illness out of the centres.

Exclusion Guidelines

• Fever – if a child has a fever of 37.8 celsius/100 fahrenheit or higher they may not attend childcare until they have had a normal temperature (37), without medication, for at least 24 hours.  This means once they have no fever they need to stay home one more day before they can return. 
• Runny/Congested nose – if a child has a runny or stuffy nose and any other symptom even just being over tired, emotional, not being themselves, not eating etc they must stay home for at least  48 hours
• Cough – if a child has a cough which is hacking or wet and recurs throughout the day, they must stay home a minimum of 48 hours and may be required to see a doctor for diagnosis before  to returning  to child care
• Diarrhoea – if a child has 2 or more episodes of diarrhoea (bowel movement which is significantly liquid) without a solid bowel movement in between they must stay home until they have had normal bowel movements for at least 48 hours.  
• Vomiting – if a child vomits (when unrelated to being upset or coughing/choking) they must stay home until they have not thrown up for a minimum of 48 hours.  
• Rashes – if a child has a rash that is not diagnosed they must stay home until the rash is entirely gone for 24 hours.  
• Hand, Foot and Mouth – children with a confirmed case of Hand, Foot and Mouth must stay home for 7 days and may return on the 8th day  
• Fifth’s disease – no exclusion required  
• Roseola – no exclusion required  
• Impetigo – once diagnosis is confirmed, the child may return to care 24 hours after their first dose of antibiotics.  
• Chicken Pox – child must stay home until sores have scabbed over  
• Head Lice – if a child has any lice or nits, they must stay home for at least 24 hours. Children will be checked upon return to child care, prior to entering the program and any additional nits or lice found shall require an additional 24 hour exclusion due to the amount of cleaning and treatment required to eliminate lice. Please speak to your centre supervisor for information on getting rid of lice.  
• Pink Eye – if a child’s eye is red, crusty and/or has thick discharge they are required to see a doctor for diagnosis. If pink eye is confirmed, the child may return to care 24 hours after their first dose of antibiotics. If diagnosis cannot be confirmed, the child must stay home until the eye returns to normal or until the parent provides a doctor’s note which confirms the eye is not infectious.
• Fatigue, lethargy, unable to participate in program – if a child is not able to fully participate in the program (they are laying around,  not playing, excessively emotional, not eating or just generally not doing well) they must stay home and may return when they are feeling better and are able to participate in the program.

COVID no longer requires any additional exclusion. Please refer to the symptoms above.