Early Learning Victoria welcomes all children into its centres. This includes children with existing and emerging medical or health care needs. We are committed to providing all our children with a safe environment that supports their access, inclusion and participation in our educational programs.
1. Scope
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of Early Learning Victoria centres. This includes volunteers, students on placement and contractors or labour hire employees of Early Learning Victoria.
2. Policy statement
Early Learning Victoria recognises that it is important for families to feel confident that if their child has a medical condition, is sick or injured, that our staff, students and volunteers are trained and prepared to provide dedicated care.
Early Learning Victoria collaborates with families to maintain a safe environment for children. We recognise that this requires ongoing education and regular discussions between staff, students, volunteers and children about families’ health, wellbeing and medical conditions.
Early Learning Victoria ensures that all health and personal information collected in the process of providing care is handled with sensitivity and in accordance with privacy obligations.
This policy outlines the procedures and documentation necessary for staff, students and volunteers to effectively support and respond to children with identified health care or medical needs. For children with a medical condition such as asthma, epilepsy or diabetes, or who experiences allergies or is at risk of anaphylaxis, this policy should be read in conjunction with the following relevant policies:
- Medical conditions: Anaphylaxis and allergies policy and procedure
- Medical conditions: Asthma policy and procedure
- Medical conditions: Diabetes policy and procedure
- Medical conditions: Epilepsy and seizures policy and procedure.
2.1 Requirements
Early Learning Victoria has a duty of care to all children being educated and cared for in its services. This includes our legal obligation to ensure a safe environment free from foreseeable harm, to address the individual health needs of each child, and to provide appropriate supervision at all times. Under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011, Early Learning Victoria must ensure that staff, students and volunteers have the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to implement this policy. This includes providing guidance that sets out:
- information and procedures for centre staff, students and volunteers to help manage the health or medical care needs of children
- requirements for families to provide a Medical Management Plan for their child
- information for families on expectations for their role in developing a Risk Minimisation Plan and Communication Plan in partnership with the nominated supervisor and relevant medical practitioner
- handling all health and personal information in accordance with appropriate privacy and confidentiality requirements.
This policy provides general guidance for the management of medical and health conditions. Anaphylaxis, asthma, type 1 diabetes and epilepsy are medical conditions with specific requirements in early childhood services. For tailored guidance, see related policies.
2.2 Background and information
Early Learning Victoria implements a 5-step procedure to support and respond to children with identified health or medical needs enrolled in its centres. Each step requires collaboration between families, children and staff, and includes ongoing communication and accurate record-keeping.
Early Learning Victoria will ensure that all staff, volunteers and families of children enrolled with a specific health or medical condition understand and have access to this policy and procedure. Each person must understand and acknowledge their respective responsibilities relating to the implementation of this and other relevant policies.
3. Actions and procedures
Step 1: Orientation and enrolment
Before a child can commence orientation or attend an Early Learning Victoria centre, families must complete an enrolment form that contains detailed information about the child’s health needs, including:
- any diagnosed medical condition
- allergies and the risk of anaphylaxis
- contact details for any person who is authorised to consent to medical treatment or administration of medication to the child.
At orientation and enrolment, the nominated supervisor will meet with families to discuss their child’s health needs, including any adjustments that may be needed to support meaningful inclusion. The nominated supervisor will advise families of relevant policies and procedures, and any additional requirements that may need to be fulfilled before the child starts at the centre.
Step 2: Medical management planning
A Medical Management Plan must be in place for every child enrolled at an Early Learning Victoria centre who has been diagnosed with a health care need or medical condition. This could be a specialised management plan specific to a medical condition; for example, an ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan, Asthma Action Plan or Epilepsy Management Plan. Orientation may be delayed until a Medical Management Plan has been provided.
If a child develops a specific health care need or medical condition after they are enrolled, their family will need to provide a Medical Management Plan as soon as possible. The Medical Management Plan must be:
- prepared and completed by the child’s medical practitioner or health care provider
- provided to the Early Learning Victoria centre by the child’s family
- kept with the child’s enrolment record and in the child’s medication bag in the Early Learning Victoria centre
- implemented at all times for any child with a specific health care need or medical condition; for example, asthma, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy or anaphylaxis
- as per the Medical conditions, risk minimisation and communication plan (DOCX, 265KB).
The Medical Management Plan should include the following:
- details of the diagnosed health care need or medical condition
- if relevant, known triggers for the allergy or medical condition
- any reasonable adjustments or supports required
- any current medication prescribed for the child, including dosage and storage requirements
- the response required from the Early Learning Victoria centre in relation to the emergence of symptoms
- any medication that must be administered in an emergency
- the response required if the child does not respond to initial treatment
- when to call an ambulance for assistance
- contact details of the medical practitioner who signed the plan
- the date when the plan should be reviewed.
A copy of the Medical Management Plan will be displayed in areas for centre staff to view and access easily, while preserving the privacy of the child. Early Learning Victoria centres must ensure the Medical Management Plan always remains current, and is reviewed at least annually, or according to the specific policy.
Families must update educators and staff immediately if there are changes to their child’s Medical Management Plan.
Step 3: Risk minimisation planning
Early Learning Victoria centre staff must develop a Risk Minimisation Plan in consultation with the families of children with a health care need or medical condition. For specific medical conditions such as epilepsy, anaphylaxis, type 1 diabetes and asthma, the Risk Minimisation Plan is developed as part of the Medical Management Plan (go to related policies). The Risk Minimisation Plan must be:
- informed by the Medical Management Plan
- updated immediately if there are any changes to the child’s medical condition (staff and families to have regular discussions)
- kept with the child’s enrolment record and in the child’s medication bag in the Early Learning Victoria centre
- adhered to at all times
- as per the Medical conditions, risk minimisation and communication plan (DOCX, 265KB).
Step 4: Medical communication planning
The nominated supervisor will develop a Communication Plan in collaboration with families (go to related policies). The Communication Plan must be kept on the child’s enrolment record and in the child’s medication bag. They will be reviewed at least annually, or revised with any change made to the Medical Management Plan. The Communication Plan must explain:
- how staff and volunteers will be informed about this policy and other related medical conditions policies
- how relevant staff and volunteers will be informed of the Medical Management Plans and Risk Minimisation Plans for all children at the Early Learning Victoria centre who have a diagnosed health care need or medical condition
- how families can communicate any changes to their child’s Medical Management Plan and Risk Minimisation Plan
- as per the Medical conditions, risk minimisation and communication plan (DOCX, 265KB)
Step 5: Monitoring and review
Once the child is attending, all Early Learning Victoria centre staff must continue to:
- monitor the safety, health and wellbeing of the child
- regularly review the child’s Medical Management Plan, Risk Minimisation Plan and Communication Plan
- ensure that the family is regularly asked to provide any updates about their child’s health or medical condition
- ensure the child’s family provides an updated Medical Management Plan, if necessary
- ensure the practices and procedures of the service are inclusive of the child
- consider what extra precautions may be needed to protect the safety, health and wellbeing of a child who has a specific health care need, medical condition or allergy.
3.1 Responsibilities of families
During enrolment, families should discuss their child’s medical condition, allergy or health care needs and management with the nominated supervisor, and provide Early Learning Victoria with a Medical Management Plan from their child’s medical practitioner or health care provider.
If a child has a health care need or medical condition, the Early Learning Victoria centre must develop a Risk Minimisation Plan and Communication Plan in collaboration with the child’s family. Sometimes this is done in tandem or as part of developing a Medical Management Plan. Learn more about the related policies.
Families are responsible for:
- providing a completed enrolment form for each child that contains detailed information about the child’s health needs
- informing the Early Learning Victoria centre of their child’s medical condition, allergy or health care needs
- ensuring all information provided about their child’s medical condition, allergy or health care need is accurate and up to date
- providing secondary contact details to use if the family cannot be reached in the event of an emergency relating to their child’s health and wellbeing
- providing a Medical Management Plan from the child’s medical practitioner:
- at enrolment for an existing condition, or
- as soon as possible after an enrolled child is diagnosed with a medical condition
- providing an updated Medical Management Plan, as required
- collaborating with Early Learning Victoria centre staff to develop a Risk Minimisation Plan for their child
- providing adequate supplies of their child’s required medication and medical authorisation as per the Administration of medication policy and procedure.
3.2 Responsibilities of staff
4. Resources
Legislation and standards
- Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
- Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
- Equal Opportunity Act 2010
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- Health Records Act 2001
- National Quality Standard, Quality area 2: Children’s health and safety
- National Quality Standard, Quality area 7: Governance and leadership
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
- Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
- Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019
- Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
- Health Records Act 2001
- Public Records Act 1973
Related policies
Related health and medical policies and procedures:
- Administration of first aid policy and procedure
- Administering medication policy and procedure
- Medical conditions: Anaphylaxis and allergies policy and procedure
- Medical conditions: Asthma policy and procedure
- Infection control and immunisation policy
- Medical conditions: Diabetes policy and procedure
- Medical conditions: Epilepsy and seizures policy and procedure
- Incident, injury, trauma and illness policy
Other relevant policies and procedures:
- Eating and drinking: Health, nutrition and food safety policy and procedure
- Evacuations and emergency management policy
- Enrolment and orientation policy
- Privacy policy
Links
- ASCIA Action plans and checklists
- Asthma Action Plan – Asthma Australia
- Ambulance Victoria: Calling an ambulance
- Diabetes Victoria, Type 1 Diabetes Action Plan
- Epilepsy Foundation, Epilepsy Management Plan
Attachments
Attachment 1: Medical conditions, risk minimisation and communication plan (DOCX, 265KB)
Definitions
Duty of care: A legal concept that refers to the responsibility of all staff members at any Victorian early childhood service to take reasonable steps to protect children in their care from harm that is foreseeable.
Medical condition: In accordance with the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011, the term ‘medical condition’ includes asthma, diabetes or a diagnosis that a child is at risk of anaphylaxis, and the management of such conditions.
Medical Management Plan: A document that has been prepared and signed by a medical practitioner that describes symptoms, causes, clear instructions on action and treatment for a child’s specific medical condition. It includes the child’s name and a photograph of the child.
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