POLICY STATEMENT
Our Service will maintain a healthy and hygienic environment that promotes the health of the children, Educators and parents using our service. Children and parents using the Service will be encouraged to share ownership of maintaining hygiene practices in the Service. Educators will ensure that they maintain and model current best practice hygiene procedures as advised by ACT health authorities. Educators will engage children in experiences, conversations, routines and responsibilities that promote children’s understanding of the importance of hygiene for the wellbeing of themselves and others (My Time, Our Place)
PROCEDURE
Educators will maintain and model appropriate hygiene practices and encourage the children to adopt hygiene practices. As part of the children taking increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing, Educators should acknowledge children who are modelling hygiene practices and look for ways to provide opportunities for children who have not developed the same level of awareness.
Informal education in proper hygiene practices will be conducted on a regular basis, either individually or as a group through conversations, planned experiences, inclusion in service routines and reminders. Health and hygiene practices will be highlighted to parents, and where appropriate information sheets or posters will be used by Educators to support these practices.
Educators will aim to provide a non-judgmental approach to differences in hygiene practices and standards between families in order to support children’s developing sense of identity. Where practices differ to standards expected in the service, children will be reminded that these are practices to be followed in the service but they may be different for them at home.
Hand washing will be practised by all Educators and children upon entering the Service, before preparing or eating food and after all dirty tasks such as toileting, cleaning up any items, wiping a nose, before and after administering first aid, playing outside or handling an animal. Educators will be encouraged to wash their hands before leaving the Service.
All Educators must wear disposable gloves when in contact with blood, open sores or other bodily substance, clothes contaminated with bodily fluids or cleaning up a contaminated area. Educators must wash hands with soap and water after removing the gloves. Educators with cuts, open wounds or skin disease such as dermatitis should cover their wounds and wear disposable gloves. Used gloves should be disposed of safely.
The Service will be cleaned daily and rosters maintained as evidence of the cleaning tasks being undertaken.
All toilet facilities will have access to a basin or sink with running hot and cold water and soap and paper towels for washing and drying hands.
Women and girls will have access to proper feminine hygiene disposal.
Soap and paper towels will also be available in the kitchen area.
All toilets, hand basins and kitchen facilities used by the Service will be cleaned and disinfected daily. Surfaces will be cleaned with detergent after each activity and at the end of the day and all contaminated surfaces will be disinfected.
Toys will be washed, cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis with material items such as dress ups and cushion covers laundered as required but a minimum of quarterly.
FOOD
All food will be prepared and stored in a hygienic manner
Children will be encouraged to be involved in food preparation to assist them to have opportunities to learn more about hygiene practices when preparing food. This participation will always be supervised and an explanation provided to children about why hygienic conditions are maintained.
Food will be stored in tightly sealed containers, away from any chemicals.
Kitchen equipment will be cleaned and stored appropriately
Surfaces will be cleaned before and/or after food preparation.
All perishable foods will be stored in the refrigerator and the temperature will be monitored to ensure it is less than 5ºC.
The Service will provide food handling and hygiene information to parents.
The Service will regularly review and evaluate food handling and practices in line with current best practice guidelines from recognised authorities.
Children will be encouraged not to share their drinking and eating utensils.
Tongs and spoons will be used for the serving of food. Where possible Educators will encourage children to self-serve for food and drinks, thus encouraging the development of their food handling skills as well as acknowledging their growing sense of independence.
All cups, plates and utensils will be washed in hot, soapy water and rinsed thoroughly where the dishwasher is unavailable.
Educators are not required, when handling food, to use gloves if correct hand washing practices have been implemented (See Food Act). If gloves are used, care must be taken to avoid contaminating food by only using them for one continuous task and then discarding them. Gloves must be removed, discarded and replaced with a new pair before handling food and before working with ready to eat food after handling raw food.
Gloves must be removed, discarded and replaced after using the toilet, smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief, eating, drinking or touching the hair, scalp or body.
All rubbish or left over food is to be disposed of immediately in lidded bins and bins emptied at least daily and then wiped with disinfectant.
CONSIDERATIONS
