Policy statement
This policy has been written to ensure the safety of children and adults with allergies during their time at Roots and Wings Community Preschool and when out on trips. It is of utmost importance that we meet the individual needs of every member of the Preschool family and that everyone is kept safe. We will follow this policy to minimise the risk of allergic reactions and ensure that our team is fully aware of how to support a child or adult who may be suffering an allergic reaction.
Steps will be put into place to ensure each child’s and team member’s individual needs are met and that Roots and Wings Community Preschool are being inclusive for everyone without singling anyone out.
Every Preschool Team member will be trained in the signs and symptoms of a possible allergic reaction, such as a rash, itchy skin, hives, runny eyes or nose, sneezing, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea, shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling of the mouth or tongue, swelling of the airways to the lungs, wheezing and anaphylaxis.
All allergy information will be reviewed termly, if not sooner. If any changes to allergies occur, families are to inform Joosila Bosely (Health and Safety Officer) or a member of the Management Team immediately. All paperwork and allergy forms (including relevant risk assessments) need to be updated by the Health and Safety Officer in conjunction with the keyperson before the child comes back into setting.
Procedures
Every Preschool Team member is required to read the Allergy Policy Statement and Procedure and confirm the understood and will adhere to it during their induction and after every policy and procedure review (annually). The procedures are to be followed at all times by all Preschool Team members at Roots and Wings Community Preschool.
Before a child starts at Roots and Wings Community Preschool
- Families will be asked to fill in an initial Allergy Risk Assessment form at registration to ensure all allergy information is passed onto the setting. This will be discussed in-depth with the Health and Safety Officer and keyperson
- The Health and Safety Officer will create a risk assessment in conjunction with the child’s keyperson and their significant adult. Once signed by all parties, the risk assessment alongside the initial Allergy Risk Assessment form is shared with the entire Preschool Team, scanned, and added to the child’s folder. Both documents will be reviewed termly, if not sooner
- Where relevant, families are asked to fill in a medication form and provide relevant prescribed allergy medication to be kept at the setting. All Preschool Team members will be adequately trained in administering each medication, including EpiPens or equivalents, ahead of the child starting Preschool
- The child’s allergies will be displayed alongside their initials in the kitchen area to ensure all Preschool Team members are reminded of any allergies and act accordingly
- Volunteers, supporting family members in setting, trainees, and visiting agencies will be made aware of allergies in the room and will not be left in charge of any elements of the routine where allergies could be triggered
- All attending families will be made aware of existing allergies within the setting and will be asked to avoid such allergens in lunchboxes brought into the setting, and any food donations they might make to the Preschool
Once the child starts at Roots and Wings Community Preschool
- Each day, the Preschool Team will check all ingredients in the day’s snack, playdough, and play invitations (including the potion station and the Happy Space) for any allergens any child or adult in setting may be allergic to
- Where possible, the child will be offered an alternative similar to what is on offer during snack times (i.e. milk alternative, snack, etc)
- Lunchboxes will be checked on a daily basis to ensure allergens are not present
Adults with allergies
As per the above procedures, any adult joining the Preschool Team will be asked to fill out an initial Allergy Risk Assessment, make other team members aware of any medication, and create a risk assessment in conjunction with the Health and Safety Officer.
It is expected of adults that they update the Management Team and Health and Safety Officer of any change in their health needs to ensure the setting can adequately support them with their health journey and protect them from any allergens within the setting
Allergic reaction whilst in setting
- If a child has an allergic reaction whilst in setting, a paediatric first aid trained member of the Preschool Team will swiftly deal with the incident by following the information on the child’s Allergy Risk Assessment form and giving first aid treatment, including administering relevant medication as per the child’s medication form, if necessary. Families must be informed immediately, and it must be recorded on an incident form.
- In the case of a team member having the reaction, the same procedure as above applies. Each Preschool Team members name a trusted emergency contact as part of their induction, regardless of health history. In the case of a severe allergic reaction, or where the team member is deemed to be too unwell to be left by themselves, the emergency contact will be called by a member of the Management Team to ensure our Team member’s safety and support outside of the setting is taken care of
- In the case of an emergency, an ambulance will be called immediately, and the child’s family/team member’s emergency contact will be contacted
- If a child has to go to hospital before their family has arrived, the child’s keyperson or a member of the Management Team must accompany the child in the ambulance and take the child’s emergency contact details with them
- A serious incident form needs to be completed on return to the setting and all allergy sheets updated
- Allergic reactions can be very scary to watch for children and practitioners alike. In case of a serious allergic reaction having taken place at Preschool, we will inform all families and support them with information on how to talk to children about what happened, and we will do a mental health check-in for all our Preschool Team to ensure they are okay and regulated in themselves