Flu Pandemic Policy and Procedure

A pandemic is a worldwide flu outbreak.

The owner, manager and the deputy manager of Bus Stop Pre - School, have coordinated this plan. The manager is responsible for ensuring this information is up to date by checking government websites on a monthly basis.

Communication -

This plan is communicated to others by the following:

Staff, Students and Volunteers – apart of reviewing the policy and familiarising themselves with the policy as part of the employment process/induction process.
Parents / carers – receive a government information leaflet and are able to freely access this policy in reception area.
Outside agencies – able to access the policy freely when visiting/upon request.

Infection Control -

Early Planning:

In our setting we have a designated ‘cleaning station’ for children and adults to dispose of used tissues in a bin with a lid and for them to sanitise their hands if they have coughed or sneezed. Children are reminded on a daily basis to sanitise their hands. Please refer to ‘Health and Safety’ policy for more information on our hygiene practices.

On the parent / carers notice board a poster is displayed encouraging parents / carers to wash their children’s and their own hands after a cough or a sneeze to help prevent the spread of disease.

We have a designated ‘Flu Pandemic’ box containing anti – bacterial sprays, wipes, disposable gloves, aprons and face masks.

Please refer to our settings cleaning plan for information on daily and termly cleaning that takes place located in the red day file in the reception area.

During the Pandemic:

If a child becomes ill whilst in our care the said child will be isolated in the book corner and kept away from other children to help prevent the spread of disease. Staff members would sit within one metre of the sick child unless they needed assistance in which case the member of staff would ensure they are wearing a pair of disposable gloves, an apron and a facemask taken from the flu pandemic box (DfES Infection Control Advice Guidance, June 2007).

Children who are observed by staff on arrival to pre – school to be clearly unwell and / or have been given an infant suspension for example calpol before arriving will be asked not to return for 48hrs or until they are no longer ill. If a child’s family members are infected the child should not return until the family is well. Please refer to our parent / carer contracts and to our ‘Health and Safety’ policy.

Staff will ensure that children and themselves continue to carry out good hygiene practice throughout the pandemic.

Closing and Re – Opening

It is the decision of the owner and the manager to close our setting unless otherwise advised to by the government. If the manager or owner is unavailable to make this decision it will be the decision of the deputy manager.

The setting would close immediately if advised to by the government.

We would decide to close our setting as a result of the following circumstances:

Staff ratios became unsafe.
50% of the children on the register were absent.
Local schools and pre – schools have closed.
Children’s immediate family is affected by the flu pandemic.

In the event that we decided or were advised to close during or before a session parents / carers would be informed by:

Telephone.
Answer phone message.
Email.
Text Message.
Notice on the front door.

When informing parents / carers that we are able to re – open the methods above of communication will remain the same.

It is the role of the manager and deputy manager to inform all parents / carers and to ensure they receive the same message.

In the event that we decide to close our setting it would be the role of the manager to inform Ofsted, Surrey’s Early Years and Childcare service and notify our insurance company immediately. This would also apply if we were to re – open.

Contractual Arrangements

Parent / Carers contract:

Each parent / carer is asked to read and sign a copy of our contract as part of our admission process.

In the event of the flu pandemic children who receive the Early Years free entitlement funding will not affected if we decide to close or are advised to close our setting. All 2 year olds and children not yet eligible for the Early Years free entitlement funding will not be expected to pay pre – school fees in the event of a long-term closure. A long-term closure is any closure over 1 week.

Children who are thought to be of high risk for example asthmatic are advised not to attend pre – school during a pandemic and therefore will not be expected to pay pre – school fees.

If parents / carers of a child from a family unaffected by the flu pandemic choose to keep their child at home even if our setting remains open they will be expected to pay pre – school fees as normal.

Please refer to our parent / care contract.

Staff Contracts:

Members of staff are asked to read and sign a contract as part of our employment process.

Our setting is a small family business and employs three family members. In the event of the flu pandemic we would decide to close without the advisement of the government if:

One or two member of staff became ill.
A member of staff has a dependant at home.

Our ratios would be unsafe for us to operate. The ratios for our setting is one adult to eight children aged between 3 and 5 years and one adult to four children aged between 2 and 3 years.

There will be no changes to a member of staff pay entitlements in the event of our closure and they are in good health. Members of staff will be entitled to statutory sick pay if they contract the flu pandemic disease. Members of staff with dependents at home will only be entitled to half pay.

Staffing, Students and Volunteers

As stated above in the ‘staff contract’ section of this policy we will close if one or two member of staff becomes ill or has a dependant at home.

Staff contracts will be reviewed to reflect changes if we employ a new member of staff.

Members of staff still able to work, though the building has closed due to advisement or circumstances will be asked to clean as appropriate.

Staff members, students and volunteers would be informed by telephone in the event of our closure or re – opening.

Dealing with Illness and Bereavement

If a bereavement occurs for members of staff, children, parents / carers we will ensure that support is given to those effected. We will take the lead from the bereaved family and ask them how they wish to proceed.

For Contact and Information

Department of Health - telephone: 0207 210 4850 or website address:

Department for Children, Schools and Families – telephone: 08700 002288 or website address:

Minicom – telephone: 01928 794274

Cabinet Office – telephone: 0207 276 1234 or website address:

Early Years and Childcare Services – email: , telephone: 01372 833833.

Ofsted – email: , tel: 0300 123 123

This policy was up dated November 2010 to be reviewed September 2011.

Signed by Owner ______Manager ______