Scottish Government

Chapter 3: Group childcare and early years settings

Overview

3.1 This chapter is for:

• Local authorities, proprietors of private childcare services and management committees of voluntary/independent sector providers (collectively referred to as employers throughout this section);
• Managers and head teachers of group childcare (including nurseries) and other early years settings, including children's centres and play groups (sections 3A - 3B); and
• Childminders (section 3C).

'Setting' is used to describe all forms of childcare and early years activity to which the guidance applies. We recognise that many local authority nurseries are co-located with schools in which case guidance in the schools section may be equally relevant.

3.2 Management arrangements can vary significantly, particularly in the voluntary and private sectors, and the terms and roles used in the guidance may need to be adapted for different settings. However, the Scottish Executive recommends that all settings work closely with their local authority to:

A. now: put in place outline plans for a pandemic, planning both to keep services open and for possible closure:

B. now: respond promptly to any request from the local authority for up-to-date contact details, so that you are able to receive information from the local authority reliably and quickly;

C. between now and when a pandemic is imminent (World Health Organization ( WHO) Phase 4 [see explanation in Chapter 1]); take note of any new guidance, review plans regularly, ensure contact lists are kept up to date;

D. when a pandemic is imminent (at WHO Phase 4, and, if time permits, at Phase 5): check, refine and prepare to activate these plans;

E. during a pandemic: if there is no national advice to close settings on medical and child welfare grounds, remain open as long as sufficient staff are available, provide as near to normal services as resources permit; also to follow advice to minimise the spread of infection among children and staff, and seek health protection advice as and when appropriate;

F. after the first few weeks of the pandemic: if settings have closed to children, be prepared to respond to advice from national and local health professionals, which might be that some or all settings can reopen

Sections 3A - 3B

Overview

3.3 The guidance from here until para 3.21 applies to group childcare settings only, not to childminders, whose guidance is in section 3C, starting at para 3.22. The Scottish Executive recommends that all those responsible for the management and delivery of group childcare ensure they are clear about their roles and responsibilities (which are summarised in the table below):

3.4 The following sections set out roles and responsibilities in more detail. They set out action to be taken now and during a pandemic. Much of the action to be taken now would come under the general heading of planning. It is vital that the plans you develop now are reviewed, and revised if necessary, regularly - at least once a year, perhaps twice, and whenever we issue any substantive changes to this guidance.

3.5 The Executive will inform you, on our website and through SCG's and local authorities, when WHO Phase 4 (see Chapter 1 for explanation) is reached, and again at Phase 5. These announcements should prompt you to revise plans and be ready to put them into action. You should not leave this until the last minute as there may be little time between reaching Phase 5 and the pandemic reaching the UK. It will be for you to decide which activities to prioritise at this stage, but in most cases we would advise a final check of contact details and reminding staff of procedures to be followed.

3.6 Settings may need to close temporarily because insufficient staff are available to run the setting safely, and we would expect these decisions to be taken locally. All settings should check that they are aware of guidance (if any) from the local authority. The final decision on when to close will normally be taken by employers.

Local authority role in closure and re-opening of group childcare settings

3.7 The Scottish Executive may advise that settings in affected areas should close to children on medical and child welfare grounds, to reduce the spread of infection. The local authority, acting on national and local public health advice, would inform all settings in its area when their area is affected; the media are also likely to publicise this information, which would also appear on the Executive's website. In this context, 'closure' means closure to children; employers may still expect staff who are not ill to come to work.

3.8 Local authorities do not have the power to direct private providers of childcare to close their premises: however, where the local authority has contractual arrangements with private providers they may be able to rely on the terms of such contracts. In all cases, the Scottish Executive would however expect heads, managers, or management committee chairs of settings to follow national advice intended to safeguard children's welfare. As set out in paragraph 1.24, the Executive has the capacity to take emergency powers under the Civil Contingency Act 2004.

3.9 If all settings in an area close during a pandemic, the situation would be reviewed by the SCG after a period of time, (probably 2-3 weeks, but this would be made clear in the national advice to close), and the local authority would inform settings of any action to be taken. It is possible that medical advice might then be to make some provision available. Alternatively, medical advice may be to remain closed, in which case local authorities would advise when the situation would next be reviewed.

3.10 We are undertaking further work on the criteria for advising settings to re-open and on the mechanics of local timing. When settings in an area can re-open, local authorities would be informed (as per the procedures in paras 1.21 - 1.23) and would inform settings. Any conditions to be attached to re-opening, or any specific measures to be taken would be communicated at that time.

Section 3A: Role of local authorities, management committees, proprietors of private childcare settings.

Overview for all employers

3.11 This section is guidance for all employers, including employer management committees and proprietors of private nurseries. It also covers the more strategic role of local authorities in ensuring plans are in place for dealing with a pandemic across all sectors. We ask local authorities to take account of all proposed actions as we recommend that they should undertake planning collaboratively with settings in their area. Employers will need to adapt the guidance to reflect their responsibility for a single setting, or group of settings, as appropriate. The principles apply to all settings and those responsible for their management.

What you should do now

3.12 The Scottish Executive strongly recommends that you should:

A. "Familiarise yourself with our advice on pandemic flu planning at www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/pandemicflu; and the current WHO..(World Health Organization) phase of alert - at the time of writing, we have been in alert phase 3 since 2004, and a pandemic will be phase 6, see: www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html; All

B. Check that head teachers/ managers of settings where you are the employer have seen the guidance "Advice to Head Teachers/Managers" (Section 3B below) and are acting on it; Employers

C. Ensure the setting(s) for which you are responsible will be fully equipped with materials needed to implement infection control measures ( e.g. tissues and tissue-disposal; hot water and soap), in time to cope with any imminent pandemic; Employers

D. Consult settings and the local media about the best channels of communication with parents, agreeing the respective roles and responsibilities of the local authority and settings; LAs

E. Agree who will communicate information to parents and carers , and how, about closing settings Employers

F. Ensure that policies for applying for medical leave are in place, respecting confidentiality, and publicised to all staff. Ensure that all staff are aware that government advice is that they should not come to work if they think they are unwell, throughout the pandemic; Employers

G. Make plans for supporting settings where bereavements have occurred. Employers

What you should do during a pandemic

3.13 If your setting remains open during a pandemic, you should:

A. As a top priority, ensure that infection control is practised consistently and rigorously throughout the setting. You will also need to keep up to date with advice from the Chief Medical Officer. This information should be relayed through your local authority. Employers

B. Take all reasonable steps to ensure that employees who are ill, or who think they may be ill, are positively encouraged not to come into work. Employers

C. Ensure that arrangements are in place for every setting to communicate daily, if necessary, with the local authority for the duration of the pandemic. Employers

D. Provide support to staff who are sick or bereaved, and deal sympathetically with requests for leave to care for sick dependents. Employers

3.14 The most significant decisions that may need to be taken are around closing settings and subsequently re-opening them. A decision to close a childcare setting may be based on two main reasons:

A. Even if there has been no national advice that settings should close, it may be necessary to do so because staff absences make it impossible to operate safely;

B. The Scottish Executive may issue general advice Scotland-wide via SCGs and local authorities that closure of childcare settings is advisable when pandemic flu reaches an area. If this happens, the local authority, on national and local medical advice, would advise when an area is affected, and settings should close (see paras 1.21 - 1.23 for communications channels).

3.15 Advice will come through the SCG and local authority to employers and/or head-teachers/managers of both local authority -controlled settings and private and voluntary provision. The final decision on when to close will be taken by employers, unless they have agreed to delegate the decision to head teachers and setting managers.

Section 3B: Advice to head teachers/managers of early years settings

What you should do now

3.16 Much advance planning for a flu pandemic is likely to take place at local authority/employer/proprietor level. They should contact you about working together on preparations, particularly on:

A. Closure/reopening to settings: who would inform your setting that any national advice to close now applies in your area, and when it no longer applies;

B. Communicating advice on closures/reopening to parents and children. You could consider:

• text-messaging
• email
• parents volunteering to phone others
• local radio
• open meetings (pre-pandemic)

C. Infection control and your setting's cleaning arrangements;

D. Preparing emergency plans and promoting key messages to staff; involving unions and professional associations where relevant;

E. Arrangements for supporting those who need time off to care for dependents;

F. Support for staff and children who are bereaved;

3.17 There are other issues which might need to be considered so that arrangements are in place before a pandemic begins, for example:

A. If the headteacher/manager post is vacant, or the head and deputy are ill, what the cover arrangements will be;

B. Supply/Agency cover if setting remains open;

C. Emergency arrangements if children need to be sent home, or the setting needs to be closed in the middle of the day

D. Ensuring backup arrangements for janitors/ key holders, bearing in mind requirements of insurance cover and health and safety risk assessment;

E. Heating of buildings if janitors/ key holders absent.

F. Maintaining health and safety and hygiene arrangements to a high standard e.g. cleaning toilets and prompt disposal of waste, at a time when improved hygiene is important;

G. Continuity of meals provision/advising parents of alternatives

H. Rapid access to medical help if needed; and plan where you would isolate an ill child if their parents cannot immediately collect them;

I. Willingness of staff to take on a different role for the duration of the pandemic, taking account of the views of staff unions and professional bodies where relevant;

J. Desirability/practicality of sharing staff between settings;

K. Options for unqualified adults/parent volunteers assisting while staff are absent (subject of course to Disclosure Scotland requirements);

L. Managing any significant new risks to safety arising from staff transferring to or undertaking unfamiliar tasks.

3.18 If you are the manager or lead worker in a voluntary sector setting, you should ensure that the chair of your management committee has made arrangements for deciding whether and when to close your setting (in response to national advice communicated via the SCG and local authority or because of staff absence): you need to be clear whether that power or authority has been delegated to you.

What you should do in a pandemic

3.19 Your employer will receive advice from the local authority on whether the Executive nationally has advised that group childcare settings should close when the pandemic reaches their area, and information from the local authority on whether that now applies to your setting.

3.20 If all settings remain open, you will need to activate contingency plans for dealing with likely staff absence. In these circumstances, it is important that you give very high priority to rigorous infection control measures, and ask parents to collect and take home any child who becomes ill - though you may need arrangements to look after such children until a parent can collect them.

3.21 If your setting closes temporarily because of staff absences, you should ensure you have contact details that will enable you to tell parents when you are able to re-open.

Section 3C: Childminders - roles and responsibilities

Overview

3.22 Childminders should only look after children if they themselves and their own family is well, and should not look after children who are infected with pandemic flu.

What you should do now

3.23 This advice is for all childminders. We strongly recommend that you should:

A. Read the NHS Scotland leaflet for families available on http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/pandemicflu/Pages/PanFluFamLeaflet.htm

B. Ensure that you are fully equipped with materials needed to implement infection control measures ( e.g. tissues and tissue-disposal; hot water and soap), in time to cope with any imminent pandemic;

C. Speak to your local authority or Scottish Child Minding Association ^{( SCMA)} development officer and parents to decide on what your responsibilities are if there is a flu pandemic;

D. Emergency arrangements if children need to be sent home before the time normally arranged with parents;

E. Plan your method of communication with parents, in consultation with the local authority and make sure your contact details are up to date. You could consider:

• text-messaging
• email
• parents volunteering to phone others.

What you should do during a pandemic

3.24 If you (and your own family) are well you should carry on as normal, but you should:

A. Make sure that read any available NHS information and maintain rigorous infection control measures consistent with guidance;

B. Stay alert to any sign that children in your care (including your own) may be unwell. If any do show signs of having flu, contact their parents and make arrangements to have them returned home. Let the parents of any other children you care for know that their children may have been exposed to infection, but so long as they and you are well you should continue to care for them as normal;

C. Make sure that any child you care for who has been unwell is fully recovered before they return to your care. .

3.25 If you feel unwell with flu symptoms you should:

A. Not look after other people's children and take sensible precautions for the care of any children of your own;

B. Inform the parents of all the children you care for and ask them to make alternative arrangements for childcare;

C. Not agree to care for any children until you are fully recovered.

3.26 Before accepting children into your care, make sure you follow the infection control guidance and carry on doing so until the pandemic is over.