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First Aid & Medical Conditions

First Aid: Provision, Policy and Procedure

The ACT Education First Aid Policy frames the provision of first aid and first aid facilities in schools, and supports a range of further guidance material including for the management of students with known medical conditions.

At Chapman Primary School we have a first aid room and a number of portable kits suitable to manage first aid situations in many locations, including on school excursions. The school has designated trained first aid officers to ensure all students have access to first aid assistance when needed.

Accidents and Injuries

It is not uncommon for minor accidents such as bumps, bruises, scrapes and grazes to occur during a busy school day. Our first aid facilities and staff are equipped to manage these with little need for parental or specialised medical intervention. In instances where our staff are concerned for the safety or wellbeing of a student we will contact parents or carers. As a precaution, students reporting a bump to the head will be monitored for signs of concussion regardless of the advised or perceived severity. Parents or carers will be contacted and advised of the incident.

In the event of an illness or injury occurring beyond our capabilities, parents or carers will be contacted to collect their child for further assessment. On rare occasions, where injuries may be more serious assistance may be required from medical professionals such as ACT Ambulance Services, parents or carers will also be contacted immediately.

Illness

It is important for children who are unwell to be cared for at home for their comfort, health and wellbeing and for that of other children and our staff. This will help their recovery and reduce the spread of infectious illnesses in the school setting. If your child becomes unwell while at school we will be contact you to collect your child. Children may feel unwell while at school but appear to be well when they get home.  If this is the case please arrange to speak with your child's classroom teacher to discus any possible concerns or difficulties your child may be experiencing at school.

Infectious Conditions

ACT Health Regulations 2000 requires children with infectious conditions, and children who have been in contact with some conditions, be excluded from school or preschool for specified periods. Information about infectious conditions and exclusion periods is available at Infectious Diseases - Outbreak Procedures and Exclusions Period Procedures

At Chapman Primary School we encourage personal hygiene measures such as hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, covering weeping sores, not sharing food or drinks and not attending school when ill or suffering from diarrhoea and or vomiting to limit the transmission of several common infectious conditions.

Head Lice

A very common infectious condition in school and preschool settings is Head Lice. Children are more susceptible because they are more likely to have close contact in school and playground settings. There are numerous methods for treating head lice which are outlined in the ACT Health Head Lice Fact Sheet Children will be excluded from school until effective treatment against head lice has begun. Please contact the school and commence treatment if you discover head lice on your child.

Immunisation

Schools to required to request proof of up-to-date immunisation during the enrolment procedure. Students who are not immunised may be excluded from school should an outbreak of an infectious disease occur. Further information about immunisation is available at https://www.act.gov.au/health/topics/immunisation.

Medical Conditions

Please let the school know if your child has a medical condition that may need support from school staff.

All parents or carers are asked to complete a Medical Information and Consent Form each school year. Those who have students with a known medical condition such as Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Diabetes or Epilepsy may be required to complete additional condition specific forms and or provided medication to manage medical conditions. All student medication must be held in a secure, central location. At our school this is the front office.  Changes in students medical information should be updated as soon as possible.

Forms to complete when a student has a known medical condition are:

• Known Medical Condition Response Plan
• Medication Authorisation and Administration Record
• Medication Authorisation and Administration Record - Diabetes Medication

Copies of these forms are available front the school front office. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.

Anaphylaxis and Allergy Awareness

Chapman Primary School is an Allergy Aware School. We have students at the school who can experience severe or life-threatening allergic or anaphylactic reactions to some foods, ingredients in food or food products. The school works closely with families to put in place personal plans to keep students with allergies safe while at school. To support this, it is important that foods with nuts or nut products not be sent to school. Chapman Primary has a no food sharing policy.

If your child has or has allergies which may result in minor or life-threatening reactions reactions please contact the school front office to discuss whether there is a need to record information or put a plan in place for their care.

Short term Medication Administration

When a student required medication to be administered for the short term such as antibiotic, pain or allergy relief medication must be handed in to the school front office along with a Medication Authorisation and Administration Record.

Assistance and Advice

Information about First Aid or Medical needs can be found on the ACT Education Website or by contact the school.

ACT Ambulance Services

ACT Ambulance Service provides free ambulance transport within the ACT for students who are injured or suddenly become ill at school or during approved school activities.

Keep your contact information up to date

Please remember to update the school when your contact information changes so we can reach you quickly in an emergency.

School Contacts

Food and Drink at school

We recognise the difficulty in preparing a healthy, balanced lunchbox for children to sustain their busy minds and bodies during a school day. The following information and links will assist you in ensuring your child has a healthy and balanced selection of snacks and lunch to sustain a busy school day.

Each day students are given the opportunity to have a healthy snack in class at 10.00 am; have a supervised lunch eating time from 11.00 to 11.10 am before outside play and break for recess at 1.20 pm which is a great time to refuel with another healthy snack and a break to get through the afternoon.

Chapman Primary School's Food and Drink Policy follows the  ACT Public School Food and Drink Policy 2015 which promotes a consistent, whole school approach to the provision and sale of healthy food and drinks in ACT public schools.

Chapman Primary is an Allergy Aware School. Because we have a number of students with life threatening allergies or Anaphylaxis reactions to foods and to support the Healthy Living Traffic Light Systems in Schools, Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines, we ask that children do not bring the following items to school for snacks or lunches:

• Nuts or products made form or including nut ingredients such as peanut butter and chocolate nut spreads;
• Snack bars, biscuits and confectionery items containing nuts or nut products;
• Confectionery items such as candy canes and lollies;
• Drinks containing high sugar levels.

Chapman Primary School has a No Food Sharing Policy.

ACT Public School Food and Drink Policy 2015

Chapman Primary follows the ACT Public School Food and Drink Policy 2015 which promotes the Healthy Living Traffic Light System in Schools.

In line with Australian Guide to Healthy Eating food and drink are categorised as Green, Amber or Red according to their nutritional value and levels of energy, saturated fat, fibre, sugar and salt. We recommend providing a selection of mostly green food and a limited amount of amber food be brought to school in snack and lunch boxes, and all Red food be kept for eating at home.

Water

Drinking water is essential for keeping the brain and body hydrated for learning. Students are asked to bring a reusable water bottle to school daily and are reminded to have regular drinks of water during the day. Water bottles are kept handy in classrooms with students encouraged to drink water through out the day. Bubblers and refilling water stations are available around the school.

Fresh Tastes