COVID-19 Risk Assessment
General practise –
Health and Hygiene policy outlining practices around illness, spread of infection and cleaning.
All staff have health and safety training during their induction and access to online training covering health and safety, spread of infections and others.
Awareness of recommended guidelines and where to source information in relation to communicable diseases.
Awareness of the Department of health exclusion periods for diseases.
CO2 monitors in rooms to measure ventilation/air flow and know what action is required when readings increase in higher ranges.
Specific practise –
All visitors will be asked to sanitise / wash their hands on arrival to minimise risk of exposure and must adhere to social distancing wherever possible.
Daily contact between parents and staff is mainly conducted online via Class dojo as well as briefly face to face at drop off and collection. Drop off occurs from social distance markers in the car park. Sandcastles staff are encouraged to wear masks when greeting families at the door. Parents that choose to enter to collect the children at the end of their session must wear a mask. Sandcastles staff will manage number of parents on site via the intercom system allowing only one family per room entry at any given time. Parents may wait in the car park until it is free for them to enter or children can be taken to the door. All staff and children wash their hands upon arrival.
Staff are encouraged to wear masks when moving around the setting and when in shared spaces.
Staff are encouraged to complete twice weekly LFD testing to detect asymptomatic cases of COVID with the settings workforce.
Double vaccinated staff must confirm with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test if they live with someone that has tested positive for COVID-19. They do not need to isolate.
Staff that are not double vaccinated must adhere to NHS test and trace guidance if they have come into contact with a positive case of COVID-19 and isolate as advised.
Anyone that suspects or are informed by NHS test and trace, that they are a contact with someone that has tested positive with the OMICRON variant must isolate even if normally exempt from isolation.
Additional cleaning in place to reduce the risk of spread of infection, especially frequently touched surfaces. Cleaning stations and instructions placed in communal areas to facilitate cleaning after use.
Ventilation is maximised within the setting by keeping doors and windows open throughout the day. A large proportion of the day is spent outside.
Soft furnishings and fabrics are washed frequently.
High standards of hygiene practice are maintained throughout the setting and enhanced to meet COVID guidelines. Staff continue to support and educate children in hygiene practices.
Sufficient stock of tissues, sanitiser, cleaning materials available at all times.
Moving staff between rooms is managed carefully and kept to a minimum.
Plan in place for senior management to re-form social bubbles as need arises with the minimum amount of disruption.
Any symptomatic staff must leave immediately and book a PCR test. A positive result prompts us to consider the contacts within the setting and advise any staff that have been a contact that are not double vaccinated. A negative result means they can return to work as normal if fit and well to complete their role.
Any symptomatic children are isolated in an area of the setting away from others with a member of staff in a well-ventilated area. The parent is contacted, and advised their child needs to be collected immediately in-line with updated collection arrangements.
PPE is provided for use when dealing with any symptomatic individual. Guidance has been given on appropriate application and removal of items.
Where COVID is suspected, cleaning guidance from ‘COVID-19: cleaning in non-healthcare settings is followed.
The parent is informed that the child needs to have a test at a testing site and that we need to see a copy of NHS confirmation of results.
An update to our Temperature policy with COVID -19 amendments has been made available to parents. Children cannot attend Sandcastles having already had Calpol/Nurofen.
Only children who are well can attend. Children suffering with colds, coughs, and sore throats may be excluded from the setting at our discretion to maintain the health and wellbeing of our staffing team.
Follow all Local Authority / Public Health department guidance.
Sandcastles reports all cases to Essex and Southend Contact Tracing Service and Ofsted.
Families and staff are aware of how to report a positive test to the setting during times of closure in order that the necessary actions can be taken. Senior staff monitor communication for this purpose.
Sandcastles reserves the right to follow its disciplinary procedures should a staff member not comply with all its COVID safety measures. Not following government guidance will be seen as gross misconduct and will be treated as such.
Outbreak management plan
In line with government guidance, if the setting encounters an increase of COVID-19 cases whereupon;
- 5 children or staff who are likely to have mixed closely within a 10 day period, or
- 10% of children and staff who are likely to have mixed closely within a 10 day period,
Sandcastles will seek guidance from public health and follow any action required. As a precaution, the following additional measures may be implemented to avoid further outbreak. These will include the reinstating of social bubbles to avoid mixing staff and children within the setting. Staff to wear face coverings in all shared spaces and whilst moving around the setting. Additional daily cleaning of all shared spaces. Temporarily prohibiting parents and other visitors into the setting. Staff will be advised to carry out Lateral Flow testing to monitor any additional cases that may arise from the contact.
If Sandcastles is unable to sufficiently maintain staffing ratios, we reserve the right to temporarily close bubbles and will endeavour to provide learning opportunities via social media and online platforms currently in use.
Staff and parents of all children who have been a contact of a positive COVID-19 case will be informed via Class DoJo or phone call.
All parents will be notified of the outbreak within the setting via Class DoJo or email.
Risk
Moderate