Resources for early years staff
Exclusions
The exclusion table refers to public health exclusions. It lists all infectious diseases along with the different exclusion periods that a person who has the illness must stick to.
An exclusion period in this sense refers to the length of time that the affected person must not attend your setting for.
This is different to 'exclusion' as used in an educational sense.
Managing specific infectious diseases: A to Z
Managing specific infectious diseases: A to Z lists a wide range of infectious diseases and how to manage them. It includes information on Chickenpox, E.coli and head lice amongst others. It explains what the infection is and what you need to do if it occurs in your setting.
e-Bug
The e-Bug website and resources are free to use and easily downloadable. Resources are mapped to the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework for children aged 3 to 5-years-old.
HANDi App
HANDi App has been launched to provide advice and support to parents, carers and healthcare professionals looking after children with the most common childhood illnesses.
How to wash your hands NHS song
The NHS has produced a child friendly song explaining how to wash your hands.
Posters and printed materials
Posters are available to use by all education and childcare settings to promote the latest advice and guidance. You can download a PDF or request a free printed version.
A hand-washing poster is available to download.
Infection prevention training
Preventing and managing infections in childcare and pre-school is a free course from Future Learn gives training on how infectious diseases spread and how to protect children from infections. If a certificate is required, then subscription fees are necessary.
e-Bug health educator training aims to improve your ability to teach children and young people how to prevent the spread of infection and to use antibiotics responsibly. The course runs over 3 weeks, and 2 hours study per week is required. This course is free to access. The e-bug resources on the website are available to use for free.
Action checklists
Diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak
The diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak action checklist is for all children and young people's settings.
You can download a PDF version of the diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak action checklist to print out.
Meningitis or septicaemia
The meningitis or septicaemia action checklistis for all children and young people's settings.
Further public health action may be needed when 2 or more people, who are linked at your setting, have confirmed or probable meningococcal disease within a short period of time (usually 4 weeks).
Report an outbreak of an infectious disease
Contact the East Midlands UKHSA Health Protection Team:
Contact UKHSA health protection teams - GOV.UK:
- email emhpt@ukhsa.gov.uk for enquiries regarding communicable disease control
- email phe.emhpt@nhs.net for notifications and enquiries of communicable diseases that contain patient identifiable information
Write to:
East Midlands HPT
UK Health Security Agency
Seaton House
City Link
Nottingham
NG2 4LA