Special Assignment - Wellness Policy Project

Attention

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able

• formulate a complete childcare center wellness policy
  
• demonstrate understanding of appropriate child care center health policies
  
• articulate their personal health policy philosophy

Teaching

The health and well -being of both the staff and children in the center is of key importance. This starts with the development of a written health and wellness policy. These policies are designed to lower the instances of the spread of communicable diseases and to support families to take care of their health. Good policies are clear and define exclusion policies for numerous common illnesses.

Here are a couple of examples. You may have to scroll through them to find the specific policies around illness, medication and record keeping.

http://defymca.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Child-Care-parent-Handbook.pdf (YMCA)
http://www.ladc.us/policies.asp (Little Angels Day Care)

The Maine Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Facilities requires staff and children to have current immunizations, and for staff to conduct daily observations of children for disease surveillance. If there is an outbreak of an illness that is being monitored by the Center for Disease Control (for example: Whooping Cough), child care professionals are required to notify this department. Centers also need to have written communication with qualified medical staff who will give guidance around disease and medication policies.

Assessment

Wellness Policy

Develop a Health and Wellness policy for a preschool center. The policy should discuss

1. Health Records. What is required. Where will they be stored. Who will have access to them.

2. Staff Records: What is required. Where they will be stored. Who will have access to them.

3. Procedures for assessing a child’s health status

4. Exclusion policy for at least 8 common illnesses.

5. Philosophy of health and wellness within your center. I encourage you to research policies from local centers or schools.

You may use their documents as resources, but you must create your own work. Be sure to cover all requirements as stated in the Maine Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Centers.

http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/ec/occhs/cclicensing.htm

Use the following rubric to guide your work.