Where infection control or disease prevention strategies are required for an individual child or young person this must be clearly documented in their health care plan and/or health support agreement - HSP120 (DOCX 127 KB) .

Infection control in education and care

Go to the department's intranet work health and safety first aid and infection control page (staff login required) for information on:

• first aid and infection control standard (PDF 238 KB)
• annual influenza program for education and care staff
• issues surrounding infectious diseases and action to take
• informing the school community of infection
• infection control resources.

Disease prevention in education and care

Disease and infectious outbreaks in education and care services are common due to groups of children playing closely together. Education and care services can limit the spread of infectious diseases by

• excluding unwell children while they are infectious
• practicing standard precautions
• educating and communicating with the school community.

Go to the department's swimming and aquatics infectious diseases intranet page (staff login required) for information on infectious diseases in swimming and aquatics.

The National Health and Medical Research Council have developed the Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services guideline. This provides education and care services with simple and effective methods for minimising the spread of disease. The website also has resources, posters and fact sheets.

Exclusion periods

The spread of certain infectious diseases can be reduced by excluding an infectious person from contact with others who are at risk of catching the infection.

Go to the SA Health exclusion from childcare, preschool, school and work webpage for recommended minimum periods of exclusion for infectious diseases.

Standard precautions

Standard precautions for infection control are basic work practices that assume all blood and body substances are potential sources of infection.

Some general examples of standard precautions include keeping wounds covered with a waterproof dressing and not sharing personal items, for example water bottles, mouth guards. Other areas include:

• training
• hand hygiene (hand hygiene is one of the most important measures in preventing transmission of infection)
• respiratory hygiene (covering coughs and sneezes, using disposable tissues)
• cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection
• safe handling of sharps
• waste management
• personal protective equipment.

Training and education

Staff supporting children that require specific infection control or disease prevention strategies should be trained to the specific requirements documented in the care plan and/or support agreements for that child.

Go to health support training

Hand Hygiene Australia have free online training modules for hand hygiene and infection control. The non-clinical modules are effective, best practice training resources that can be used for education and care services. Go to the Hand Hygiene Australia learning module information to access the training programs.

The SA Health Public Health Services can offer support and advice on public health issues. For enquires contact general enquiries on:

• Phone: (08) 8226 7100
• Email: public.health [at] health.sa.gov.au