Calpol

[nicola1981]

Help!

I went to a childminding meeting last night and there ended up being a heated discussion on whether or not we can give calpol or not.

There was an ex-inspector and she said we can only give it if we have prior written permission on the day we administer calpol - how can this happen if a child develops a temp whilst in your care etc?

please advise is it best just to say no calpol

[curlycathy]

I had a permission slip from parents that if the occasion arose I could give calpol. I was to try and contact parents first to get verbal consent but the priority was the childs welfare. Cant remember how it was worded exactly but it was called an Emergency Medication Policy and Permission.

This came about because my friend's mindee suddenly developed a high temperature and mum works about 40 minutes away - in reality about an hour by the time she'd sorted stuff out to come and get him. She was fine with him having calpol and signed my friends book when she returned. Despite my friend having done this for years and all inspectors being fine with it - her last inspector pulled her up on it and said she had to have prior written permission, hence us writing up a policy and getting permissions. At the end of the day if there had been a delay in getting this child's temperature down he could have had a fit. It annoys me sometimes that there has to be so much paperwork - remember that in the case of Baby P all the paperwork was completed and it didnt do much good did it???

sorry :blush: rant over!x

[grindal]

I have written permission that I can adminster calpol in an emergency - but we are supposed to get parental permission before adminstering every dose. If I need to administer calpol I would phone parents, get them to text they are OK with it and then get them to sign the paperwork retrospectively when they collect lo that evening. That way, if an inspector turns up, you have the text which in effect is written permission.

[sweets]

to me the childs welfare is the most important factor, i have signed permision from parents saying that i can give infant paracetamol if needed, i would always try and contact parents first tho.

if ofsted dont like it then tough! after seeing a child have a febrile convulsion due to a temp spike which isnt very nice i wouldnt hesitate administering medicine.

[cs01]

I have always (luckily!) been able to get the parents to text or email their consent, if their child needs Calpol unexpectedly.

[curlycathy]

But just to warn you that in my friends case it wasnt good enough that parent gave permission like that - she spoke to mum and had a text, but the inspector said it had to be written permission before the event! I know inspectors are inconsistent tho - like I said my friend had been doing it her way for years and then suddenly its not good enough. Its daft - welfare of child should be paramount!!

[JCrakers]

When each family signs up they have a form to fill out which needs to be signed...Outings permission, trampoline permission, Emergency treatment, plasters and medicine for temp (Calpol or Nurofen)

They sign it to say if my child develops a temp I give permission for my childminder to give calpol/nurofen.

When I have given calpol I fill in a form, they sign it and i keep it in my file, they get a copy. Ofsted liked it.
I would NEVER give a child Calpol without that signature...Can you imagine what trouble I would be in if something happened.....My job and life would basically be over.

Becky x

[em29]

I actually have the same for Piriton as well....there is no time to mess about in the event of an allergic reaction. I would call first if I have time and all parents have signed a consent etc. Ofsted probably wouldn't like this much either...:(

[nicola1981]

When each family signs up they have a form to fill out which needs to be signed...Outings permission, trampoline permission, Emergency treatment, plasters and medicine for temp (Calpol or Nurofen)

They sign it to say if my child develops a temp I give permission for my childminder to give calpol/nurofen.

When I have given calpol I fill in a form, they sign it and i keep it in my file, they get a copy. Ofsted liked it.
I would NEVER give a child Calpol without that signature...Can you imagine what trouble I would be in if something happened.....My job and life would basically be over.

Becky x

Yes thats what i was planning on doing but the feedback yesterday seemed as this wasnt good enough and written permission was also required on the day of administering it

[sarah707]

The inspector is absolutely right. You cannot give any medication to any child without prior written permission from parents on the day it is given stating the dosage and time it should be given.

However if the child has eg a history of convulsions or an urgent need for something to stop serious illness then the vast majority of inspectors will say that a text is ok to count as written permission.

It does depend on the individual inspector and how much they understand about putting the needs of the child first but if push came and there was a complaint made against you then not having a signed permission slip dated on the day in place before you gave the medication would mean an action.

I work with parents to try and stop this happening. For example if the child is under the weather I write out a permission form and get them to sign before they leave in the morning. I use my own forms so it's only costing a bit of ink and much better than breaking the requirements.

I know this does not cover children who suddenly spike temperature or are stung and need medication urgently but that is something that I would have to deal with at the time.

I hope this helps :D

[rickysmiths]

The inspector is absolutely right. You cannot give any medication to any child without prior written permission from parents on the day it is given stating the dosage and time it should be given.

However if the child has eg a history of convulsions or an urgent need for something to stop serious illness then the vast majority of inspectors will say that a text is ok to count as written permission.

It does depend on the individual inspector and how much they understand about putting the needs of the child first but if push came and there was a complaint made against you then not having a signed permission slip dated on the day in place before you gave the medication would mean an action.

I work with parents to try and stop this happening. For example if the child is under the weather I write out a permission form and get them to sign before they leave in the morning. I use my own forms so it's only costing a bit of ink and much better than breaking the requirements.

I know this does not cover children who suddenly spike temperature or are stung and need medication urgently but that is something that I would have to deal with at the time.

I hope this helps :D

I do it this way as well. Except that until 3 weeks ago I never kept Calpol in the house so I couldn't give it anyway I also don't and never have had a thermometer. If a child needs it for teething etc I expect the parents to provide a named bottle and sign the various permissions each day. If a child needs for other illness the shouldn't be with me.

In 17yrs of minding I have never had the need to administer Calpol. There other ways to reduce a childs temperarure that react much more quickly than Calpol will.

If they were suddenly convulsing I would be reducing the temp in this way while calling for urgent medical assistance and then calling the parents.

Now you are asking why do I have Calpol now? I have a child who did develop a temperature which was out of charactor. I phone the parents who asked me to give Calpol and they would be with me within the hour. They texted permission and I got some Calpol on the way home from toddlers. The child was then off for 4 days with a flu type virus, first time in 18mths I have cared for them. Sadly this family is unexpectly moving 300 miles away at the end of March so the Calpol will go with them!

[Daisy1956]

I do the same as Sarah, ask all parents even if they only suspect the child my be unwell and need calpol to sign in the morning. Like Sarah I print my own so it doesn't cost anything and I would rather destroy some paper than a child have a high temp and risk them having a convulsion.

[Penny1959]

I do give calpol if I need to - I text parents to say I am about to do so or have just done so.

I have written permission from the parents for ONE dose to given (they state medication ie Calpol or other and the dose 2.5 or 5ml.

I use the following guidance from Ofsted

If you already have written permission to give a particular over-the-counter medication to a child, and you need to, you do not have to get written permission every time you give it. However, you may consider it good practice to ask the parent to sign the written record, which you must complete, to confirm that you have told them that you gave the agreed medication. This will allow you to prove you have let parents know that you gave the medication, as shown in the Statutory Framework.

This is taken from the Ofsted factsheet on Giving medication which was revised in July 2010

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Other/General/Factsheet-childcare-Giving-medication-to-children-in-registered-childcare/(language)/eng-GB

I hope this gives some clarification on the subject

[nicola1981]

I do give calpol if I need to - I text parents to say I am about to do so or have just done so.

I have written permission from the parents for ONE dose to given (they state medication ie Calpol or other and the dose 2.5 or 5ml.

I use the following guidance from Ofsted

If you already have written permission to give a particular over-the-counter medication to a child, and you need to, you do not have to get written permission every time you give it. However, you may consider it good practice to ask the parent to sign the written record, which you must complete, to confirm that you have told them that you gave the agreed medication. This will allow you to prove you have let parents know that you gave the medication, as shown in the Statutory Framework.




This is taken from the Ofsted factsheet on Giving medication which was revised in July 2010

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Other/General/Factsheet-childcare-Giving-medication-to-children-in-registered-childcare/(language)/eng-GB

I hope this gives some clarification on the subject

Thank you that makes perfect sense, & is what i was going to do.

This site is fab :)

[Baildon bears]

When ofsted came to me last I had written permission to give calpol but she said this is not enough, the reason being parents might of already of given a dose. So you have to ring parent and ask permission before you give dose and then when they collect at night I get them to sign permission slip, though it is hard sometimes to get hold of one mindee parent as she is a doctor.

[Penny1959]

When ofsted came to me last I had written permission to give calpol but she said this is not enough, the reason being parents might of already of given a dose. So you have to ring parent and ask permission before you give dose and then when they collect at night I get them to sign permission slip, though it is hard sometimes to get hold of one mindee parent as she is a doctor.

Yes parents may have already given a dose - which is why my parents tell me if they have given dose in the morning or during night - but also to protect from possibility that parents may not tell me - why I have permission for just one dose. Also any child needing a second dose needs to go home/ see a doctor.

Penny :)