Vacinations, sickness and childcare?

**lil Dutchie** · 01-11-2011, 08:17 AM

Hi all
i am having a struggle with one of my families, they have an 11 month old baby who is quite a sickly baby, he constantly has colds fevers etc.. and in the past 2 months i have been given 7 notes from his mother asking me to give him calpol, so that he can come to my home, however when he gets to me he really under the weather and take a lot of my attention as he gets upset quickly doesnt like the noise of the other children and is generally much harder work. my policy states:
"Children with coughs and colds are not excluded as long as they are not very unwell (e.g. needing to sleep all the time/needing my full attention). As this is both distressing for them and also for other children within my care."

However i have taken this baby on days when i really should have sent him home.

Now they are refusing to pay me for day that i refused to accept the little boy as he was having his vaccinations in the morning,

i reccomended to his mum that she keep him home that day as he would more than likely become unwell and need extra attention.

Am i in my rights to refuse children on day of the vacine if they have a history of being unwell after having one?

has anyone else had an experience similar to this?

Thanks

**Helen79** · 01-11-2011, 11:59 AM

I'm not sure whether you can exclude for vaccinations and if it's not clear in your policies or agreed on beforehand then not sure what you're able to charge. In this instance I probably wouldn't charge or just do a half fee for the day.

I'd accept a child who had vaccinations as sometimes they only hold the clinics at a certain time so could be difficult for parents to get an appt to suit them and their work. I'd ask for them to be kept at home for an hour afterwards to let them calm down first.

Has mum asked the gp to see if lo is asthmatic? My ds was a very snuffly, snotty, chesty baby who had a constant cold for his 1st 18months. They can't diagnose asthma officially in under 2's but he had an inhaler which really helped.

**Mouse** · 01-11-2011, 12:21 PM

I don't think you can exclude a child on the basis that they might be under the weater after a vaccination, even if they are often ill. If you do, I don't think you can expect parents to pay.

I have often had children dropped off here after they've been for their jabs and it would never occur to me to ask parents to keep them away. I think in your case, i might have said to parents that they could bring the child, but that if he showed any signs of being unwell, they would have to come & collect him.

**tashaleee** · 01-11-2011, 01:25 PM

I do have a policy in place and I exclude after vaccinations - all parents are made fully aware of this before they choose to sign up with me and it has never ever caused me any problems

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 01-11-2011, 01:40 PM

Personally I wouldn't exclude and unless previously agreed I would as a parent expect a refund or credit for the day

**Mouse** · 01-11-2011, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by tashaleee

I do have a policy in place and I exclude after vaccinations - all parents are made fully aware of this before they choose to sign up with me and it has never ever caused me any problems

Can I ask why? I'm not being funny at all, just wonder why.

**rickysmiths** · 01-11-2011, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

Can I ask why? I'm not being funny at all, just wonder why.

I was about to ask the same.
It has never ocurred to me to do this, I have even taken a child for their vaccination (not routinely) where the parent got stuck. I just apply the same thing as long as the child is well and able to take part in the days routine. Anyway any reaction if it doesn't happen immediately takes a few days to happen usually.

**Mouse** · 01-11-2011, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

Anyway any reaction if it doesn't happen immediately takes a few days to happen usually.

That's what I was thinking. One of my mindees had some jabs recently. He was fine on the day, but came out in spots about a week later. Mum & I were convinced it was chicken pox, but the GP said it was a reaction to the vaccination. Sure enough, 2 days later the spots cleared as quickly as they'd arrived.

**Nature'sKids!** · 01-11-2011, 04:18 PM

I will exclude too...

**Mouse** · 01-11-2011, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Nature'sKids!

I will exclude too...

But will you still charge?

**Narnia34** · 01-11-2011, 04:27 PM

I don't exclude, but I do ask parents to make the vaccination appointment as late as possible, so that if there is an immediate adverse reaction both the child and parent are missing out on as little time as possible, which works well for me. I also make parents aware that, if over the week following the child is unwell, it's best that they stay at home.

**rickysmiths** · 01-11-2011, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Nature'sKids!

I will exclude too...

But why? I have been minding for 17 years and had many children in my care who have had vacinations. Usually the parents take the day off to get them done and lo returns the next day if there are no reactions. Sometimes they have been returned to me the same day. It is always on the clear understanding that if lo is ill they will be collected and kept at home until better. i have nevr ever had a problem.

However if I was going to exclude for this reason I would not feel I could charge because there is no reason to exclude.

**Playmate** · 01-11-2011, 05:43 PM

If I knew a child had had a reaction to previous jabs, then i might advise they stay at home with them, but if they have no history then I couldn't excluede for nothing. I think parents have a difficult enough time trying to get time off work when their children are ill so asking them to do it when nothing is wrong is to much.

**miffy** · 01-11-2011, 05:48 PM

I would never have thought of excluding after vaccinations unless I knew the child had a history of bad reactions to them.

Miffy xx

**tashaleee** · 01-11-2011, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

I was about to ask the same.
It has never ocurred to me to do this, I have even taken a child for their vaccination (not routinely) where the parent got stuck. I just apply the same thing as long as the child is well and able to take part in the days routine. Anyway any reaction if it doesn't happen immediately takes a few days to happen usually.

I put the exclusion in place after my son had serious problems after his injections. I wouldnt consider taking a child for their injections ever - to me it is the parents role and not something childminders should ever do as children often get very upset and I wouldnt feel it was fair on the other children with me to have one so upset (just my personal opinion - doesnt mean that it is wrong for you, it is simply wrong for me).

I have heard from parents over the years that their children have been quite poorly after injections - again I dont feel it is my place to look after their children.

The parents always ensure they have their child vaccinated on their last day with me that week (or once they have finished with me for the week) - it has never been an issue and they understand my reasons for it (my son was very poorly and the reaction was within a couple of hours).

I have a policy in place simply so I explain this to my parents and this is the rules for my own setting - I fully accept that I am in the minority with my views and have no problem with this