PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is intended to protect the interest of the children and the adults in the program and to prevent contact with others when staff/volunteers are ill.
POLICY
In the best interest of all children and adults at the Centre, a staff/volunteer should stay home when s/he has any of the following symptoms:
- A cold that hinders day to day functioning
- An earache
- Digestive upset – vomiting/diarrhea
- A sore throat or trouble swallowing
- Discharge from eyes/ears/nose
- Fever
- Severe coughing
- Unusual spots or rashes or infected skin patches
- Loss of appetite
- Severe itching
- Seizure
- Difficult or rapid breathing
When a staff is ill and cannot attend their shift at the Centre, the Executive Director and/or Designate must be informed personally by phone. Messages should never be left for the Executive Director/Designate or on the Centre’s message centre nor in an email. Staff must speak to someone to confirm that they will not be in for their shift a minimum of 2 hours before their shift starts. If you leave a message or send a text, you must get a response to ensure that it is received. You are also responsible to leave a message for the supervisor of that location (either directly or at the location). It is also suggested that staff who are aware that they are ill and may not be in the next day OR that they know they will not be in the next day speak to the Executive Director or Designate right away to make arrangements for coverage as soon as possible.
If staff/volunteer develops any symptoms of illness during the duration of their shift, the staff must inform the Executive Director and/or Designate immediately. Together the Executive Director/Designate and the staff/volunteer will decide if they can continue their shift or if the staff/volunteer must go home immediately.
A staff/volunteer may be refused admittance and require a doctor’s note if any of the following are noted:
a) unusual skin rash e) fever
b) heavy mucous f) discharge from eyes
c) red and/or irritated eyes g) unusual, infectious looking sores
d) diarrhea
All staff/volunteer exhibiting any of the above must be off 24 hours from the last sign of the symptom unless it is a gastrointestinal illenss (diarrhea) which requires staff/volunteer to be off for 48 hours.
If a staff is absent due to illness for more than three (3) days or the staff has a communicable disease such as measles, strep throat, etc., a Doctor’s Note is required. Kids Come First does not require a note for a staff that had been away with Chicken pox; however, we do require that a staff not return until the spots have scabbed over.
It is the Centre’s right to request a doctor’s note in the event that a situation warrants confirmation from a doctor regarding a staff’s illness or absence due to illness. If a staff goes to the Doctor and is told to stay home for a period of time (e.g. stay home for 2 days), it is the Centre’s expectation that a doctor’s note is provided to confirm the requested time off. From time to time, the Centre may require a doctor’s note for a situation not commonly required and reasonable costs associated to this request may be reimbursed by Kids Come First.
Outbreak Control Procedures
Staff will record in the daily log book any symptoms of illness. If there is more than one case of a similar illness, staff will inform the Executive Director/Supervisor/Designate who will notify the York Region Health Services, Infectious Diseases Control Division immediately if the one or more of the following conditions are present:
- Two (2) or more related children or staff with similar signs and symptoms of an infection or illness. (i.e. in the same room or age group)
- Two (2) or more laboratory-confirmed cases
- If the number of ill children or staff exceeds what is normal in the centre within a short period of time.
Staff will work with the local Public Health. Suspected outbreaks must be called into York Region Health Services, Infectious Diseases Control Division: Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
1 877 464 9675 Ext 73588.
Kids Come First will communicate information to parents about communicable diseases and any increased or unusual illnesses maintaining strict confidentiality of the child’s or adult’s identity.
August 2025