HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND IMMUNIZATIONS

Children:

Before a child is admitted to our centre, the child needs to be immunized as recommended by the local medical officer of health.

This does not apply where a parent of the child objects to the immunization on the ground that the immunization conflicts with the sincerely held convictions of the parent’s religion or conscience or a legally qualified medical practitioner gives medical reasons to the licensee as to why the child should not be immunized.

Effective August 29, 2016, parents of children who object to immunization due to religious/conscience or medical reasons must complete a standardized ministry approved form. Licensees must retain these forms in children’s records and have these forms available for review by ministry staff at all times. Ministry approved forms for religious/conscience objections must be completed by a “commissioner for taking affidavits” (i.e. notarized). Medical exemptions forms must be completed by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

For any children enrolled on or after August 29, 2016, objections or medical exemptions must be documented using the standardized ministry forms.

Staff, Volunteers, and Placement Students:

All staff members must meet the immunization requirements and they must provide all relevant health information to the Supervisor prior to start of employment/placement.

It is suggested that adults working in a childcare centre be protected against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella and must be immunized against Diphtheria/Tetanus, every 10 years.

This does not apply where a person objects to the immunization on the ground that the immunization conflicts with the sincerely held convictions of their religion or conscience or a legally qualified medical practitioner gives medical reasons to the licensee as to why they should not be immunized.

For any staff, student, volunteer hired on or after August 29, 2016, objections or medical exemptions must be documented using the standardized ministry forms.

Tuberculosis (TB) Screening

Children are susceptible to serious disease if they are infected with tuberculosis (TB) bacteria. To reduce the risk, all staff, students and volunteers are screened for TB before initial employment or placement. The Tuberculosis test and health records must be provided to the Supervisor prior to their first day of employment.

The TB skin test can be done anytime within 12 months before the start of employment. If there is evidence of a documented two-step Mantoux test at any time in the past, only a single tuberculin skin test is necessary. This test can be done by their family physician.

A positive skin test does not necessarily mean that a person has active (infectious) disease – only that they have been exposed to TB sometime in the past. Further medical assessment by a physician is required to determine if someone is contagious.

If a staff knows that they have had a positive skin test in the past, they do not have to do another skin test. A chest X-Ray or proof of a chest X-Ray performed with in the last year should be provided instead. The health care provider should provide documentation that the individual with a positive tuberculin skin test is free of disease before starting work.

The Mantoux test or chest X-Ray does not need to be repeated in subsequent years unless there is a medical reason to do so.
Anyone with a positive TB skin test should be aware of the following signs and symptoms of active disease:

• A cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks
• Fever, chills, night sweats
• unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite.