Hygiene

HS1 Premises and contents are safe and hygienic

Criteria

Premises, furniture, furnishings, fittings, equipment, and materials for the use of children attending are kept safe, hygienic, and maintained in good condition.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to uphold the health and safety of children.

Guidance

Equipment should be safe and suitable for its purpose and the age of children using it.

Hard surfaces should be kept clean, and equipment or toys should be kept hygienic. Toys and materials that children put in their mouths should be cleaned at the end of each day with hot soapy water or put in the washing machine/dishwasher depending on the toy.

Nappy changing surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected after every nappy change.

Things to consider

Bleach as a disinfectant

The Ministry of Health does not recommend any particular cleaning product, as this depends on the purpose and use. However, hydrogen peroxide and bleach are both effective sanitisers and may be used for some purposes. Some cleaning and sanitising products are more or less effective on some bacteria/viruses/soils and so on. The product being used must be effective and used in line with manufacturer guidance. Contact your local office of the public health service for site-specific advice.

It is recommended that ECE services use bleach as a disinfectant when responding to recent outbreaks of diseases caused by micro-organisms (germs) such as giardia, cryptosporidium and salmonella. Many of these germs are resistant to most disinfectants. Bleaches contain sodium hypochlorite, the chemical which kills bacteria and viruses. Bleach used must be at least 2% hypochlorite. Supermarket bleach is labelled between 2 and 5% sodium hypochlorite. Bleach solutions must be made fresh daily to remain effective.

A bleach solution may also be the most suitable to disinfect the nappy changing area, toilets and sinks. To work properly the solution needs to:

• Be used on a surface free of dirt/organic material
• Be a strong enough concentration, that is, 0.1% (see table below). If there is visible contamination, then use a stronger 1:10 solution.
• Be sprayed and left on for enough time to kill the bugs before wiping away (ideally 30 minutes contact time)

The solution should be disposed of at the end of the day. Made up chlorine solutions are often kept in spray bottles – the bottle needs to be cleaned daily as dirty hands touch it.

How to make up a 0.1% bleach solution

'Eco' or 'natural' cleaners

There has been an increased interest in the use of ‘green’, ‘eco’, ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ cleaning products in ECE settings. Be aware that many of these products are suitable only for ‘cleaning’ surfaces by removing dirt, grease and grime, and not for ‘disinfecting’ surfaces to kill disease causing germs.

HS2 Laundering

Criteria

Linen used by children or adults is hygienically laundered.

Documentation required

A procedure for the hygienic laundering (off-site or on-site) of linen used by the children or adults.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to ensure that inadequate laundering practices do not pose a health risk to children.

Guidance

Many items in a home-based setting need prompt, regular washing. This should include bedding as well as towels, cloths, bibs and dress ups.

Educators will need to ensure there is a good supply of linen on hand to cover any potential shortage.

Documentation guidance

The procedure should state:

• What items should be laundered and how often.
• Who does the laundering.
• Are different types of laundry washed separately to prevent cross infection for example kitchen and bathroom linen separated from bedding linen for example?
• If the washing is done at the home of the educator, that it is done as a separate load to the household wash.
• Regional Public Health recommends that all washing is done in hot water with an adequate amount of laundry detergent.

For more information, contact your local public health service office.

Things to consider

Items to be laundered include but are not limited to:

• bedding
• bibs
• dress-up clothes
• fabric play items
• towels use for children if they become messy or wet whilst at the service
• cloths used for art and messy play.

HS3 Nappy changing procedure

Criteria

A procedure for the changing (and disposal, if appropriate) of nappies is consistently implemented.

Documentation required

A procedure for the changing (and disposal, if appropriate) of nappies that aims to ensure:

• safe and hygienic practices and
• that children are treated with dignity and respect.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to maintain general hygiene and children's safety and wellbeing.

Guidance

A nappy changing procedure helps communicate a service’s expectations about this important care routine to parents, whānau and educators.

Educators may wish to keep a record of nappy changes for parent’s information.

Procedures can be developed in a way to facilitate discussion between coordinators, educators, and whānau | family about expectations and responsibilities in each home setting.

Documentation guidance

A nappy changing procedure could include:

• Who provides the nappies – the parents or the educator?
• How often are children’s nappies checked/changed?
• What handwashing practices are used? If relevant, what practices are used when wearing disposable gloves?
• How is the nappy changing area cleaned and disinfected? When/how often?
• How does the educator interact with children when changing nappies?
• How are children kept safe from falls or other hazards?
• How are other children at the home supervised when the educator is changing a nappy?
• How is ‘solid waste’ disposed of?
• Are soiled nappies stored and disposed of or given to parents to take home for disposal?
• If relevant, how are potties stored, used and cleaned?

A sample procedure template is given the home-based nappy changing/disposal procedure.

PF17 Nappy change facilities

Things to consider

Services should consider children with additional needs.

Older children in nappies need to be encouraged to be as independent as possible:

• In accessing any changing area/table.
• Dressing themselves.
• Drying themselves.
• In decisions around when nappies are changed.
• Consider what options to provide where there is a risk of injury to staff (such as lifting heavy or tall children).

Use the lens of Te Whāriki to review the nappy change procedure, for example:

• How are children empowered in this routine/care moment?
• How is independence fostered?
• How are reciprocal and responsive relationships fostered? That is, talking to the child about what is happening
• Is nappy changing an unhurried care moment versus a ‘routine'?