Giving Medication

Ideally, an unwell child will stay at home. Instances however will occur when another adult such as yourself will be needed to administer medication on behalf of a parent or guardian.

Many children will at some time need to take medication while attending day care or childminding services. Usually this will be short-term but other children may have medical conditions such as asthma that require regular medication they might need to take while they are at the care service. 

Childcare providers must have and follow a policy and procedures for administering medication. 

Before you agree to administer any medication these conditions must be met;

• Care service staff should not give the first dose of a new medicine to a child
• The child’s parent or guardian must provide written, signed consent with clear instructions about dosage and timings. These should match the instructions on the packaging
• Never give medication to a child which contains aspirin unless prescribed by a doctor
• Where possible, staff should always read the information leaflet which is supplied with the medicine
• Record the exact time and dosage each time you administer medication. Get the parent or guardian to read and sign this when they collect the child to prevent accidental overdose
• If possible have a witness to check the medication, dosage and timing and counter sign the record book
• If medical, technical knowledge is needed to administer medication eg giving an injection, training must be provided
• Medication must be stored in a safe place, follow guidance
• Completed medication record books should be kept safe
• There should be a procedure detailing what to do if too much medication is given or given to the wrong child