Infection Prevention and Control in Childcare Settings

This document provides guidance on infection prevention and control for staff working within nurseries, day-care centres, playgroups, crèches, children’s centres, childminders, after-school clubs and holiday clubs. This guidance should also be used by these staff involved in all outdoor activities for children. Staff working with children in childcare settings have a ‘duty of care’ to provide a safe environment for children. Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (known as the Care Inspectorate) was set up under the Scottish Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (‘the Act’) to register and inspect all services regulated under the Act and replaced the Care Commission on 1 April 2011. The Care Inspectorate must take account of the National Care Standards, ‘Early education and childcare up to the age of 16 (revised September 2009)’ when registering and regulating these service types (see section 7).