Sun safety: protecting the kids in your care

Naturally, we all dash outdoors when the great British sun shows its face, after all, who knows when we’ll see it next! But with great sun comes great responsibility – especially when there are kids in your care.

So, let’s take a look at a few simple, common sense precautions nurseries can put in place. After all, there’s no such thing as being too safe, right?

1. Soak up the…shade

When kids are out in the playground, encourage them to take shade. This doesn’t mean they have to completely recluse themselves from the sun, it’s all about getting the sun/shade balance right.

If you haven’t already, you should have a solid point of shade or shelter to support this.

2. Keep on top of water intake

Monitor how much water kids are consuming, and encourage them to drink more than usual. If they’re not taking enough on board, could you try and get fluids in them another way, like with an ice lolly, for example?

If they’re getting dehydrated and you can’t get them to sup up, keep them in a cool area and consider calling in their parents.

3. Safety starts at home

On the one hand you don’t want to patronise parents, but on the other hand, you can never be too safe. Safety starts at home, so remind each and every parent how they can help protect their kids while they’re in your care – like by providing sun cream and protective clothing, for example.

4. Store some spares

Sometimes a spell of sunshine hits unexpectedly. Sometimes a parent might forget to provide protective clothing. Sometimes things might just get lost. Either way, have a bank of spare protective clothing available in case it’s needed.

5. Don’t be afraid to call parents

If a child’s showing signs of overheating or dehydration, supply them with a means to cool down and call their parents. Cooling down measures could be anything from using cool damp cloths and a fan, to reducing the temperature of your aircon.

6. Adequate indoor temperatures

You can’t do anything about the outdoor temperature, but you can regulate it indoors. Keep the temperature inside cool and make sure all your rooms are well ventilated.

7. Sun cream safety

Remember, parents should always provide their child’s sun cream. This isn’t us being stingy on your behalf, but kids might have allergies to certain types of cream or have specific needs that need tending to. If these are accidentally ignored, the consequences could be incredibly dangerous.

To make sure things don’t get muddled up, we’d recommend getting parents to put their child’s name on their sun cream.

8. Temperature checks

Working alongside Ofsted guidance, set procedures for what you deem as appropriate internal and external temperatures. If the outdoor temperature’s above your maximum limit, keep children indoors. And if the indoor temperature’s over your parameter, take steps to actively lower it – by opening windows or ramping up the aircon, for example.

Got a burning question?

When it comes to Health & Safety, we’ve got you covered. Our experts have been helping nursery businesses – like yours – for more than 20 years, and we know exactly what it takes to keep you and your kids safe.

For more information on how we could start helping you today, get in touch with the team on 0345 844 1111 or hello@citation.co.uk. And if you’re a Citation client, remember, we’re available day and night on our advice line.