Administering Medicine

1. Purpose

This policy ensures the safe administration, recording, and storage of medicines in line with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS 2023, paras 3.47–3.48), Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, and FA Safeguarding Standards.

2. General Principles

– Children should take their medicine at home whenever possible.
– Parents/carers remain responsible for ensuring children are well enough to attend.
– No medicine will be administered without a completed Permission to Administer Medicine Form signed by the parent/carer.
– Only staff who have received training in this policy and record keeping will administer or supervise the administration of medicine.

3. Prescription Medicines

– Only medicine prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse, or pharmacist will be administered.
– Medicines must be in the original container with a pharmacy label showing:
– Child’s full name
– Date of prescription
– Name and dosage of medicine
– Expiry date (if applicable)
– Medicines containing aspirin or ibuprofen will only be administered if prescribed by a doctor.

4. Non-Prescription Medicines

– First Kick Football will not administer any non-prescription medicines.
– Parents and carers are responsible for administering such medicines outside of club/session times.

5. Procedure for Administering Medicines

– A designated staff member is responsible for administering or supervising medicine.
– A second member of staff will witness administration to confirm the correct dosage.
– Staff will:
1. Verify written parental consent.
2. Check the medicine packaging and instructions.
3. Record details in the Medicine Log.
– Parents/carers must sign the Record of Medicine Administered at collection.
– All medicine records will be stored securely and retained for at least three years (or until the child is aged 21 + 3 years if incident-related).

6. Refusal of Medicine

– If a child refuses their medicine, staff will not force them.
– Parents/carers will be notified immediately.
– Where refusal poses a safeguarding or wellbeing risk, the incident will be referred to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

7. Specialist Training & First Aid

– Certain medicines (e.g., auto-injectors, insulin) require specialist training.
– The manager will arrange training promptly and ensure only trained staff administer such medicine.
– At least one paediatric first aid trained staff member will always be present when children are on site.

8. Long-Term Conditions

– Parents must provide a medical care plan from a health professional for long-term or complex medical needs.
– Staff will liaise with healthcare professionals where appropriate.
– Reasonable adjustments will be made in line with the Equality Act 2010.

9. Storage of Medicines

– All medicines will be stored safely and securely.
– Emergency medicines (e.g., inhalers, epi-pens, insulin) must be immediately accessible at all times and not locked away.
– Non-emergency medicines (e.g., antibiotics, creams) will be stored in a locked container out of children’s reach.
– Access to medicine storage is restricted to authorised staff only.

10. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if legislation changes or following an incident.