FAQs
Children's illnesses
When booking an emergency nanny it's vital you tell us of any illness your child may have
In particular, we need to know if your child has a contagious condition such as chicken pox; impetigo; hand, foot and mouth; norovirus; etc.
The nanny agencies we work with must be made aware of anything that could be passed on to their emergency nannies - and then potentially to another child.
Undisclosed illness
If an emergency nanny arrives for a booking and discovers the child has a contagious illness, the nanny can refuse to stay. In such circumstances no refund will be made.
Guide to contagious illnesses
The information below is for guidance only - always check with us and we will consult our partner agencies.
Emergency Childcare illness table - for your reference
| Condition | Details | Suitable for care? |
| Chicken pox | Usually child is mildly unwell. Itchy rash and mild fever. | Yes - but only 5 days after the spots have appeared. |
| Common cold | Runny or stuffy nose and possibly mild fever. | Yes. |
| Conjunctivitis | Red, sore and sticky eyes. Highly contagious. Good hygiene essential. | Yes. Carer must practice good personal hygiene. |
| Diarrhoea and vomiting | Abdominal aches. Possibly mild fever. | Yes. Carer must practice good hygiene. |
| Fever - unknown reason | High fever and child unwell. | Care available after fever subsides or cause is ascertained. |
| Flu | Fever aches and pains, fatigue and cough. | Care available after fever has subsided. |
| German measles (rubella) | Rash and fever. | Yes - unless possibility carer is pregnant and has not been immunised. |
| Head lice | Itchy scalp with lice and eggs. | Care available 24 hours after treatment. |
| Hepatitis A | May be flu-like symptoms, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain. | Care available after all symptoms have resolved and doctor states child no longer infectious. |
| Impetigo | Blistery rash usually on face. | Care available after all spots have crusted over and are completely dry / until 48 hours after antibiotic treatment has been started. |
| Measles | Fever, rash, unwell. | Care available 5/7 days after appearance of rash unless nanny has had measles or been immunised. |
| Meningitis | Symptoms vary. | No - until doctor states child is well enough for care - symptoms may persist for weeks/months. |
| Mumps | Fever, headache, sore throat, facial swellings. | Care available 9 days after facial swellings appear or carer has had mumps or been immunised. |
| Ringworm | Itchy, sore areas of skin. | Yes - if lesion can be covered. If not then wait until treatment started. |
| Scabies | Itching in skin creases, scalp, palms, soles etc. | Care available once treatment is completed. |
| Scarlet fever | Sore throat and rash. | Care available once fever has subsided/once they've been on a course of antibiotics for at least 5 days. |
| Slapped cheek syndrome | Mild fever, cold symptoms, flushed cheeks, abdominal pain. | Yes. |
| Tonsillitis | Sore throat and fever. | Care available once fever has subsided. |
| Thrush | White patches in mouth or on genitalia. | Yes. |
| Whooping cough | Cough, fever, nausea, vomiting. | Care available if child has no breathing difficulty and carer has been immunised. After about 5 days of taking anti-biotics they are no longer infectious. |
| Worms | Anal itching, restless sleep. | Yes. Carer must practice good hygiene. |
Please note: The above information is for general guidance only.
If you have further questions please get in touch with our team on support@emergencychildcare.co.uk or 0345 241 5306. We're available 7:30am to 7:00pm, Monday to Friday.
