Effective Hand Washing:

Handwashing is on of the most effective ways of controlling infection in an early years setting

All employees should handwash

1. Upon arrival for the day or when moving from one childcare group to another

2. Before and after:

Eating
Handling food
Feeding a child
Giving medication
Playing in water that is used by more than one person
Cleaning a child’s nose

3. After:

Nappy Changing
Using the toilet or helping a child use the toilet
Handling bodily fluid (mucus, blood, vomit), from sneezing, wiping and blowing noses, from mouths, or from sores
Handling uncooked food, especially raw meat and poultry
Handling pets and other animals
Playing in sandboxes
Playing outside
Cleaning or handling the rubbish
Lunch and tea breaks

NOTE: Washing hands after eating is especially important for children who eat with their hands, to decrease the amount of saliva (which may contain organisms) on their hands.

Hand washing is the most important way to reduce the spread of infection. Many studies have shown that unwashed or improperly washed hands are the primary carriers of infections.
Children and employees should wash their hands using the following method:
Check to be sure a clean, disposable paper towels available.
Turn on warm water, to a comfortable temperature (in line with Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016).
Moisten hands with water and apply liquid soap/gel to hands.
Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears, and continue for at least 15 seconds (to the tune of Row Your Boat) wash, wash, wash your hands that’s the thing to do- rub a dub rub a dub thumbs and fingers too) Rub areas between fingers, around nail beds, under fingernails, jewelry, and back of hands.
Rinse hands under running water, no less than 15 degrees C and no more than 43 degrees C, until they are free of soap and dirt. Leave the water running while drying hands.
Dry hands with the clean, disposable paper towel.
If taps do not shut off automatically, turn taps off with a disposable paper towel.
Throw the disposable paper towel into a lined bin with a secure lid.
Hand washing signs will be displayed.

Staff should provide assistance with hand washing at a sink for infants who can be safely cradled in one arm and for children who can stand but not wash their hands independently.

A child who can stand should either use a child-size sink or stand on a safety step at a height at which the child's hands can hang freely under the running water.

After assisting the child with hand washing, the employee should wash his or her own hands.