Health protection resources for early years

Hot weather guidance

Guidance for educational professionals and early years providers on supporting children during periods of hot weather - essential advice for individuals caring for children on mitigating health risks associated with high temperatures.

Essential health guidance and action cards for hot weather: City and Hackney - extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, and is linked to excess deaths, particularly from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. Vulnerable groups include the elderly (75+), children under 4, those with long-term health conditions, outdoor workers, and individuals in unstable housing.

Weather-Health Alerting system - register for timely alerts to help prepare for and manage changing weather conditions.

Safe sleeping

Keeping children safe and well is the number one priority for every parent, carer and professional involved in a child’s life.

Following safe sleeping guidance significantly reduces the risk of serious harm or death for very young children. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death, is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby. It is most common in the first 6 months of life.

Summer heat

  • Use a room thermometer where a young child is sleeping. The target sleeping temperature for a room is 16-20°c. If a digital thermometer is not available, checking a baby’s temperature can be done by feeling their chest or the back of their neck and comparing this to the naturally cooler parts of a body, such as hands and feet. If the baby’s skin is hot or sweaty, remove one or more layers of bedclothes or bedding
  • If the room where the baby sleeps is difficult to cool, use lighter bedding and clothing and open the bedroom door and a window, use a fan to cool the room however ensure that it is not aimed directly onto the baby
  • If out-and-about in the heat, be sure not to cover prams with blankets or non-breathable materials, an umbrella or designated sunshade

Positioning in bed

  • The safest sleeping position for a baby is on their back until they are old enough to roll over.
  • Bedding should be lightweight and designed for baby sleeping. Bedding should be firmly tucked in and blankets should never be used above shoulder height. Babies should be placed at the foot of their cot in the ‘feet-to-foot’ position so that they cannot move further down the bed and accidentally slip under the blankets
  • A sleep bag could also be used instead of blankets, this should be appropriately sized in comparison to baby weight and the right thickness (or ‘tog’) for the weather season
  • Children do not need pillows or cushions to sleep with below aged around 18-24 months
  • Soft toys should also be avoided to ensure risks of suffocation are reduced

Car seats

  • Young babies may be at risk of breathing difficulties, if travelling in an upright position in car seats for a long period of time. Sleeping spaces for babies should always be a firm, flat surface
  • It may be unavoidable for a baby to fall asleep in their car seat if travelling. In those situations, the child should be taken out of the car seat as soon as arriving at the destination and placed on a firm, flat surface to sleep
  • To ensure the child’s wellbeing and health are monitored for any changes, an adult should sit in the back of the vehicle next to them and the car seat

Co-sleeping

Co-sleeping with a baby is very dangerous if:

  • anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol
  • anyone in the bed smokes
  • anyone in the bed has taken any drugs or medication that make them feel sleepy
  • the baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kg or 5½ lbs when they were born

Never fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with a baby. The risk of SIDS is 50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an adult. They are also at risk of accidental death as they can easily slip into a position where they are trapped and can’t breathe.

Childhood immunisations

As a trusted partner in a child’s development, early years practitioners play a vital role in supporting families to keep children healthy and ready to learn. Your conversations with parents and carers can be the first step toward improving vaccination uptake across the borough.Why your role is vital

Vaccination is the safest and most effective way to protect children from serious, preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, and meningitis. With vaccination rates having declined nationally, families may need gentle encouragement, clear information, and reassurance about the vaccination process.

You are well-positioned to help parents make informed choices. Use the following approach to guide your discussions:

  • Create an open space: Use "Make Every Contact Count" (MECC) principles to have brief, non-judgmental conversations. Ask parents about their child’s health during routine check-ins or registration
  • Check "Red Books": Encourage parents to check their child's Personal Child Health Record (the "Red Book") if they are unsure about their vaccination status
  • Build confidence: If a parent expresses anxiety or hesitancy, listen to their concerns without judgment. Provide clear, evidence-based information and signpost them to their GP practice or Health Visitor, who are best equipped to answer clinical questions and support their decision-making
  • Normalisation: Remind families that it is never too late to catch up on missed vaccinations. Help them understand that keeping vaccinations up to date keeps the whole school community and vulnerable children safe

How to signpost

When a parent is ready to take action or needs more information, provide these clear steps:

  1. Contact their GP: In City and Hackney, immunisations are delivered by GP practices. Advise parents to contact their practice directly to book appointments
  2. Contact their Health Visitor: For specific questions or concerns about the schedule, the Health Visiting team is the primary point of contact for support

Resources to support your practice

Use these resources to stay informed and to share with the families you support:

You must report a suspected measles case in Hackney, you must immediately contact the North London Health Protection Team (NL HPT). You are legally required to report any suspected cases (do not wait for laboratory confirmation)

Who to contact

Information you need to provide

When contacting the Health Protection Team, make sure to have the following details ready:

  • Patient details: Full name, date of birth, NHS number, and home address
  • Clinical information: Date of symptom onset (e.g., fever, rash) and any known exposure history
  • Setting context: Where the individual was exposed or is currently located
  • Vulnerabilities: Whether the patient or close contacts are pregnant, immunosuppressed, or under 1 year of age
  • Travel history: Any recent overseas travel, if applicable

Immediate actions to take in your setting

  1. Isolate: Move the symptomatic individual to a separate, well-ventilated room away from others
  2. Seek medical advice: Advise the individual (or their parent/guardian) to contact their GP or NHS 111, instructing them to call ahead before visiting any healthcare setting
  3. Exclude from setting: Instruct the infected person to stay away from the school or nursery for at least 4 full days from when the rash first appears

Share info with parents: Provide the NHS Measles Guide to parents to encourage vaccination and monitoring.

Managing Whooping Cough (Pertussis) in childcare and educational settings

Managing Scarlet Fever and Strep A in childcare and educational settings

Important health protection resources for your setting

Immunisations (health protection)

Advice for parents managing childhood illnesses and accident prevention

General advice

Reporting infections, including COVID-19

Hackney Education and Public Health are no longer asking schools and settings to routinely report suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 to us.

There will be some situations where you may need to contact your local UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Health Protection Team (HPT). You can find your local HPT by using the postcode look-up.

Advice on when and when not to contact the HPT is included for each disease.

You should contact the relevant UKHSA HPT for advice if you are concerned and/or have seen:

  • a higher than previously experienced and/or rapidly increasing number of staff or student absences due to the same infection
  • evidence of severe disease due to an infection, for example if a child, young person or staff member is admitted to hospital
  • more than one infection circulating in the same group of children, young people and staff for example chicken pox and scarlet fever
  • an outbreak or serious or unusual illness - see the guidance for examples

If you do need to contact your HPT, you should prepare information in advance to help them to support you. You can contact your welfare standards officer if you have further questions/queries.

Related documents and links

Flu and COVID-19 advice for parents and carers

Advice and guidance for Hackney parents and carers on flu and COVID-19