Managing Illness This Winter: A Triage Approach for Early Learning Services

As the winter chill sets in, so do seasonal illnesses—and for early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, this can be a particularly challenging time. With respiratory viruses, stomach bugs, and colds doing the rounds, it’s essential that services adopt a clear, proactive strategy to protect children, educators, and families. 

When visiting services during outbreaks, we often hear people feeling 'at a loss' for how to change the situation, but we've noticed some things that can make a big difference.  

Using the HGT EDU Triage Triangle Model—which includes Communication, Protective Measures, and Policy Implementation—you can create a robust approach to managing illness in your service this winter. Here’s how. 

Spend time reflecting on your approach to each of the areas of the Triage Triangle and Triage some ACTIONS you can take to reduce illness in your service.

Communication: The First Line of Defence 

Clear and consistent communication can significantly reduce the spread of illness in your service. 

• Be proactive: Use your digital communication platforms (apps, email, SMS) to notify families as soon as there’s a communicable disease or outbreak. Timely information may prevent a sick child from attending and infecting others. 

• Signage matters: Put signs on the front door about current outbreaks and reminders not to enter if unwell. Signage at the front door can also help people who have young babies, are immuno-compromised or maybe have something special comping up that they don't want to miss, to make an informed decision about entering or not.  

• Educate families: Remind families regularly that keeping children home when sick helps everyone avoid prolonged absences. Communities that support one another thrive. 

• Create a culture of care: Be empathetic when families need to take time off but reinforce that everyone must do the right thing to reduce impact. 

• Team communication: Ensure all staff understand the procedures during illness outbreaks and are confident in communicating with families. Ensure you check in with your team who themselves have elderly family members, young children or are immuno-compromised. When talking with team members they've often expressed to me that they feel 'nervous' when sickness is going through the service. Offer them support to make decisions about how to protect themselves.  

Protective Measures: Everyday Actions That Make a Difference 

Small, consistent hygiene practices can go a long way in stopping illness from spreading. I often think about how hospitals handle illnesses that are spreading or cast my mind back to Covid times and think about the possible adjustments we can make.  

Hygiene & Environment 

• Ensure there is extra hand washing for children and adults throughout the day 

• Check soap and hand sanitiser dispensers regularly 

• Sanitise when you move between rooms and high-touch surfaces frequently 

• Ensure good ventilation — open windows or doors where possible 

• Limit use of heaters and ensure air conditioning filters are cleaned – we know that germs increase in warm spaces.  

• Regular cleaning of toys and resources 

Grouping & Space 

• Space children one chair apart during mealtimes 

• Spread out sleeping mats or cots—if they can cough in each other’s space, they are too close 

• Small group activities instead of large gatherings 

• Monitor drink bottles closely to prevent sharing and cross-contamination 

• Consider offering masks to educators, especially in higher-risk scenarios 

Staff Protection PPE  

• ‍Ensure educators feel safe and supported to stay home when unwell 

• Wipe noses frequently and dispose of tissues properly—then wash hands 

• Wear gloves and use PPE as needed during high-risk activities. What PPE aren't we using that we could be?  

Policy Implementation: No Grey Areas, Just Clear Expectations 

Your illness policy is your safety net—but only if it’s implemented consistently. We often work with services to update their policy and practices around illness management and when done well, the illnesses reduce and everyone is happier.  

• Review your illness and exclusion policies now to ensure they reflect current best practice 

• Follow guidelines from the Staying Healthy in Childcare guide (6th Edition) 

• Define clear expectations for families: when to stay home, how long for, and what symptoms require exclusion 

• Be consistent in sending sick children and educators home 

• Respond to frustration from families with compassion, but refer them back to your written policy 

• Know your reporting obligations to your local and state health authorities 

• Act early: Quick response to early signs of an outbreak can prevent prolonged absences and staff shortages 

A Final Thought 

Managing illness is never easy, but with a triage-based approach, you can reduce chaos and protect your community. Winter wellness starts with the small things—washing hands, opening windows, checking the soap dispenser—and extends to the big ones: communication, leadership, and policy clarity. 

What practices will you be putting in place this winter? How are you supporting your team and families to reduce illness and maintain quality care? 

Let’s keep our communities healthy, strong, and connected this winter. To one person a cold is just a cold, but to another it's life or death, so let's make sure we do what we can to safeguard everyone!  

We know it's a big task to implement change and activate processes in a service, luckily, we have experts in our team who do this all the time! If you would like support, book in a FREE discovery call with Meagan.

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