You feeling safe and comfortable is my priority when attending a Baby Steps course alongside carefully following the latest Government Covid 19 guidelines.  These guidelines apply to courses at Baby Steps HQ and to those taking place in people’s homes.  

 

I am working to extremely strict hygiene and infection control measures to minimise any infection risk.  These guidelines are being reviewed as Government guidance changes. 

 

Your Health

If you or anyone in your household is unwell or displaying any of the symptoms of Covid19 please do not attend the course and we will reschedule. 

 

For more information on the symptoms of Covid19 and Government guidelines on what to do in terms of testing and isolating please see the NHS and Government Guidelines.

 

Should anyone in the household test positive to Covid19 please inform me as soon as possible so I can follow track and trace guidance.

 

Infection Control

• Following the latest guidelines, wearing a mask is a choice but no longer a requirement.

• Anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitisers are available for use throughout the courses.

• All equipment will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised after the course.  Feel free to bring your own blankets and comforts as you wish. 

• If anyone has respiratory Covid19 symptoms such as a new continuous cough and/or a temperature >37.5C, they will be asked to go home and follow the Government and NHS guidelines. 

• Everyone will have their own 'nest' in the Baby Steps Studio with a mat, chair and home comforts, all of which are throughly cleaned in between classes. 

• Class sizes are small to ensure everyone's comfort, space and relaxed atmosphere.

 

Manikins in the First Aid course

• Everyone will have their own baby manikin during the First Aid course – there will be no sharing of equipment.

• After every household uses a Baby Anne manikin the person/ household using the manikin, the airway will be removed by the participant and disposed of and a new one inserted for the next course.  

• The ONLY exception to sharing of any equipment is the child 'Junior' manikins.  These have a one-way valve which stops air coming back out of the manikin's mouth and direct expired air out of the back of the head via a filter.  Baby Steps replaces the one-way air flow, valved lungs extremely regularly as per infection control advice and the Junior manikins will be thoroughly cleaned between users with alcohol wipes.  

• Alcohol/ sanitising wipes will be used to clean the manikins during the classes.

• Everyone will be offered a personal CPR face shield to provide double failsafe protection.  The face-shield should be facing the same way up each time. The manikin’s nose should be covered with the fingers and thumb as usual through the face shield.

• We have been advised that these steps alone are sufficient to prevent infection.  The Health and Safety Executive and Consultant Microbiologists at NHS England have approved these measures as being sufficient to kill Covid19.

 

Toilets

When using the toilet at Baby Steps HQ it is kindly asked you use the disposable towels provided.

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When using the toilet in people’s homes thorough hand washing will be carried out plus any individual household requests with regard to hygiene by those attending the course. 

 

Lockdown

In the event of a further national of local lockdown the courses will be moved online to Zoom.

 

If you have any queries about these Guidelines or safety on a Baby Steps course please do not hesitate to contact me,

 

Katherine Whitby

11th May 2023

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