Medication Policy
Purpose of Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that any and all medication administered to children has been authorised by the child's parent/carer.
Non-prescribed medications can be purchased over the counter at a super market or pharmacy by a person with legal responsibility and this can be administered in nursery if consent is received from a person with legal responsibility.
Only authorised members of staff will be allowed to administer medication and accurate records of any medicine administered must be kept. This policy has been developed alongside the Care Inspectorates ‘Management of medication in day care of children and childminding services’ document and the ‘Health Care in Schools and Nurseries 3-18’ document.
Who is Responsible?
It is the overall responsibility of the manager to ensure that there is written parental/guardian permission to administer medication to children during the session. It is the responsibility of the staff to ensure that parent/carers complete a medication form prior to any medication being administered and a signature is obtained giving authorisation.
Administering Medication
· If any controlled drugs, such as morphine, are brought into the nursery to be administered to the child, staff must advise parent to see the management team who will inform parents that they must return to nursery to administer. Under no circumstances is the medication stored in the nursery or administered by staff.
· Medication forms MUST be completed in PEN.
· Parents with Parental rights and responsibilities
· Parents should be signing their names and not printing.
· Parent’s signature must be clearly seen at the bottom of the medication form.
· It must be clearly stated why the child is required to take medication.
· Medication must be stored accordingly in sealed containers in the medication cupboard or top shelf of the fridge.
· No medication should be left in children's bags.
· Nursery staff will never administer the first dosage of any medication, unless this is an adrenaline injector eg epipen and is needed in an emergency situation.
· Nursery staff will not re-administer any medication that a child refuses to take or spits out. Families will be contacted immediately in this case and refusal recorded on the administration of medication form on (tapestry app).
· When Medication is administered, the record of administered medication will be sent to the parents using the Tapestry which will allow parents to sign to confirm they are aware of this.
Auditing Medication
· Medication forms will be checked regularly by the manager to ensure forms are being completed correctly
· All medication forms should be easily accessible and kept in the child’s individual medication box.
· Management will audit all medications brought in and out of the nursery (both short and long term).
· Medication will be reviewed at least every term. Staff and parents should both sign the termly review. If medication is no longer in date Parent’s should take the medication home immediately and replace it. Parents must sign medication out of the setting and include a date when this has been returned to parents
· Administration of Medication forms will be audited termly to ensure that parents have signed these and have been made aware of medication that has been administered.
· Staff will verbally inform parents at collection that their child has had medication administered and that the form must be completed on the tapestry app as soon as possible or signed in person on collection of the child. Parents will also receive a notification that they're child has had medication administered via the tapestry app.
· If a Parent is unable to use the app for any reason medication forms can be signed in person.
Authorisation and Parental Rights and Responsibilities (PRR)
Under Scottish law and Care Inspectorate guidance, only a person with Parental Rights and Responsibilities (PRR) for a child can authorise the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) setting to administer medication.
Who can provide authorisation
- A person with Parental Rights and Responsibilities (PRR) as defined in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 — typically:
- The child’s biological mother (automatically has PRR).
- The father if married to the mother at the time of the child’s conception or subsequently.
- An unmarried father who is named on the child’s birth certificate (for births registered in Scotland on or after 4 May 2006).
- Anyone else who has been granted PRR by a court order (for example, an adoptive parent, guardian, or local authority if the child is looked after).
Only these individuals can sign consent forms authorising the setting to administer prescribed or non-prescribed medication.
Delegated or emergency consent
- Where the person with PRR cannot be present, they may delegate authority in writing to another named individual (e.g., a grandparent or childminder) for specific medical authorisations.
- The delegation must be clearly documented and signed by the person with PRR, specifying:
- The name of the delegated individual
- The child’s name
- The medication to be administered
- The duration of the authorisation
- The ELC service must not accept verbal consent from anyone who does not have PRR or written delegated authority.
Looked After Children
- For children who are Looked After by the local authority, the Corporate Parent (the Local Authority) holds PRR and must provide written consent for administration of medication.
- The child’s social worker or designated officer can sign consent forms on behalf of the local authority.
Verification of PRR
- The setting must verify who holds PRR for each child at enrolment and record this information clearly in the child’s registration file.
- Staff should ensure that medication consent forms are only signed by individuals with PRR or authorised delegates.
Safe Storage of Medication
The manager and staff must ensure that all medications are inaccessible to children, stored out of children's reach, in their original containers and clearly labelled with the child's name. It should be noted that specific medications have storage implications for the setting:
o Controlled Drugs: We will not store any controlled drugs within the nursery at any time. If a child requires administration of a controlled drug, then the parent must come to the nursery to administer when required.
o Pain medications: All medications will be kept in a cupboard out of the children's reach; each child's medication will be kept in the “medication” container with the child's name on the box. Staff should record when medication comes into nursery, detailing the name of medication, child's name, date when the medication was given to the setting and date returned home.
o Allergy Medication/Anti-histamines: These will be kept out of the children's reach and stored in the “medication” cabinet with the child's name on the bottle / medication box. All details should be recorded on our medication record form.
o Epi-pens: Where a child requires an epi-pen for allergic reactions, The Medication will be stored within the playroom, out of reach of children. Epipens will be taken on any outings to ensure the child always has access to their emergency medication. The setting should also be issued with one if possible. Only members of staff who are trained to administer this medication will be allowed to do so.
o Asthma Medications: The child should have an inhaler stored at nursery in the case of an emergency, each child's inhaler should be kept in their own “medication” container, and all details should be recorded on our medication record form. The form should also detail the date when the inhaler was given to the setting and returned home or stored securely in nursery.
Date of Review
Summary of Changes
Reviewed by Stacey sneddon
5.11.2025
Update to information on PRR and authorisation of medication.
Update that Medication does not need to be prescribed, but does need parental consent to be administered.
Stacey Sneddon
reviewed
2.09.2026 - S.Sneddon