Administration of Medication

Administration of Medication to a baby - Butler Creative Childcare Resources

Review ACECQA’s comments on your obligations under the regulations and law. (ACECQA: Guide to the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011- version June  2014)

National Law: Section 167 (protection from harm and hazards)

National Regulations: Regulations 92–96, 178, 181–184

Medication (including prescription, over-the-counter and homeopathic medications) must not be administered to a child at a service without authorisation by a parent or person with the authority to consent to administration of medical attention to the child.

In the case of an emergency, it is acceptable to obtain verbal consent from a parent, or a registered medical practitioner or medical emergency services if the child’s parent cannot be contacted. In the case of an anaphylaxis or asthma emergency, medication may be administered to a child without authorisation. In this circumstance, the child’s parent and emergency services must be contacted as soon as possible.

The medication must be administered:

  • from its original container before the expiry or use-by date
  • in accordance with any instructions attached to the medication or provided by a registered medical practitioner
  • for prescribed medications, from a container that bears the original label with the name of the child to whom it is prescribed
  • with a second person checking the dosage of the medication and witnessing its administration
  • details of the administration must be recorded in the medication record.

In the case of a family day care service, or a service that is permitted to have only one educator, a second person is not required to check the dosage and witness the administration of the medication.

The National Regulations set out requirements for confidentiality and the storage of medication records.

A child over preschool age may self-administer medication under the following circumstances:

  • written authorisation is provided by a person with the authority to consent to the administration of medication
  • the medical conditions policy of the service includes practices for self-administration of medication.