Headlice Policy

Rift House Primary School Head Lice Policy

 Head lice are passed on during close head to head contact. These infections can be quite common amongst young children due to the type of contact they have with friends and family members whilst playing or being cared for.

 Schools have a responsibility to educate and inform parents and parents have a responsibility to detect and carry out adequate treatment for head lice.

The school, with support from the school nurse, will provide:

• Information and advice about head lice to all parents.
• Confidential support to families with head lice infections, including from the parent support adviser.
• Information about head lice detection and treatment including wet combing, to all new parents.
• Regular reminders for parents to check for head lice on wet hair (e.g. Newsletter)
• Information about any head louse infections in a child’s group.

The school requests that parents:

• Regularly check their child’s head for head lice e.g. after each hair wash.
• Inform the class teacher if live lice are found.
• Carry out treatment according to the information from NHS Choices website http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Head-lice/Pages/Introduction.aspx
• Check their child’s hair as soon as information is given about contact with an infected classmate, friend or relative.

There is no need for children to be absent when they have headlice or while they are being treat.

Action upon finding live head lice

• Rift House Primary School’s policy is that children cannot be sent home if they have head lice. 
• The parent/carer of the child will be informed as soon as possible, and parents/carers of other children in that child’s class or year group will also be informed via a text message or letter.
• If a child has been found to have head lice, a conversation with the class teacher or senior leadership team should take place when the child returns to school, so that the school is confident that effective measures have been taken to prevent further problems.
• If there are repeated incidents of head lice being found and there are concerns that advice and support from the school, family support worker and/or school nurse has not taken by the parent/carer, then our school may need to refer the situation to Children’s Services, as it may be evidence of neglect. Details of this may be found in our school’s safeguarding policy.
• Our school strongly opposes any bullying or negative behaviour towards children and/or parents of children who require treatment for head lice.

As always, Rift House Primary School aims to work with parents and other agencies to provide support and guidance, so that the pupils can achieve and learn in a safe, happy environment.