How meningitis aware are you? A new health and wellbeing resource has been published by UK-based meningitis charity Meningitis Now that may be a useful learning tool for childminders.
Most children in the care of a childminder will have had vaccines that protect them against some types of meningitis. However, these vaccines do not protect against ALL types of meningitis. Around one in three cases of the most common type of bacterial meningitis in the UK still occur in children aged under five.
Meningitis Now has launched a new initiative for those that provide childcare called ‘MARM’ (Meningitis Awareness Recognition Mark). This programme encourages those working with children under five to familiarise themselves with the signs and symptoms of meningitis, and it also features to help with ‘planning ahead’ should a case occur.
When a childminder registers with the free programme, they enter a section of the Meningitis Now website where they can download the MARM toolkit and complete a checklist with various activities to receive a MARM.
Recognition of this can then be added to your Learning Log to showcase your on-going Continuing Professional Learning (CPL) and demonstrate to parents that their childminder is ‘meningitis aware’.
Read more and get started with your MARM