Allergies, dietary needs and food safety at childcare
The documentation you'll need, how risk minimisation works in practice, and questions to ask about the kitchen.
🩺 Health, safety & wellbeing · 5 min read
Key facts
- Diagnosed allergies require a medical management plan and a risk minimisation plan.
- Meraki prepares all meals on site with an in-house chef at each centre.
- Cultural, religious, vegetarian and vegan diets are catered for alongside medical needs.
The paperwork, and why it matters
- An ASCIA action plan or medical management plan completed by your GP or specialist
- A risk minimisation plan agreed with the centre
- A communication plan so relief and casual staff are informed
- In-date medication such as an adrenaline autoinjector, where prescribed
How risk minimisation works day to day
Practical measures usually include separate preparation surfaces, colour-coded plates, photographs of the child with their allergen displayed in the kitchen and room, hand washing before and after meals, and supervision so food is not shared between children.
Questions to ask about the kitchen
- Is food cooked on site or delivered?
- Who checks the dietary list against each meal, and when?
- How are relief educators briefed about allergies?
- How is my child included in cooking experiences and celebrations?
Frequently asked questions
Can childcare cater for multiple allergies?+
Yes. Services routinely manage multiple allergies through documented plans and separate preparation. Discuss the specifics with the centre manager and chef before your child starts.
Do I need to pack food if my child has dietary requirements?+
At Meraki, no — meals are prepared on site and adapted to your child's plan. If a need is unusually complex, we will talk it through with you first.
Keep reading
Immunisation and illness: the rules for Victorian childcare
No Jab No Play, immunisation history statements and how long to keep your child home for common illnesses.
Fussy eating: what works, and what makes it worse
Why fussiness peaks in the toddler years and the division-of-responsibility approach educators use at mealtimes.
Want to talk it through in person?
Book a tour of our Bayswater or Mooroolbark centre and ask us anything.