The School’s responsibilities are:
- To develop, implement and maintain a head lice management policy.
- To ensure that parents and staff are aware of the School’s Head Lice Management Policy and that parents are given the link to the Department of Health website, https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/F_I/Head-lice, when necessary or on request.
The parents’ responsibilities are:
- To learn about head lice infestation and its management.
- To regularly check their child’s hair for infestation.
- To treat their child’s hair immediately if there are head lice present.
- To inform the School and other close contacts if their child has a head lice infestation and to confirm that treatment has commenced.
- To be aware of and follow the School’s Head Lice Management Policy.
Under the School Education Act 1999, a principal may exclude a child with head lice from school until treatment has commenced. The Department of Health recommends exclusion at the end of the school day. The child may return to school when all live lice have been removed. A few remaining eggs are not a reason for continued exclusion. However, the parent must continue treatment until all eggs and hatchlings have been removed, usually over the following 10 days.
- For Preparatory School students, the class teacher should email parents advising that a student in their son’s class has head lice and provide them with the link to the Department of Health.
- For Senior School students, parents are to be informed by the staff member who has a belief that the student has head lice.