Illness & Returning to Classes/Performances Policy
Updated: 05.10.2026
At Confident Kids Performing Arts School and Inspire Academy of Dance and Performing Arts, the health and wellbeing of our students, families and team is important to us.
We understand that children get sick from time to time. To help protect our studio community and reduce the spread of illness, we ask families to please keep children home when they are unwell.
When Should My Child Stay Home?
Please do not bring your child to class if they:
- Have a fever or high temperature.
- Have vomited or experienced diarrhoea within the past 24 hours.
- Are experiencing significant cold, flu or COVID-like symptoms and are not well enough to comfortably participate.
- Have an unexplained rash that may be contagious.
- Have been diagnosed with a contagious illness and are still within the recommended exclusion period.
- Have symptoms of conjunctivitis, nits or another potentially contagious infection.
- Are unusually tired, lethargic or generally too unwell to participate safely in class.
- Have been advised by a doctor or other health professional to remain home.
As a general guide, if a child is too unwell to attend childcare, kindergarten or school, they should also remain home from studio classes too.
When Can My Child Return?
Children are welcome to return to classes when they are feeling well enough to participate normally and are no longer considered infectious.
As a general guideline, children should:
- Be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
- Have had no vomiting or diarrhoea for at least 24 hours.
- Have enough energy to safely and comfortably participate in their usual class.
- Have completed any recommended exclusion period for a diagnosed infectious illness.
- Follow any specific return-to-school or activity advice provided by their doctor or relevant health authority.
Some illnesses have specific exclusion periods. Where applicable, families are expected to follow current Victorian public health and school/childcare exclusion recommendations.
Mild or Ongoing Symptoms
We understand that children can have mild or lingering symptoms after an illness, such as an occasional cough or runny nose.
Children do not necessarily need to be completely symptom-free before returning. If your child is otherwise well, is no longer considered infectious, and can comfortably participate in class, they are generally welcome to attend.
We also understand that some children experience ongoing symptoms related to allergies, asthma, hayfever or other non-infectious conditions. Please speak with our team if your child has an ongoing condition that may present similarly to an infectious illness.
If Your Child Becomes Unwell During Class
If a child becomes unwell during class or at a performance, our team will:
- Ensure the child is safe, comfortable and appropriately supervised.
- Contact their parent/guardian or nominated emergency contact where necessary.
- Ask for the child to be collected if we believe they are too unwell to continue participating or may pose an infection risk to others.
Where practical, the child will be separated from the main class while waiting to be collected.
In an emergency, appropriate first aid will be provided and emergency services may be contacted.
Infectious Illnesses
If your child is diagnosed with an infectious illness that may have exposed other students or staff, we ask that you please notify our administration team as soon as reasonably possible.
Where appropriate, we may notify potentially affected families that an illness has been reported. We will respect the privacy of the affected child and family and will not identify them unnecessarily.
Our Right to Ask a Child to Remain Home
Our team may ask that a child not participate in class, or be collected from the studio, if they appear significantly unwell or if we reasonably believe their attendance may pose a health risk to other students or staff.
In some circumstances, we may request confirmation that it is appropriate for a child to return to classes before they recommence.
Consideration for Our Studio Community
Performing arts classes often involve children working closely together, sharing equipment and props, holding hands, partnering and using common spaces.
Keeping children home when they are genuinely unwell helps us protect our students, our families, our teachers and our wider studio community.
Thank you for helping us keep our studio a happy, healthy and safe place for everyone.
