Heat health for children and young people

This page summarises the suggested actions that providers of services for children and young people should consider at Yellow, Amber, and Red Heat-Health Alert levels. The guidance is intended for:

• managers working in schools or early years settings
• frontline staff, volunteers, parents, or carers looking after children in schools or early years settings.

What are the different alert levels? 

• Yellow alert: the heat is unlikely to impact most people; however, those who are particularly vulnerable (e.g., the elderly with multiple health conditions and on multiple medications) are likely to struggle to cope, and action within the health and social care sector is required. (Y)
• Amber alert: there is the potential for the whole population to be at risk. The expected impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, and other sectors may also start to observe impacts. (A)
• Red alert: There is significant risk to life for even the healthy population. Several impacts are expected across all sectors. (R)

Actions you should take 

Keeping spaces cool

• Try to keep internal temperatures below 26°C; if this is not possible for the entire facility, identify and prioritise designated 'cool spaces'. (Y/A/R)
• Ensure thermometers are working, accessible, and regularly monitored. (Y/A/R)
• Ensure the heating system is turned off. (Y/A/R)
• During the day, close windows, shutters, shades, blinds, and curtains (especially sun-facing windows) if it does not compromise air quality. (Y/A/R)
• At night or early morning, open windows (if safe) to allow air to flow through the building. (Y/A/R)
• Use fans if the room temperature is below 35°C. (Y/A/R)
• Switch off all lights and electrical equipment when not in use, including computers, monitors, and printers. Avoid leaving equipment in 'standby mode' as it generates heat. (Y/A/R)
• Use classrooms or other spaces less likely to overheat and adjust the layout of teaching spaces to avoid direct sunlight on children. (Y/A/R)
• Follow all local emergency response plans and feed into local (and, where appropriate, national) coordination and response. (R)

Keeping people cool

• Ensure staff and parents are aware of the Heat-Health Alerts. (Y/A/R)
• Remind staff and parents of key Heat-Health messages and provide advice on keeping cool, including by signposting them to the Beat the Heat guidance. (Y/A/R)
• Consider staffing levels and whether they are sufficient for increasing needs as temperatures rise. (Y/A/R)
• Consider rearranging school start, finish, and play times to avoid teaching during very hot conditions and in the hottest hours of the day (11am – 3pm). (Y/A/R)
• Remind staff to provide and encourage children to drink plenty of water and to drink more than usual in hot weather. (Y/A/R)
• Remind staff to plan outdoor breaks and physical activity at cooler times of the day (before 11am, after 3pm) and limit vigorous exercise in unshaded areas. (Y/A)
• Remind staff to encourage children outdoors to stay in the shade as much as possible. (Y/A/R)
• Remind staff that sunblock should be applied generously and reapplied every 2 hours. (Y/A/R)
• Remind staff to review, prioritise, and monitor children who have additional vulnerabilities, such as those with health conditions or who may be fasting. (Y/A/R)
• Uniform rules should be relaxed, and children should wear loose, light-coloured clothing to help keep cool and sunhats with wide brims to avoid sunburn. (A/R)
• Children should not take part in vigorous physical activity on very hot days. (A/R)

Key messages and useful resources

While everyone can be affected by hot weather, some groups are at higher risk than others. An individual’s risk is affected by a combination of factors relating to their health, behaviours, and environment. 

High-risk groups include:

• babies and young children under the age of 5 years
• people with underlying health conditions.

In all settings, people looking after children and those in early years settings should:

• be alert to the risk of heat-related illnesses
• encourage children to wear loose, light-coloured clothing, apply sunblock, and drink plenty of water
• consider changes to the building that could reduce exposure to heat in the school or early years setting (see guidance on thermal comfort in schools)
• consider rearranging school start, finish, and play times to avoid teaching during very hot conditions.

You should also sign up to receive Heat-Health alerts from the UKHSA and Met Office.

What are the health risks?

Heat-related illness can range from mild heat stress to potentially life-threatening heatstroke. The most common risk from heat is dehydration (not having enough water in the body) and sunburn. If sensible precautions are taken, children are unlikely to be adversely affected by hot conditions. However, all staff should look out for signs of heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. More information can be found on the NHS website.

Heat stress

• Symptoms include seeming out of character, showing signs of discomfort and irritability.
• If uses nappies, dark urine or dry nappies may indicate dehydration.

Heat exhaustion

• Symptoms include tiredness, dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea, and vomiting.
• Immediate action should be taken to cool the person down – move them to a cooler area and cool the child as rapidly as possible, for example, by sponging or spraying the child with cool water and placing cold packs around the neck or armpits. 
• If concerned about symptoms or they are worsening, call 111.

Heatstroke

• When the body is no longer able to cool itself down, with a core temperature of 40°C or higher.
• Symptoms include a fast heartbeat and breathing, confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness. 
• This is a medical emergency - dial 999.