Accident, Incidents and Illness Policy and Procedure (Children)
Rationale
We are committed to providing a consistently safe and healthy environment for each child in our care. When any accident, incident or illness occurs, these will be treated as a priority, responded to immediately, facts recorded, and then reported to Support Office (and external agencies, where appropriate).
All practicable steps are taken to ensure that tamariki do not come into contact with any person (adult or child) at Kindercare, who is suffering from a disease or condition likely to be passed onto tamariki, and likely to have a detrimental effect on them.
Policy Detail
Kindercare’s team are First Aid trained, with training offered twice annually, to ensure our team have the knowledge and skills to respond to accidents, incidents and illnesses in the centre.
Ensure that the laminated card with emergency contact numbers is placed in a visible position in the utility areas in the centre, for ease of access.
If there is an occasion when the Centre Director and/or Area Manger are not immediately contactable, our Centre Supervisors and Team Leaders are First Aid trained. Following the Accident and Incident Procedure, our leaders are empowered to take responsive and immediate action to provide medical / emergency care for tamariki involved in an accident/incident at the centre. If unsure, contact Healthline, the Regional Manager, or the People & Culture Manager for advice and guidance.
Accidents and Incidents
- Because safe is our core value, our team will respond immediately to any child involved in an accident/incident at the centre, to ensure the necessary first aid treatment is administered.
- In the case of a serious accident/incident, where a child requires immediate medical attention, the child will be attended to first and comforted, and first aid treatment will be given. No food or liquids are to be given to the child, in case the child subsequently needs anaesthetic or surgery. The child will be with a Teacher/Kindercare employee at all times, until the ambulance or medical assistance arrives.
- The parents/whānau/caregiver of the child will be contacted as soon as possible after medical action steps have been taken, to notify them of the accident/incident. This should be within the hour. In case of a serious accident/incident, the parents/whānau/caregiver will be notified of where the child has been taken to or will be taken to.
- The Centre Director, Centre Administrator or Centre Supervisor will contact their Area Manager, as soon as possible to notify them of the incident/accident. In the case of a serious accident/incident, the Area Manager or centre will contact the People & Culture Manager (Ronel Dyssel) at Support Office.
- All accidents or incidents (including minor accidents/incidents) will be recorded on 1Place (Health & Safety system) by a Team Leader/Teacher in the room as soon as is practicable but at least within 24 hours of the accident/incident occurring.
- When recording any accident, incident or injury, specific detail is required i.e. what happened, when, why did it happen, who was involved etc.
- An accident analysis report will be generated, reviewed, and added to the Hazard Register with steps taken to minimise the risk.
- The online accident / incident form will be signed by the Teacher, Centre Director or Supervisor, as well as the parent, within 24 hours of the accident/incident occurring.
- If it is a serious accident/incident, the Centre Director / Supervisor, in conjunction with your Area Manager, will conduct an accident investigation as soon as possible.
- Where the accident/incident is defined as ‘serious’ in terms of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Worksafe will be notified as soon as possible and a written report of the circumstances will be provided at least within seven working days. For more information on what is a notifiable injury or illness, go to: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/notifications/notifiable-event/what-is-a-notifiable-event/
Illness
- When a child becomes ill at the centre, the parents/whānau/caregiver will be contacted as soon as possible, but at least within the hour.
- Details (symptoms, time it was initially observed, action taken, time parents/whānau were contacted) of the illness will be recorded on the 1Place (Health & Safety system). If a child develops a fever, the fever procedure will be followed and the information recorded on 1Place (Health & Safety system).
- If the child is considered contagious, they will be isolated by taking them to the Centre Director’s office (or other designated area in the centre). A team member will be close to the child (to observe and hear them) until the parent/whānau/caregiver can pick them up.
- If needed, ensure the spill bucket is taken with the child to the Centre Director’s office/isolation area.
- Children with individual health plans: the plan must be saved in the child’s notes in Infocare, and the Centre Administrator will set up reminders in Infocare to ensure individual plans are reviewed at least every six months. A copy of this plan must be in the child’s room and go with the child when transitioning rooms. A copy must also be at reception for cases of emergency response.
Head, Face and Neck Incidents and Accidents
All accidents, injuries, and incidents involving a child’s head, face or neck - including but not limited to bumps, knocks, bites, bleeding, lacerations etc - need to be recorded in detail on 1Place. Parents/whānau must be notified as soon as possible after a medical event involving a child’s head, face or neck.
Serious Injury, Incident or Illness Notification
When there is a serious injury, illness, or incident involving a child while at Kindercare, and we are required to notify a specified agency, Kindercare will also notify the Ministry of Education at the same time or as soon as is practicably possible. A specified agency is any government agency or statutory body and may include but is not limited to:
- The New Zealand Police;
- The Ministry of Health;
- Ministry for Children;
- WorkSafe New Zealand;
- The Teaching Council
Refer to Accidents and Incidents above for procedure to follow for a serious accident, injury or illness. If the team are ever unsure about the seriousness of an accident or incident, call the Healthline number for advice and direction: 0800 611 116.
After the incident has been managed on site (e.g. first aid provided, parents/whānau notified, specified agency notified), Kindercare will contact the Ministry of Education Area Office Adviser to inform them of the incident/accident and forward a copy of the notification form to them. The Incident Investigation Report template Ministry of Education must be completed as part of the follow up investigation: Incident-investigation-report-template MOE
The definition of a serious injury, illness or incident involving a child while at Kindercare includes:
- Any incident involving serious injury or trauma to, or illness of a child.
- Any incident where the attendance of an emergency service was sought, or ought reasonably to have been sought.
- Any circumstance where a child appears to be missing; or cannot be accounted for, or appears to have been taken, or removed from the centre by any other person not authorised to do so, or mistakenly locked in or out of the centre or any part of the premises.
- The death of a child.
In the case of a serious medical emergency, the centre must call 111.
A serious medical emergency includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Obstructed airway
- Breathing issue or difficulty
- Ingestion of a foreign substance, object, magnet
- Convulsion, fitting and/or fainting
- Excessive bleeding or bleeding that does not stop
- Child is unresponsive or has difficulty talking
- Knock to the head, or falls unconscious
- Burns
- Anaphylactic reaction
- Potential fracture – based on the child’s level of distress, pain, ability to soothe
Note: a serious medical emergency does not necessarily require WorkSafe to be notified. Criteria for notifying WorkSafe are very specific. If a child is taken to A&E/hospital, to be checked and/or observed, but is not ADMITTED, this is for the child’s safety, but is not a notifiable serious medical emergency. If in doubt about when to contact WorkSafe, check with your Area Manager/Manager or the People & Culture Manager.
Last Review Date: October 2024