Accident and incident policy

Ladybird follows the guidelines of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for the reporting of accidents and incidents.

Child protection matters or behavioural incidents between children are not regarded as incidents for this purpose and there are separate procedures for these. (See 1.3 Behaviour Management and 2.20 Safeguarding Children Policy).

ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT PROCEDURES

What is the difference between an accident and an incident?

An accident is an unfortunate event or occurrence that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in an injury, for example tripping over and hurting your knee.

An incident is an event or occurrence that is related to another person or situation, typically resulting in an injury, or being seen as a ‘near miss’.

1) Dealing with Accidents or Incidents to Childrenwitnessed within the nursery

Ladybird will keep electronic records on Famly of all accidents, incidents or injuries to a child together with any first aid treatment given on Famly. Any event, however minor, is recorded by completion of an Accident/ Incident Formand the procedure is the same for both types of events as follows:

  1.  An Accident/ Incident Form is completed by the member of staff who witnessed the event.
  2. The Room Leader carries out the final checks on the form. In their absence the Manager or Deputy Manager will complete the checks.
  3. The following information is recorded on the Accident/ Incident Form:
  4. Whether it is an accident or incident being reported
  5. Name of child including surname
  6. Date of accident or incident
  7. Time of accident or incident
  8. Name of person who dealt with the accident or incident
  9. Description of accident or incident
  10. Description of care given
  11. Name of the person who gave care (this must be a Paediatric First Aid qualified member of staff)
  12. Description of injury (if applicable)
  13. Position of the injury illustrated on the body map
  14. Witness name (only if witnessed)
  15. How parents were notified (via Famly, telephone)
  16. Acknowledgment on Famly of parent or carer
  17. (The name of any other child involved in an accident or incident must remain confidential).

It is then that member of staff’s responsibility to ensure that the parent or carer acknowledges the accident or incident on the day that the accident occurred.

In the event of an Accident/ Incident Form not being acknowledged by a parent or carer on the same day, the Room Leader must be notified by the practitioner who dealt with the report. The Room Leader then has the overall responsibility to immediately inform the parent or carer by telephone of the accident or incident, making a note of the time and date of the call on the Accident/ Incident Report. The Room Leader must then ensure that the Accident/ Incident Form is acknowledged on Famly by the parent or carer at the next possible opportunity. In the absence of the Room Leader the Manager or the Deputy Manager or a named qualified practitioner takes on the responsibility.

Once completed and checked, Accident/ Incident Reports are kept on a secure server used by Famly.

The manager will review Accident an Incident forms in order

  • Establish how many accidents or incidents happen in a given period.
  • What types of accidents or incidents occur.
  • Identify any potential or actual hazards, and thereby plan to rectify them.
  • Identify any patterns in children having a higher rate of accidents or incidents.

2) Dealing with Accidents to Children that are not Witnessed

The above procedure applies but with the following change:

If the accident, incident or injury has not been witnessed by a member of staff or other adult, then the member of staff dealing with the accident must gain an account of what happened from the child, and any other children, if they are able to verbalise this or communicate in any other way. The member of staff must record the child’s account of events on the Accident/ Incident Form and clearly state that the accident was not witnessed.

3) Dealing with Prior Accidents or Incidents to Children

A “Prior Accident or Incident” is an accident or incident that happened outside the setting that has caused an injury or the seeking of medical advice.

An Accident/ Incident Form is completed by the parent or carer each time they notify a member of staff about an accident or incident which has not happened in Ladybird. The form is acknowledged by the parent or carer and by a qualified practitioner.

4) Dealing with injuries to children that have not been notified to the setting by the parent or carer and that have not happened in the setting

  • The above procedure applies but with the following change:

If we have not been informed of a prior accident or incident by a parent or carer and an injury is noticed during a session, the parent or carer will be notified by a member of staff when they collect their child from the setting. The parent or carer will be asked to complete and sign an Accident/ Incident Form on Famlyby the member of staff who handed the child over. 


5) Dealing with Accidents to Staff, Volunteers or Other Adults

We keep electronic records of all accidents or injuries to staff, volunteers or other adults together with any first aid treatment given.

The accident is recorded on an Accident / Incident Form by the adult who has had the accident or if this is not possible, by the First Aider on site. The Manager must also be informed.

6) Reporting of Accidents or Illness

We report the following:

  • Ofsted is notified as soon as possible, but at least within 14 days, of any instances which involve:   
     
    •         –  a serious accident or injury to, or serious illness of, a child in our care and the action we take in response; and
    •         –  the death of a child in our care.
    • food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on our premises;
  •         Local child protection agencies are informed of any serious accident, illness or injury to, or the death of any child while in our care and we act on any advice given by those agencies.
  •         The local Environmental Health Department is informed of any food poisoning affecting two or more children or adults on our premises.
  •         We meet our legal requirements in respect of the safety of our employee and the public by complying with RIDDOR. We report to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE):
    •         –  Any work-related accident leading to an injury to a member of the public (child or adult), for which they are taken directly to hospital for treatment.
    •         –  Any work-related accident leading to a specified injury to one of our employees. Specified injuries include injuries such as fractured bones, the loss of consciousness
    • due to a head injury, serious burns or amputations.
    •         –  Any work-related accident leading to an injury to one of our employees which results in them being unable to work for seven consecutive days. All work-related injuries that lead to one of our employees being incapacitated for three or more days are recorded on an Accident / Incident Form.
    • When one of our employees suffers from a reportable occupational disease or illness as specified by the HSE.
    • –  Any death, of a child or adult, that occurs in connection with a work-related accident.

Ladybird meets our legal requirements for the health and safety of all adults and children by following the RIDDOR guidelines and reporting any incidents and dangerous occurrences to the HSE (and any other appropriate professional bodies). 
An incident may be an event that causes injury or fatalities or an event that does not cause injury but could have done so, such as a gas leak. Any dangerous occurrence is recorded in our Incident Book. 


  • We have ready access to telephone numbers for emergency services should an incident occur. We also have contact numbers for suitable services such as gas and electric emergency services.
    • On discovery of an incident, we report it to the appropriate emergency services – fire, police, and ambulance – if those services are needed.
  • If an incident occurs before any children arrive, we risk assess this situation and decide if the premises are safe to receive children. We may decide to offer a limited service or to close the setting.
  • Where an incident occurs whilst the children are in our care and it is necessary to evacuate the premises we follow the procedures in our Emergency Evacuation Procedure.

If a crime may have been committed, we ask all adults who witness the incident to make a witness statement including the date and time of the incident, what they saw or heard, what they did about it and their full name and signature.

Incident Book

We keep an “Incident Book” for recording all of the incidents and dangerous occurrences detailed below, including those that are reportable to the HSE as above. In the Incident Book, the Manager ensures that we record the date and time of the incident, the nature of the event, who was affected and how it was dealt with. If the incident is reported to the police, we make a note of the crime reference number. Any follow up or insurance claim made is also recorded.

In the event of any incident we will inform all other professional bodies, such as Ofsted, the HSE and the Local Authority, as necessary.

The Incident Book is not for recording issues of concern involving a child. This is recorded in the child’s Personal Profile on Famly.

1) Break in, burglary, theft of personal or setting property

In the event of finding there has been a break in, burglary or theft at nursery, the Manager should be informed immediately either in person (or by phone if she is not working). In the event that the Manager cannot be contacted, the Deputy Manager should be informed.

Anything that may be deemed to be evidence or unsafe should not be touched. The Manager or Deputy Manager will inform the police. They will make decisions on the advice of the police about the opening or closure of the setting and will follow any procedures set out by the police.

2) Intruder gaining unauthorised access to the premises or grounds

If someone is acting suspiciously on the nursery grounds or premises, this must be immediately reported to the Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Manager

All children should be brought inside the building straightaway. If the person appears to be a threat to the staff or children, all doors should be locked with keys, windows shut and the blinds pulled down. Children must be kept calm and where possible, must not be made aware of the situation. Staff must act calmly and discreetly.

The safety of the children, staff and other adults is paramount. Observations must be reported to the Manager before an intruder is confronted. If those in our care are under threat, theManager,or in her absence the Deputy Manager will contact the police and take advice from them before any children or staff are released from the building.

After the incident, the Manager will take advice from the police before releasing any information to the parents.

3) Fire, gas leak or electrical failure

In the event of discovering a fire, the fire evacuation procedure should be followed (See 2.8 Fire Safety).

If a gas leak is suspected, this must be immediately reported to the Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Managerwho will call the national emergency number 0800 111 999. All children, staff and other adults should immediately leave the building and remain in the outdoor area, or church or day centre if weather is inclement, until the building is declared safe by the gas distributor. All doors and windows should be opened. Electrical switches should not be turned on or off – including light switches and door bells. Where the building cannot be declared safe the Manager, or in her absence Deputy Manager, will decide if the premises have to be closed until such time as it is deemed safe to return.

Make sure that the gas supply to an appliance has not been left on or that the pilot light on the boiler has not gone out. Turn off the gas supply at the meter if you know how to.

If an electrical failure occurs, this must be immediately reported to the Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Manager. They will contact the electricity distributor to inform them of the failure and find out when the supply can be restored. The Manager will decide whether the setting can remain open without an electricity supply.

4) Attack on an adult or child on our premises or nearby

This must be immediately reported to Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Manager. They will call the police, ensure any first aid is provided and contact the emergency medical services.

The safety of the children, staff and other adults must be secured. Children should be appropriately looked after, moved to a safe part of the building and kept calm. If necessary, parents should be called in to take their children home early.

Adults should remember that it is best not to antagonise the situation or retaliate in any way. It is important to try and diffuse the situation and retreat to safety.

5) Any racist incident involving staff or family on the premises

A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person. If such an incident occurs, this must be immediately reported to Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Manager. They will call the police and follow their advice as appropriate. (See also 2.6 Dealing with Harassment, Victimisation and Discriminatory Behaviour)

6) Death of a child or adult on the premises

In the event of a death at nursery, the Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Manager, will ensure that the following steps are taken:

  1.   The police are immediately informed;
  2.   The parent is informed;
  3.   The other children in attendance are appropriately looked after and kept calm;
  4.   Parents will be called to collect children as soon as possible;
  5.   Additional staff will be called in to help look after the children if necessary;
  6.    The manager should be contacted as soon as possible.

7) A terrorist attack or the threat of one

If information is received about the threat of a terrorist attack in the vicinity of the pre-school, this must be immediately reported to the Manager, or in her absence the Deputy Manager. They will then call the police and advise the procedures to follow based on advice given to them from the police.

The safety of the children, staff and other adults is paramount. If the nursery and those in our care are under threat, the Manager will contact the police and take advice from them before any children or staff are released from the building. Children must be kept calm and where possible, must not be made aware of the situation. Staff must act calmly and discreetly.

After the incident, the Manager will take advice from the police before releasing any information to the parents. (For further information see 2.20 Safeguarding Children Policy).

8) A notifiable disease or illness, or an outbreak of food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on our premises

These occurrences are to be recorded in the Incident Book (See 2.13 Infection Control, 2.22 Sickness / Illness Policy)

Use this policy in conjunction with 2.34 Accident and First Aid Procedure.