Home Accident Forms

[MrsL]

We are introducing home accident forms in our Foundation stage. I have made a simple form but am unsure what to say in a letter to parents. I gather the forms are to 'protect' us as well as the children by parents informing us of accidents they have had at home. Our parents are the type to get suspicious and think we are 'checking up on them', home visits took a while to be seen in a positive and unsuspicious light!

 

How can word it so they see the value and not take it negatively?

[Rea]

A home accident form does rather rely on parents telling you though doesn't it? And what if they don't, especially if they are suspicious?

But, if you're doing one, I'd say something along the lines of 'as you know we have to record any accidents that happen while your children are with us so we can keep you informed. These new forms have been introduced so you can tell us of any accidents that happen at home so we can be aware of any bumps or bruises that might interfere with the sessions routines, such as using the climbing frame, riding the bikes or kneading the dough'.

Can I ask why its being introduced, have you been told to do it from the LA?

[Cait]

We have 'Existing Injuries' forms to note down when a child arrives with 'bumps bruises and breaks' and have done it for some time. We were told we had to do it, can't remember by whom, so I just went ahead and made up a form. They live in one of those bound slippy pocket display files with the fresh ones at the front and a pocket per child as they need them. So we may get, say, six in 'Jack's' pocket that say he fell down the stairs or whatever and start to build something up. When they were filed just chronologically, it wasn't possible to notice a 'build up' for an individual child quite so easily.

 

I'm sure I've uploaded my page here somewhere, I'll scout about

 

here you go

Edited September 6, 2011 by Cait

[Rea]

We used to have a sheet where we recorded incidences that happened away from us but it was only used if we noticed something. Have I read it wrong? I got the impression the parents had to approach MrsL about any accidents, but i can see now it doesnt say that does it?

 

 

I did the same with your post Cait, about the young woman who is being evicted, I saw "4 weeks" and presumed pregnant! I shall go and lie down.

[SueJ]

We have a similar system to Cait's and have three types of form - one for accidents that happen in the setting, one when children come in with a pre-existing injury and one for staff. On the pre-existing injury one we note whether we have been told by the parent on entry or whether we have noticed something that we haven't been advised about - if the latter applies then there is a box to write up what we did about it eg., contact parents immediately or discussed when parent picked up if unable to contact before then.

[MrsL]

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful.

We are going for a quality standard mark and have been told we have to have one. As we haven't had one before parents don't know they need to come and tell us so I am putting out a letter asking them to come and tell us of accidents at home.

 

Thanks for the link Cait.