Jackie A. Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 I teach in a Nursery class which is part of a large primary school. Whenever we have a minor accident at Nursery (bumped head, grazed knee, etc) we complete a hand-written note detailing date, time, nature of accident and measures taken. This is done in duplicate and the top copy is sent home with the child. We would also speak to the parent or carer as we hand over the child at the end of the session. I just wondered if this was sufficient or should we be asking parents to sign the accident report? We've never done this before, but one of our childminders who collects a child from Nursery has told us today that we should be asking parents to sign. Many of our children are collected by childminders, and we often very rarely see the parents. In the main school there is a standard form that is completed by the first-aider (or even the lunch-time controllers if the accident is during lunch break) and given to the child to take home. There is no requirement for parents to sign this and would be inpractical as many parents do not collect their children from school in KS2. It's difficult to have one rule for one part of the school and not for the other. I would be interested to hear from any other LEA nurseries as to what their procedure is for reporting accidents and whether there are legal stipulations. Thanks, Jackie
Guest Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 Hi We fill in an accident book saying what happened, how it was treated, witnesses, person who applied the first aid etc. we then ask the parents to sign before giving them their copy. We also put on their our recommendations i.e if they hit their head to keep an eye on them and look out for certain symptons etc. Hope this helps.
Guest Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 We are a pre-school and ask whoever collects the child to sign the accident book. We have the same system as you Jackie with a duplicate book, the top copy of which goes home with the child, We were advised some time ago to get it signed by parent/carer so that we had proof that somebody had at least seen it. Linda
Guest Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 I think Linda has mentioned the critical bit - getting a signature means that no one can say they didn't know the child had had an accident, and you have covered yourselves.
Guest Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 This is the format I ended up with after an Ofsted Inspection which was particularly pedantic!!! Childs name..........................DOB............... Date......................................Time................ Adult/child ratio at time of incident........................ A) Person reporting the incident....................(full name) Other wirness...........................................(Full name) Place of incident______________________( ie: role play area) Equipment/Toy/Furniture/person involved in incident _____________________________________________ Description of incident including cause and nature of injury (provide drawing on opposite page of position of injury) _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ C) 1st Aider name..................................................(Full name) action taken/recommendations_____________________________ _____________________________________________________ Signatures: A)_______________________________ _______________________________ C)_______________________________ Person reported to if not parent signature_______________________ Print name_______________________________________________ Parents signature___________________________Date:___________ Follow up call to parent? YES / NO signed_______________________ Head injury leaflet given Yes / NO______________________________ Believe it or not all this fits onto an A5 page, which is made into a booklet this being the left hand side. On the right side page we have a drawing of body front and back and space for further notes ie: child absent for 3 days, or parent reported taking child to doctor ( this is also signed by parent. Thankfully the most common action taken is TLC and the proverbial cold compress At the end of each booklet ( 12 records) I have an Evaluation table: This is carried out once the booklet is full. Date booklet started, date booklet finished. total number of days. I then total the number of; Accidents in lower hall Accidents in Upper hall On climbing frame or sports equipment Slipping, tripping on toys or running Other equipment Children hurting other children Outside Injury to adult Other Total number of Accidents Recommendations for risk assessment. We don't have carbon so if it is a head or other serious injury or sickness we do a photocopy for the parent to take in case further medical treatment is required. We also give out guidance leaflets for head injuries, and sickness / diarrhea. Minor scratches and knocks we don't give a copy. I make the booklets using publisher. Hope this helps. Peggy Peggy
Guest Posted March 15, 2006 Posted March 15, 2006 I agree a signature covers everybody, I don't think it should matter where your setting is. My sons school sometimes even forgot to tell the parents, so at least your school is doing the right thing, but no parent can argue with a signature 2 years down the line if they think the bump caused more damaged. Also for child protection reasons, a signature would be advisable.
Guest Posted March 15, 2006 Posted March 15, 2006 I am in a playschool setting and we do the same as Linda. We were told by our Link teacher to get it copied so that we have proff we told them about it. Rosemarie
Guest Posted March 18, 2006 Posted March 18, 2006 Hi Regarding the problem of signing for accident: at the moment we take the view that everyday bumps and falls are discussed with carer at the end of the da. Bumps/ grwzes etc that are seen by the fisrt aider are recordered in our nuresery/ recpetion log books and a head letter from the main scholl is giovenb (head incidents have to be recorded in a particlur way our senior first aider informed us after un update in training). If we can not see a parent directly then we will phone the parent to let them know. This has arisen as one child in particular has a number of bumps/ falls (we are concerned about his mobility but mum is not!!!!!!!!!) and he also attends the after school club at the tender age of 4 years old (he is in nursery- what is going on!!!!!!!!!!) Don't get me on why a 4 year old in nursrery is attending afterschool provision (which I have to say he always seems to enjoy as well as the breakfast club. I could cry- a day that lasts from 8.00am to 5.30pm- am I worried (with all the information I have, yes I am and those slow wheels of action are in action.) We do have a particulur problem with our nursery/ reception children attending the afterschool cub and info not being passed on so we decided that a phone call was necessary and log this and hiopefully get any parents to sign when we see them. For one chiuld I only get to see the parent if I arrive at 8.00pm or stay to 5.30pm and hover near the entrance too school. (which I resort to from time to time). Lisa
Recommended Posts