Guest Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Following on from the discussion about behaviour incident books, I was told at a meeting of Playgroup Network last year that the old style accident books, where accidents etc. are listed on a page, should no longer be used. A separate sheet should be used for each accident and this should not be visible for other parents/carers to see. We now use a duplicate book and give the top copy to the parent. The carbon copy is folded back and attached to the front cover so that children's details are not seen. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 As a childminder i have an NCMA accident and incident book where each entry has a duplicate copy for the parents and noone can see the last entry as a piece of card covers it whilst you get the parents to sign. It works really well, both for accidents, incidents and existing injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Hi Everyone We use individual accident forms, which are then copied - one for the parent/carer and one for the child's file. I can attach a copy if it would be useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Hell Sue, I think this is a really good idea. How long do accident records have to be kept in the setting after the child has left ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Hi Bubblejack We keep the records for 5 years, so that they are available for any compensation claims. If the child is on the child protection register the records are kept until the child is 21. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Just a quick question - do the parents have to have a copy of the accident or incident booklet. Mine sign it off but I do not copy this page for them. Each accident or incident is recorded in the appropriate book on a separate page so it remains confidential. I was also under the impression that the books had to be kept much longer than five years. Where can I find out about this Nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hi Nikki We give parents/carers a copy of any accidents because some children are collected by different people and we want to ensure that parents know what has happened. It's easy if you use a carbon copy book. I'm not too sure how long records have to be kept for we keep ours for about 5 years, if I remember to get rid of them!! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cat33 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Oh dear. Am still using the old style. Thank goodnes for this forum. Will have to discuss what to do. Linda, do you still ask the Parents to sign? Or do you just send home the copy? Is there an official book.? I agree with the 5 year rule. The cellar at school is full of stuff dating back even further!!!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hi Chris We still get parents to sign, or whoever picks up the child. We feel its a good way to make sure parents find out if the child has had an accident but are not picked up by them We also drop children at local nurseries in the afternoon and tell them, especially if it was a head injury. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cat33 Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 Linda, thanks. We have a separate form for head bumps! Will have to find a tear out book with carbon paper. Or will make a form and photocopy. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 Hello everyone, Does anyone know where you can buy carbon paper in small quantities. W.H.S. do not stock it. Have found a postal service can only buy 100's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 We ask parents to sign the form and they receive a copy. We use a separate letter for head injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 ACCIDENT V INCIDENT In my group we complete an "accident type" form for children who come in to pre school with visible bruises, bumps, scratches etc. However, one of my parents took exception to this. I have been told that it is good practice and acts as a protection for the staff. However, Ofsted informed her that this was not a requirement, I subsequently telephoned them and spoke to a different Inspector who also told me that it was not one of their requirements, Early Years said that it was good practice and should be done as did the Pre School Learning Alliance. However, I am now trying to find out where it has been written as being good practice. No-one can seem to point me in the right direction. What does everyone else do and what do they include. As a matter of interest OfSted Guidlelines do not stipulate this as a requirement but the Inspectors actually pull up groups who do not have it in their Inspection Process. See various inspection reports requiring it. Any ideas please - need this sorted before Ofsted visit in February as it will be a hot issue. Nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2004 Share Posted January 25, 2004 All I can say Nichola is that it must be a requirement in your area and perhaps some others. We do not do this and it was not mentioned by our inspectors. It is perhaps good practice but not a requirement. So I assume that's why nothing was mentioned to us. What exactly do you record and why? We always comment to children when they come in if they have a very obvious bump etc. and, more often than not, parents will tell us if they have a bad bruise which is perhaps hidden, like on the back. There is always more than one member of staff present so that gives us some protection. I know this is probably not as good as recording things. I know a lot of settings use this sort of book and if you have already got it in place then there shouldn't be a problem with OFSTED. I would say of the parent who objected, there will always be some who will take offence at the idea such a record book suggests. For those parents perhaps you could have a pro forma letter explaining your reasons for such a book and ask them to sign that they don't wish to be involved in it. That way you are covered if anybody should complain. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Hello - I think I may just add to the confusion re the new way to record accidents. When our Nursey became aware of the need to record accidents in a new format, i.e. one per page which can then be filed away separately I spent some time designing a new form. I then rang the HSE helpline (Health & Safety Executive) who advised me that I could only use my new form if it was formally approved by The Department for Pensions! They did not have the facility for me to e-mail a copy and after lengthy discussion I was advised to use the HSE compliant Accident record book available from good book shops. I took this up with our County PLA who said the PLA will be publishing a new, compliant Accident record book 'soon'. In the meantime I continue to use the HSE book which I have adapted to our setting. Having just completed a combined Ofsted Inspection my inspector looked totally bemused when I explained the above - she clearly knew nothing about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Hello again! My brain has been absorbing the wealth of info in Linda's policies section which was really helpful. I thought you all might like to hear about our 'Code of Conduct for Physical Contact' which was introduced last year following consultation with our parents/carers. As a staff we were becoming increasingly concerned about what physical contact with the children was appropriate, eg sitting a child on your knee, cuddling a distressed child, toiletting children etc (everyday things to any pre-school practitioner but areas where we as a staff were feeling vulnerable). We carefully drew up a first draft of our Code of Conduct and consulted with the parents. Once they had had time to absorb the info and make any amendments (actually everyone was happy with it) we went ahead and adopted this as part of our Policies and Procedures. We are now confident that nothing can be misconstrued. I showed this to our EYDCP at a Child Protection course and I understand they now include this in course material as an example of good practice. Our Ofsted Inspector was also highly complimentary about it....... I am happy to share this with everyone (like Linda has with her policies) but I don't know how to attach it to this! Sorry. Perhaps someone could let me know what to do! Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Hi Lisa - That's very generous of you - and it sounds like a useful and timely document! If you send it to me as an attachment to an ordinary email (steve@foundation-stage.info) I'll post it for you. Alternatively you might like to try it for yourself - if you post a reply to this topic, just look down below the box you type your post into. You'll see a little area called File Attachments. Click the browse button and you'll see a list of the directories and files on your pc. Find your way to the document you want to share and that's it! If anyone else has documents or resources they would like to share, I'd be very happy to make them available - the building of a resource 'bank' useful to the whole membership is one of the goals of this community! Regards, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 Here' Lisa's Code of Conduct for Physical Contact with Children document (see above). Many thanks Lisa! Code_of_Conduct_Phys._Contact.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Does anyone have a near miss accident book? I have been told I need one and have no idea what a near miss is. How do you difernetiate between a near miss and an accidnt. Is a near miss if no one is hurt and an accident if they are hurt? Does anyone know? Thanks Gizzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 we have been using the new PLA book since September - as said it is one incident to a page. when is an accident not an accident, when it a near miss.... not got a clue. is this yet another piece of paperwork to confound us all... perhaps someone can enlighten us. we do record bumps and bruises when children arrive, it covers us ... mostly because one we did not do and we were quizzed as to how it happened when the child was picked up... dad left him, Mum collected and it happened on the way in he hadnt told her!!! Now its always recorded, when we explain why ewe have not had any complaints.. we added it to our policy to make parents aware .. if they ever read them... Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beryl Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Lisa Thanks for sharing your code of practice - it was very useful and informative. Just one question - you don't mention nappy changing at all, although I see you take children from the age of 2. Do you have any guidelines for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Hi,I am working in foundation stage 1 in Germany (British Forces) and we use accident/incident forms. They are single documents and every time copy goes to parent and original have to stay in the setting.We also prefer if is possible to speak to parent and just say what is happened to child and how and to reassure them.It seems to work. Sorry if my writing is not good, I am not British and my spelling need to improve. regards Brankica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Your writing and spelling are just fine Brankica, wait till you get to see more of mine!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I am also interested in guidelines for nappy changing, etc. .... and for informing staff of children's needs The setting where I work has no real policy on this. Until to years or so ago, only "trained" children were accepted. Except in cases of "special needs" (in which case the setting had an "informal agreement" with the parent/carer). Clearly, since we now accept 2-yr-olds, everything is that much more flexible. I feel that the setting needs to ascertain the status of a child's toilet training on enrollment (e.g. in nappies, pull-ups, pants), their reliability (will ask, need reminding, need regular taking, need changing), and preferences (e.g. boys sit or stand). As a regular attendee at our pre-school toilets (!), I often feel I am letting children down by not knowing these basics. How do other settings communicate these sorts of needs from parents to any of the 10+ staff who could have to deal with it? We currently have nearly 40 children on the roll (of whom, at least one quarter of who are in no way "trained"). Diane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Hi Gizzy, I have never heard of a near miss incident book and more to the point I would never introduce one to my group. How many near misses do we all have during a session? We would spend all morning writing up incidents etc if we were to do all the paper work that is suggested or somebody thinks we should have! Who has told you that you need one? I sometimes think there is a group of small minded people sitting somewhere thinking up these new policies etc just to wind us up!! Hello to brankica. Welcome to the forum. Don't worry about your spelling! Your use of English is excellent in comparison to my German which is none existent! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Hi there, brankica!! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 I think what Lisa is talking about is the accident book for employees rather than children. I bought an HSE compliant staff accident book last year from W H Smith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Hi, Linda I do not speak German too, I am from Bosnia. Me and my husband met while we worked for Army. We are 4 years in Germany now and this summer we are going back to England. This is my first setting I worked in and people are so nice. We are like a little community. I do not want to leave, I think my heart going to stay here. I am also working to ward NVQ3 and if anybody need any help give a shout. Big HI to Sue also Brankica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Quite agree with you there Linda.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Hi Linda, It was my PDW who said I needed one. But I have no idea what the difference between an accident and a near miss are! Gizzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts