Accidents & Incidents
Accident & Incidents
No matter how well-prepared the nursery or highly qualified the nursery workers are, accidents in nurseries can and do still happen. Small children are curious and unpredictable, which means that to a certain extent, we should acknowledge that occasional accidents are to be expected within a nursery setting.
We follow 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 and record keeping of accidents and incidents.
Sometimes minor accidents may happen during the day. If your child has an accident the details of what happened and any resulting treatment will be recorded on the nursery's accident recording form. A copy of this will be given to you when you collect your child that day.
Accident- 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.
Incident- An incident is an event or occurrence that is related to another person, typically resulting in an injury, for example being pushed over and hurting your knee.
What we do
A minor bump to the head is common in children. If a child is asymptomatic (i.e. there is no bruising, swelling, abrasion, a mark of any kind, dizziness, headache, nausea, or vomiting) and the child appears well, then the incident will be treated as a ‘bump’ rather than a ‘head injury’. An accident or incident form will be completed depending on the circumstances.
Head injuries will be recorded on the nursery's head injury form. Please review the accident and injury section of the health and safety policy for further information.
What we do
We keep written records of all accidents, incidents, or injuries to a child together with any first aid treatment given.
Further information can be found in the health and safety policy.
What we do
After any accident or incident that occurs at one of our nurseries, we always evaluate to consider any changes to further manage, control, or mitigate any risks. We complete a lessons learned exercise after each significant accident, as well as weekly to consider the next steps.
The accident/incident forms are kept in an accident/incident folder to be accessed and reviewed when necessary to help:
- Review how many accidents or incidents happen in a term.
- What types of accidents or incidents occur.
- Identify any potential or existing hazards.
- Identify any patterns in children having a higher rate of accidents or incidents.
What we need from you
A “Prior Accident or Incident” is an accident or incident that happened outside the setting that has caused and injury or the seeking of medical advice.
A Prior Accident/ Incident Report is completed by the parent or carer each time they notify a member of staff about an accident or incident which has not happened at nursery. The report is signed by the parent or carer and countersigned by the nursery manager or member of the management team.