Nursery emergency policy

Policy statement

The University of Dundee Nursery Ltd. endeavours to ensure that the children in our care are protected from accidents and injury. Measures are taken to reduce the risk of accidents and procedures are in place in the event that an accident or injury may occur. We acknowledge that as children grow and develop, they may have accidents and that these can occur both at home and whilst at Nursery. This policy sets out measures taken to prevent and reduce accidents and the procedures to follow in the event of an accident.

Measures taken to reduce risk

• Daily safety checks are conducted by supervisory room staff and management on duty before the building is opened to children. This is to ensure that the premises are safe to operate. Any faults or damage established from this check are reported to the most senior person on duty and appropriate action taken to resolve any matters. It is the responsibility of the following people in the following circumstances:

1. Broken toys/equipment. These are removed by the member of staff who discovers the issue and reported to the most senior person on duty.
2.  A fault with the building such as a broken door, broken toilet seat, lights not working etc. This is reported to the Estates and Buildings help desk on via email or in an emergency 0118 378 7000.
3. Hazards identified within the perimeter of the Nursery such as broken glass on the footpaths are reportable to the Estates and Buildings help desk on via email or in an emergency 0118 378 7000.

• Appropriate staff ratios adhered to at all times.
• Staff are vigilant to potential hazards and report these to the Senior Nursery Manager or Junior Nursery Manager to be addressed.
• Staff are trained in paediatric first aid, first aid in the workplace, manual handling, and food safety.
•  Staff are trained to complete risk assessments and how to identify any potential risks.

Qualified first aiders

All staff member always holds a current paediatric first aid certificate on duty in each homeroom when children are present.

Dealing with an accident

• The situation is assessed.
•  Emergency first aid is given as required.
• Emergency services are called where required by delegating to another member of staff; this must be the case in the event of all serious injuries.
• The child is comforted and reassured as needed and diplomatic honesty is maintained.
• Initial information is collected to help manage the situation and to understand how the accident happened? For example, for falls, how far did they fall? and for a trip, what caused this? Has the child eaten a foreign object? If so, what was it? Can a sample by given to health care professionals?
• The individual with parental responsibility is informed without delay where a child requires further medical treatment, when they have had a bump to the head or any other injury which is deemed to be severe by the Nursery. If a child injures themselves in such a way that it would be immediately noticeable to the parent on collection of the child a staff member will inform parents in advance i.e. a graze to their face.
•  If a child needs to go to hospital, they will be accompanied by a familiar staff member until the parent is able to arrive and take responsibility for the child. The member of staff accompanying the child should take appropriate details with them to inform emergency treatment, this information will include allergies, medical conditions, parents’ wishes, parent’s details, date of birth, home address and Doctors details.
• Staff members will ensure any cleaning and replenishing the first aid kit is dealt with immediately.
• A Nursery accident form will be completed.

Investigating incidents

All serious incidents will be investigated thoroughly. This includes considering whether a risk assessment need implementing or if current risk assessments need reviewing. Any equipment which is involved in an incident will be assessed to determine whether it may need repairing or potentially removed from the Nursery.

Calling for an ambulance

Using the Nursery phone dial 9-999 or 112 from a phone and ask for an ambulance to attend the following address: The University of Dundee Nursery Ltd 8-10 Airlie Place DD1 4HN, or The University of Dundee Nursery Ltd. DUSA, Balfour Street, Dundee, DD1 4HN, a member of staff will meet it at the entrance and guide it to the Nursery. When the ambulance arrives the Nursery staff must provide paramedics with the child’s emergency details form, as well as a detailed account of the accident or reason for call.

Parents reporting accident/incidents that happen away from Nursery

We have a duty to the overall well-being of all nursery children and as part of this commitment we require that any incident resulting in an injury whilst away from the Nursery is recorded on an Incident Away from Nursery form. This information supports us to safeguard the children at the Nursery and is then in the child’s personal file for future reference. If injuries are not reported but are noticed on the child whilst at the Nursery staff members must speak to the Manager before contacting the parents to identify the cause and will require the form to be completed on collection.

General information

Plasters are only applied after parental consent has been given. First aid boxes are checked and replenished on a regular basis.

Document information