• Section 1 - Purpose 
• Section 2 - Scope 
• Section 3 - Responsibility 
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Trauma caused by a serious incident at the service
• Reportable illnesses contracted by a child
• Sudden illnesses in children
• Incidents that result in the death of a child
• General Information
• Section 5 - Legislative Requirements
• Section 6 - Document Review 

Section 1 - Purpose 

(1) St Nicholas is committed to providing children with an environment that promotes their health, safety, and wellbeing. St Nicholas aims to create an environment which minimises incidents, injury trauma and illness and educates children and families in relation to health and safety practices.

(2) St Nicholas employee have a duty of care to respond to and manage illnesses, accidents, incidents and trauma that may occur at the service to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, educators and visitors.

(3) The Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011 S1 653) require approved providers to ensure their services have policies and procedures in place in relation to dealing with incident, injury, trauma and illness. This procedure needs to read in conjunction with the St Nicholas Compliance Policy.

Section 2 - Scope 

(4) This procedure applies to all St Nicholas employees who educate and care for children in Early Education and OOSH services, and the parents/carers of children who attend St Nicholas services.

Section 3 - Responsibility 

Section 4 - Procedure

(5) St Nicholas team members will:

1. Assess the situation and apply first aid for the injury sustained to the child in accordance with the St Nicholas Administration of First Aid Procedure.
2. Where an injury requires medical treatment beyond first aid, St Nicholas team members will seek emergency medical treatment.
3. If required, parents/carers will be directed to seek further medical assistance if the injury does not require immediate emergency medical treatment.
4. Notify parents/carers or an authorised nominee of the incident.
5. Complete an incident report in mnResponse within 24 hours.
6. In the event where a child requires emergency medical attention, or further medical attention, the St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person will contact their Area Service Manager who will provide guidance in relation to completing a report to relevant authorities.
7. Adhere to the St Nicholas Notification of a Serious Incident Procedure, as required.
8. Ensure the service has all relevant documentation to co-operate with any further investigation that may occur.

Trauma caused by a serious incident at the service

(6) Trauma may occur to a St Nicholas team member or child who has been exposed to or involved in a serious incident at the service.

(7) The St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person will:

1. Contact the child’s parent/carer or authorised nominee as soon as practicable or within 24 hours, ensuring reporting and notification guidelines are followed.
2. Contact and notify the St Nicholas Area Service Manager.
3. Where applicable, contact emergency services.
4. Ensure the relevant authorities are notified within the required timeframe.
5. Ensure completion of an incident report in mnResponse, containing details before, during and after the incident within 24 hours.
6. Liaise with emergency services, St Nicholas Area Service Manager and parent/carer, and provide correct and detailed documentation to ensure full cooperation in the event of an investigation.

(8) St Nicholas team member will:

1. Work in collaboration with parent/carers and advise them to seek further professional assistance.
2. Supply local information in relation to professional assistance in dealing with trauma to families to support them, where possible.
3. In the event of a serious incident occurring and clear signs of trauma present, the St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person will contact the St Nicholas Area Service Manager for assistance in contacting external support services to assist with trauma/grief counselling.
4. Maintain communication with parents/carers to keep them updated.
5. Provide ongoing support for the children, educators, family members and visitors will be provided where appropriate, that best suits their individual needs.
6. Complete an incident report in mnResponse, containing details before, during and after the incident.
7. Ensure the relevant authorities are notified within the required timeframe.

Reportable illnesses contracted by a child

(9) There are some illnesses that require notification to Regulatory Authority and the Public Health Unit. St Nicholas services should notify their Public Health Unit and Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of being made aware that a child enrolled at the service has one of the following vaccine preventable diseases (or is reasonably suspected of having come into contact with a person who has one of these vaccine preventable diseases), and the enrolled child has no evidence of immunisation lodged to show that the child is immunised against, or has acquired immunity by infection from that disease.

(10) These are known as Notifiable Diseases and include:

1. Diphtheria;
2. Mumps;
3. Poliomyelitis;
4. Haemophilus influenzae Type B (Hib);
5. Meningococcal disease;
6. Rubella (German Measles);
7. Measles;
8. Pertussis (Whooping Cough);
9. Tetanus;
10. Infectious disease outbreaks (more than 2 cases) of a gastrointestinal or respiratory illnesses

(11) For information specific to immunisation, please refer to the St Nicholas Infectious Diseases procedure.

(12) The St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person will:

1. Notify St Nicholas Area Service Manager.
2. Ensure the Public Health Unit is notified.
3. Ensure the relevant authorities are notified within the required timeframe.

(13) St Nicholas team members will:

1. Follow the St Nicholas Infectious Diseases Procedure.
2. Ensure visible signage is displayed alerting families of an outbreak, the symptoms, treatment and exclusion period of the disease.  
3. Provide families with details regarding exclusion periods.
4. Complete an incident report in mnResponse.

Sudden illnesses in children

(14) The onset of sudden illness may occur for children while in attendance at a St Nicholas service. A child may become lethargic, have a temperature, indicate they are in pain, become quiet and withdrawn, do not want to participate in activities, or present in other ways.

(15) St Nicholas team member will:

1. follow the child’s medical action plan guidelines for known medical conditions.
2. administer first aid in accordance with St Nicholas First Aid Procedure and First Aid training.
3. communicate illness with the St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person.
4. stay with the child providing comfort and reassurance, and monitor their condition documenting any changes.
5. contact emergency services so the child can receive appropriate treatment in cases where first aid procedures no longer provide necessary care.
6. contact the child’s parent/carer to arrange collection when a child is not well enough to participate in activities, or their symptoms are causing them distress.
7. complete an incident report in mnResponse within 24 hours.
8. contact the child’s parent/carer or authorised nominee to collect the child in the presence of an unexplained rash, as it will be treated as an infectious illness.
9. request parent/carer obtain a clearance letter from their medical practitioner in the event of a child being sent home, if deemed necessary.

Temperatures/Fevers

(16) St Nicholas team member will:

1. check the child’s temperature using an appropriate digital thermometer If it is suspected that the child may have a temperature if they feel hot to touch, are lethargic or unsettled.
2. recheck the child’s temperature every 30 minutes if their temperature is between 37.5 ^oC and 37.9 ^oC, and record each reading on an incident report in mnResponse.
3. phone a parent/carer or authorised nominee phone if the child’s temperature is 38 ^oC or higher, and advise to collect their child. St Nicholas educator should separate the child from other children where possible.
4. ensure the ‘Fever’ fact sheet from Staying Healthy 6^th Edition (2024) is available to families.
5. refer to the St Nicholas Administration of Medication procedure as required.

(17) If the child has gone home from the service with a fever but their temperature is normal the next morning, they can return to the service.

(18) Call 000 and ask for an ambulance if the child has a temperature and displays any of the following:

1. not responding to your voice.
2. having problems breathing.
3. is pale and their hands and feet are cold to touch.
4. febrile convulsions (which are physical seizures).

(19) Notify parent/carer or authorised nominee of the situation and that an ambulance has been called for a medical emergency.

1. Verbal permission can be granted for the administration of a single dose of paracetamol if the parent has provided written permission in the enrolment form. In the event paracetamol is administered a St Nicholas Paracetamol Administration Form must be completed at the time the medication is administered. Please refer to the St Nicholas Administration of Medication procedure.
2. Avoid cold water sponging or cold baths that make the child shiver. If sponging or bathing makes the child feel more comfortable use lukewarm water.
3. Complete an incident report in mnResponse.

Vomiting and/or Diarrhoea

(20) Vomiting and diarrhoea may occur in children while attending St Nicholas services. This is not always indicative of illness.

(21) St Nicholas team member will:

1. observe and document child’s symptoms, and accurately transfer this onto an incident report in mnResponse.
2. contact the family to collect the child if:
   1. the child vomits or has diarrhoea on one occasion and is distressed or complaining of other symptoms, or
   2. the child vomits or has diarrhoea on two or more occasions during the day.
3. inform the parent/carer or authorised nominee of the relevant exclusion periods as per Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services, 6th Edition (2024). A medical clearance letter may be required before the child returns to care.
4. complete an illness report in mnResponse.
5. notify an St Nicholas Area Service Manager and ensure appropriate reports are made to the Public Health Unit and the Regulatory Authority within the obligated timeframes, as required.

Rashes

(22) Urgent medical attention is needed if a child has a rash of flat spots that do not whiten/blanche if you press on them. The spots can be very small or quite large, and red or purple in colour. These rashes are caused by burst blood vessels under the skin, and may indicate a serious infection, such as meningococcal disease (Staying Healthy, 6^th ed., 2024).

(23) Some rashes can be a sign of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). The parents/carers of children who are known to have severe, life-threatening allergies should provide the education and care service with an anaphylaxis action plan for their child. St Nicholas team members should follow this plan in the event of an anaphylactic reaction (Staying Healthy, 6^th ed., 2024).

(24) St Nicholas team members will:

1. contact the child’s parent/carer or authorised nominee to advise they need to collect the child.
2. exclude children with an unexplained rash from the service until such time as the rash is no longer present.
3. advise families of relevant exclusion periods as per Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services, 6th Edition (2024) of children with a rash caused by an illness diagnosed by a medical practitioner. A medical clearance letter may be required before the child returns to care.

Incidents that result in the death of a child

(25) A first aid trained St Nicholas team member will assess the situation for any danger to other children, team members, family members and visitors.

(26) A first aid trained St Nicholas team member will administer first aid in accordance with their training and the St Nicholas Administration of First Aid Procedure.

(27) Contact an ambulance by calling ‘000’. Ambulance is to be called prior to contacting parents or carers.

(28) The St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person must contact the St Nicholas Area Service Manager who will advise regarding contacting the child’s family.

(29) Ensure the relevant authorities are notified within the required timeframe.

(30) The police and relevant authorities will investigate, and the environment is not to be disturbed until all applicable authorities have given an all clear.

(31) The St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person will direct St Nicholas team members to make comprehensive observations of anything seen or actions taken before or after the accident and complete any documentation required. This may include but is not limited to:

1. incident report in mnResponse.
2. ACECQA notification of serious incident.
3. observation records and timelines of events.

(32) These forms must be completed as soon as practical or within 24 hours of the incident.

(33) Police in attendance will inform the St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or Area Service Manager of any other matters that need to be addressed.

(34) In the event of a death, or serious injury at the service, all St Nicholas employees will be offered debriefing and counselling from suitably qualified persons such as EAP, psychologist, counsellor, SIDS and kids.

(35) In the event of a death, or serious injury at the service, children with the approval of parents/carers will be offered support by St Nicholas employees and external suitably qualified persons.

(36) St Nicholas employee are not to comment to the press unless otherwise directed by St Nicholas Management.

(37) If St Nicholas employees involved are found to be negligent in any way they will be placed on Administrative Leave until the investigation is concluded or until further notice.

(38) St Nicholas employees involved in incidents that result in the death of child will be required to participate in investigations to the incident. Depending on the findings of People & Culture’s investigations (which will be undertaken in accordance with relevant People & Culture policies) into the matter, employees may be subject to disciplinary action including but not limited to summary dismissal for serious misconduct.

(39) If St Nicholas team members wish to attend the funeral (following appropriate consultation with the child’s parents/carers), special leave will be granted which may result in the centre being closed for the day. Closure of the service will be considered on a case by case basis.

General Information

(40) All St Nicholas employee will be informed of the St Nicholas Compliance policy and associated procedures.

(41) If a child presents at a St Nicholas service with symptoms similar to those of an infectious disease already diagnosed in the service, the St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person, has the right to discreetly ask the child’s parent/carer to obtain a clearance letter from their medical practitioner before returning to care.

(42) In the event of a child arriving at the service who is visibly unwell, the St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person may discreetly ask the parent/carer to take the child home to recover before returning.

(43) First aid kits will contain a list of contents with product use by dates.

(44) A list of emergency numbers will be placed in prominent positions inside and outside the service and near telephones.

(45) Resuscitation posters are displayed in appropriate areas of the service.

(46) The St Nicholas Nominated Supervisor or St Nicholas Responsible Person is to be notified before parents are called to collect their child.

(47) In the case of an injury sustained to the head, face or as a result of a bite from another child, parents/carers are to be notified as early as conveniently possible by telephone, even if the injury does not appear to be serious.

(48) The following medical procedures will not be performed by educators and parents/carers will be notified of the injury and asked to collect child if necessary:

1. educators will not remove any splinters or bee stings that are under the child’s skin with no protruding points;
2. educators will not remove anything inserted into a child’s ears or nose. Parents/carers will be asked to come and assess child and seek medical assistance if necessary.

(49) Eyes are only to be washed out with a saline solution. If anything else is in the eye, parents/carers will be called to assess child and seek medical assistance if necessary. For eye injuries of a serious nature team members will seek medical assistance straight away.

(50) In the event of a serious incident please refer to the St Nicholas Notification of a Serious Incident Procedure.

(51) If an ambulance is called and a child is taken to hospital, a St Nicholas employee will accompany the child if the parent/carer has not arrived.

Section 5 - Legislative Requirements

Section 6 - Document Review 

(52) This procedure will be reviewed when there is a legislative change, organisational change, delegations change or at least every 3 years to ensure it continues to be current and effective.