A good policy will ensure there is a suitable system for recording all incidents and that the management review these on a regular basis. It is also important that serious accidents are investigated and lessons learned.
Certain accidents require reporting to the Incident Contact Centre, who will report the information to the local authority. These accidents include those which are as a result of a failure or a policy within the nursery and require a child to attend a hospital directly from the scene of the accident. For example, if a child tripped over a torn carpet and went to hospital, even if they were taken by the parent from nursery it is then reportable.
These accidents also require reporting within certain timeframes - verbally within 24 hours of knowledge of the incident and in writing on a prescribed form within ten days. It is an offence not to report an accident or to report it late, with a fine of up to 5,000.
Belinda Hooley, operations manager, Perry Scott Nash, environmental health consultants.
