🟨 Quality Area 2 - Children's Health & Safety
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      3. 🟨 Quality Area 2 - Children's Health & Safety

      📒Unexpected Death of a Child at a Service Policy (QA2) (video Needed)

      National Quality Standard (NQS) - Quality Area 2: Children's health and safety

      About This Policy

      The unexpected death of a child at a Service is a traumatic event and the impact on Educators, children and families can cause emotional turmoil, which can overwhelm usual coping skills. A policy providing comprehensive procedures and principles is therefore crucial to ensure a coordinated response and notification to the regulatory authorities. 

      Due to the suddenness of such an event, well-trained and experienced staff can experience strong emotions and traumatic stress responses as a result of the event. The role of our Service is to help restore a sense of safety for children, Educators and families as soon as possible following a traumatic event. 

      National Quality Standard (NQS)

      Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety

      • 2.2.2 Incident and emergency management - Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented

      Education and Care Services National Regulations

      Children (Education and Care Services) National Law NSW

       

      Related Policies

      Scope

      This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.

      Purpose

      Woodlands will ensure that Management and Educators follow the procedures and principles within this policy and that immediate and appropriate action is taken to notify relevant authorities in the event of the death of a child whilst at the Service. There are a number of legal requirements to adhere to in the tragic event of the death of a child at a Service as outlined below. 

      Serious Incidents

      • Regulation 12 prescribes the following serious incident-
        The death of a child - while that child is being educated and cared for by an education and care service or following an incident occurring while that child was being educated and cared for by an education and care service;

      Notification of Serious Incident

      • Under the National Law and Regulations, the approved provider must notify the regulatory authorities within 24 hours of any serious incidents through the online NQA IT System. Section 174(2) (a) and Regulation 176 (2) (a) Download the template here: incident, injury, trauma and illness record template to record any supporting evidence. 

      Keeping Children's Records

      • In the event of the death of a child whilst being cared for at the Service, records need to be kept for 7 years from the child’s death

      Implementation

      Management and Educators will ensure that immediate and appropriate action is taken in the event of the death of a child whilst at the Service by following and implementing the following procedure:

      • Assess the situation as per service procedures for any immediate danger to other children or staff
      • Attempt CPR in accordance with current First Aid requirements
      • Call an ambulance immediately 
      • Management will call the parents/guardian of the child and arrange to meet at the hospital
      • Medical Staff will advise families 
      • Notify the Regulatory Authorities including Policy Department and Family and Community Services
      • Complete Illness, Incident, Accident, Trauma Form 
      • Contact Insurance Company 
      • Log incident onto NQA TI System, attaching incident form and evidence

       Management will also ensure that parents, families, children and educators will receive the following post-incident support:

      • Demonstrate sensitivity, open-mindedness and a balanced approach 
      • Recognition of cultural needs
      • Preservation of evidence
      • Accurate and detailed record-keeping
      • Management to contact a legal representative for support and direction
      • Protocols established for staff and Educators to discuss the traumatic event through media including social media
      • Professional communication with families of the Service
      • Engage the services of health care professionals (counselling & support for staff)
      • Ongoing cooperation with inter-agencies involved in the investigation 

       

      Caring for the wellbeing of educators, children, and families

       Woodlands will engage health professionals who may include child and family counsellors and psychologists to support our Educators to be sensitive and mindful of the impact such an event has had on all stakeholders. With professional guidance and support, we will encourage children to express their emotions and feelings and implement strategies to assist and guide children’s process of grieving and re-engage children in learning. 

       Woodlands will seek advice and support from health professionals to provide appropriate materials to send home to families to assist in understanding the effects of trauma on children and possible changes in behaviour following the unexpected death of a child in our Service. 

       

      Source
      📅 Policy Reviewed/Modification Dates ✍️ Modifications & Updates
      October 2017
      • New policy
      • Updated the references to comply with the revised National Quality Standard
      January 2020
      • Branding and formatting updated
      • Policy links added
      • Service-specific information amended not affecting the delivery of policy
      December 2024
      • Revised and reformatted the policy to enhance clarity and accessibility
      • Incorporated a feedback and collaboration form to encourage community input

      Feedback & Collaboration