Serious Occurrence Policy

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that there is a plan to deal with any serious occurrence, which may affect the health, safety and well-being of individuals on or off the premises and that these serious incidents are reported, tracked and followed up on.

POLICY

Definitions of Serious Occurrences:

  1. Death of a Child – who receives child care at a home child care premises or child care centre, whether it occurs on or off premises.
  2. Abuse, Neglect or Alleged Abuse or Neglect of a Child – while receiving child care at a home child care premises or child care centre.
  3. Life-threatening Injury or Illness of a Child – who receives child care at a home child care premises or child care centre.
    a. Injury
    b. Illness
  4. Missing or Unsupervised Child(ren) – an incident where a child who is receiving child care at a home child care premises or child care centre
    a. Child was found
    b. Child is still missing
  5. Unplanned Disruption of Normal Operations – of a home child care premises or child care centre that poses a risk to the health, safety or well-being of children receiving child care at the home child care premises or child care centre.
    a. Fire
    b. Flood
    c. Gas Leak
    d. Detection of Carbon Monoxide
    e. Outbreak
    f. Lockdown
    g. Other Emergency Relocation or Temporary Closure

SERIOUS OCCURRENCE PROCEDURES

  1. The child shall be provided with immediate medical attention when warranted.
  2. The staff, any witness or persons having knowledge of the occurrence shall orally report the occurrence immediately to the Executive Director or designate.
  3. The Executive Director or designate notified will conduct a preliminary inquiry immediately.
  4. All persons having knowledge of the occurrence will remain at the program location until they are excused by the Executive Director or designate conducting the preliminary inquiry.
  5. The preliminary report shall be written and signed by the Executive Director or designate before staff involved goes off duty. See attached Initial Notification Form.
  6. The Executive Director or designate notifies the Chair Person of the Board of Directors of the incident immediately.
  7. The Executive Director or designate will report the occurrence to the Ministry of Education in CCLS within 24 hours of the licensee or supervisor becoming aware of the occurrence, and the Child Care Co-ordinator at the York Region Board of Education. If the child involved in the incident is on fee assistance, the Children’s Services Division of the Regional Municipality of York will be contacted immediately as well.

Where applicable and possibly after consultation with the Ministry, contact Police, Children’s Aid Society or a Coroner.

To support increased transparency and access to information, a “Serious Occurrence Notification Form” must be posted at the centre location in a visible and accessible area for 10 business days, this includes any allegation of abuse or neglect. The summary does not include any identifying information and shall be updated as new information is obtained.

ON-SITE PROCEDURES

For any accident that occurs at the centre, the staff member who witnessed the accident must fill out an accident form.

The staff member who witnessed the accident and informed staff are responsible for making the parent(s) aware of the occurrence, insuring the accident form is signed by the parent(s) and a copy is given to parent(s).

In the event of a major accident where it is judged by the Executive Director or designate that a trip to the hospital is required, the following procedure will apply:

  1. The child should be taken to the nearest hospital by ambulance. The child’s emergency file containing the emergency consent form and medical record must accompany the child to the hospital, along with a staff member.
  2. The parent or Guardian should be contacted immediately to meet the staff and child at the hospital.

OFF-SITE PROCEDURES

For any accident, which occurs on a field trip, the staff member who witness the accident must fill out the accident form.

The staff member who witnessed the accident is responsible for making the parent(s) aware of the occurrence, insuring that the accident form is signed by the parent(s) and a copy is given to the parent(s).

In the event of a major accident where it is judged by the Executive Director or designate that a trip to the hospital is required, the following procedure will apply:

  1. Take the child to the nearest hospital by ambulance.
  2. Supervisor or designate will contact parent(s) to meet the child and staff at the hospital.
  3. Supervisor or designate will meet staff at hospital with child’s file.

Staff will not leave the centre without “Emergency File Cards” for each child.

MISSING CHILD PROCEDURES

When a child cannot be accounted for during program operations, the staff member must alert all staff on the premises. An immediate search of the centre, both indoors and outdoors, will commence. The Site Supervisor or designate (who is not searching the premises) will alert the child(ren)’s parent in case they have additional information regarding the child’s whereabouts.

When applicable (child’s whereabouts remain unknown) the police will be notified and the serious occurrence procedure will be followed.

For any missing child incident that occurs at the centre, staff members must complete an incident report. Staff members are responsible to ensure the Site Supervisor or Designate is aware of the missing child.

The Executive Director or designate completes the Report of Serious Occurrence.

OPERATIONAL STANDARDS

With complaints made about operational and/or service standard of the centre, Denison Child Care is responsible for managing complaints they receive. If a licensee receives a complaint about an incident that relates to a defined serious occurrence category, the incident should be reported to the Ministry of Education under the appropriate category. Serious Occurrence procedures will then be followed.

RECOVERY FROM AN EMERGENCY

Denison Child Care will address recovery from an emergency when warranted. Staff members, children and parents/guardians/family members will be debriefed after the emergency by a notice being posted and/or verbal contact with the Executive Director or Site Supervisor.

The Centre will provide additional support to staff, children and families who may have experienced distress during the emergency. Counselling service will be contacted as warranted. Local services may include the Kids Helpline 1-800-668-6868; Blue Hills Child & Family Services 905-773-4323; and Mental Health Services, Southlake Regional Health Centre 905-895-4521.

Normal operation will be resumed when the occurrence is resolved to reasonable standards.

ANNUAL SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS REPORT

The Executive Director or Site Supervisor will conduct an analysis of all serious occurrences that have occurred in the previous calendar year and record any actions taken in response to the analysis. The annual summary identifies issues, trends and actions taken. Records of actions taken in the response to the analysis are to be accessible to the program advisor during license renewal inspections. The completed “Annual Summary and Analysis Report” will be posted on the parent information board.