First Aid Policy

1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

Children, staff and volunteers have the right to immediate first aid attention. Our approach to first aid will ensure that our duty of care is met for children, staff and other stakeholders.

1.2. Scope

All Junior Adventures Group (JAG) People are required to comply with the provisions set out in this policy, their contract of employment and all other relevant policies, procedures and legislation.

1.3. Legislative Requirements

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, JAG is required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the children in care.

2. Policy Statement

When an incident or emergency occurs, affected children and JAG People will have immediate access to first aid attention. Our policy and practices will ensure that equipment and facilities are available to team members and children.

3.Principles

3.1. Duty of Care

JAG has a duty of care to respond to events requiring first aid administration. In the event of an incident, appropriate first aid will be applied by a JAG person with the appropriate and relevant state-based qualifications.

3.2. Appropriately Skilled Workforce

A Trained Team Member (with current first aid qualifications) will be on duty whenever the Service is in operation and will assess and respond to incidents during service hours. All permanent team members will be encouraged to undertake an approved first aid qualification appropriate to children and maintain currency of training.

Staff rosters ensure that there are always two team members on site (excluding Single Staff Model Service), including one with a current first aid certificate.

3.3. Communication to Families

Information about managing incidents, injuries, illness, emergencies and trauma will be provided to families through various communication channels.

Service Leaders will inform parents/guardians and soon as practical. Service Leaders will inform the relevant authority within 24 hours of any injury or incident which may require further medical attention.

3.4. Information and Record Keeping

Telephone numbers of emergency services, local doctors and the Poisons Information Service and up-to-date emergency procedures will be displayed prominently in the Service.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, asthma and anaphylaxis posters will be displayed in all relevant areas, including outdoors, where possible.

Team Members will document all first aid administered on an incident report, which is made available to parents/guardians. A reference to the incident will also be included on the child’s file for ease of future reference.

3.5. First Aid Kit

The first aid kit will be clearly labelled and readily accessible.

A separate travelling first aid kit will be maintained and taken on all excursions. A risk assessment will be completed before excursions that considers procedures for the potential administration of first aid at excursion locations, venues and while in transit.

Each first aid kit will be checked each term to ensure it is fully stocked and that all stock is within the expiry date.

The first aid box contents and the on-site Team Members must also comply with workplace and occupational health and safety laws relevant to each jurisdiction, national laws and regulations and any human resource occupational and workplace health and safety policies.

3.6. Administration of First Aid

In an emergency, a Trained Team Member will administer first aid.

First aid will only be administered by a first aid-qualified Team Member in the event of minor injuries or when a person requires medical intervention.

3.7. Supervision

Team Members will support each other when managing first aid, ensuring immediate risks are eliminated and that all children at the Service are adequately supervised while first aid is administered. Comfort will be provided to other children involved in an incident or suffering trauma. Clear communication must be upheld between team members when managing incidents and supervising children.

Injured persons will be kept under adult supervision until they recover or until an Authorised Nominee takes charge of them. Where possible, a delegated team member will accompany an injured child in the ambulance to hospital until the child’s family arrives.

3.8. First Aid Waste

First aid waste will be disposed of appropriately to prevent cross-infection and contamination. Waste will be placed in a bag that can be sealed and then placed in a suitable disposal unit that is not readily accessible to children.

3.9. Families’ Responsibilities

Families and carers must be contactable, either directly or through emergency contacts listed on the child’s enrolment record, in the event of an incident requiring the administration of first aid.

Families must provide consent (via the enrolment record) for a team member to administer first aid and call an ambulance if required.

Parents or guardians must sign the Incident, Injury, Trauma or Illness Record upon collection of their child.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to name additional emergency contacts they expect would be available and able to assist in an emergency.

3.10. Child Safety

Children’s health, wellbeing and safety is priority within our Service. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organistions. JAG provides polices and procedures to equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe. Service Practices are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business. As part of our procedures, communication with families must be upheld to ensure they can be informed and involved in the event of an incident.

4. Key Terms

Authorised Nominee:

• A person appointed by the enrolling parent/guardian or family member to collect the child from the care of the Service; this person must be fit for duty of care responsibility and identified upon arrival to the Service

JAG People:

• Any adult that governs, manages, conducts work for or provides activities to JAG in a paid or unpaid activity spanning all levels of the organisational structure

Trained Team Member:

• Staff who have completed accredited training in the treatments or techniques required to administer medication and hold current first aid, anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management training qualifications approved by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority

Service Leader:

• Anyone who oversees the Service in one of the following roles:

  1. The Approved Provider; if the approved provider is an individual, in other cases, a person with management or control of the Service

  2. The Nominated Supervisor of the Service

  3. A Responsible Person who has been placed in day-to-day charge of the Service in the absence of the Nominated Supervisor.

Team Members:

• JAG People that work directly with Children

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

St John’s Ambulance

Essential First Aid: A practical and easy guide to first aid

National Quality Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Care

Children Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Educational and Care Services National Regulations

Australian Resuscitation Council Other Relevant Legislation

Regulation 12 – Meaning of serious incident

Regulation 85 - Incident, injury, trauma and illness policies and procedures

Regulation 86 – Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness

Regulation 87 – Incident, injury, trauma and illness record

Regulation 89 – First aid kits

Regulation 136 – First aid qualifications

Regulation 137 – Approval of qualifications

Regulation 145 – Staff record

Regulation 146 – Nominated supervisor

Regulation 147 – Staff members

Regulation 161 – Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record

Regulation 168 – Education and care Service must have policies and procedures

Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followed

Regulation 171 – Policies and procedures to be kept available

Regulation 172 – Notification of change to policies or procedures

Regulation 245 – Person taken to hold approved first aid qualification Related Policies

Emergency and Risk Management Incident Management Related Procedures 02P004 Medical and Health Management Procedures 02P005 Incidents Management Procedures 02P006 Health and Hygiene Procedures Onboarding and credentialling Other Quality Area 4: Standard 4.1 Quality Area 2: Elements 2.1.1, 2.1.2 OCG Guide to Child Safe Standards - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-scheme CCYP Child safe Standards - https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/ National Principles for Child Safe Organisations - https://childsafe.humanrights.gov.au/national-principles

Version 3.0 Change History

JAG Policy Change Register Date Approved 01/07/2023 Date Implemented

01/07/2023 Document Owner Quality Service Development Document Approvers

CEO / Approved Provider Next Review 12 Months