POLICY CONTENT

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, the approved provider must ensure policies and procedures are in place for the administration of first aid (Reg. 168) and take reasonable steps to ensure policies and procedures are followed. First aid can save lives and prevent minor injuries or illnesses from becoming major. The ability to provide prompt basic first aid is particularly important in the context of an early childhood service where Educators have a duty of care and obligation to assist children who are injured, become ill, or require support with the administration of medication.   

NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)

QUALITY AREA 2: Children's Health and Safety

2.1.1	Wellbeing and comfort	Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.1.2	Healthy practices and procedures	Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2	Safety	Each child is protected.
2.2.1	Supervision	At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2	Incident and emergency management	Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.

PURPOSE

Our School has a duty of care to provide and protect the health and safety of children, educators, and visitors of the School. This policy aims to support educators to:  

• Preserve life 
• Ensure the environment is safe and other people are not in danger of becoming ill or injured 
• Ensure that ill or injured persons are stabilised and comforted until medical assistance intervenes  
• Relieve pain if possible 
• Monitor ill or injured persons and promote recovery 
• Provide immediate and effective first aid to children or adults
• Apply additional first aid if the condition does not improve 

‘First aid can reduce the severity of an injury or illness and in extreme cases, could mean the difference between life and death.’ (Safe Work Australia).

SCOPE

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

IMPLEMENTATION

First aid is the emergency aid or treatment given to persons suffering illness or injury following an accident and prior to obtaining professional medical services if required. It includes emergency treatment, maintenance of records, dressing of minor injuries, recognition, and reporting of health hazards, and participation in safety programs. Legislation that governs the operation of approved children’s services is based on the health, safety, and welfare of children, and requires that children are protected from hazards and harm.

GOVERNANCE

Management is responsible for:

• taking every reasonable precaution to protect children at the School from harm and/or hazards that can cause injury 
• ensuring that the following qualified people are in attendance at all times the school is providing education and care to children
  • at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor who holds current ACECQA-approved first aid qualifications  
  • at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the school who has undertaken currently approved anaphylaxis management training 
  • at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the school who has undertaken currently approved emergency asthma management training (one staff member may hold one or more of the three qualifications) 
• appointing a nominated first aid officer 
• ensuring a risk assessment is conducted prior to an excursion or regular outing, to identify risks to health, safety, or wellbeing and specifying how these risks will be managed and minimised 
• ensuring that first aid training details are recorded and kept up to date on each staff member’s record 
• ensuring there is an induction process for all new staff, including casual and relief staff, that includes providing information on the location of first aid kits and specific first aid requirements and individual children’s allergies, and individual medical management plans 
• ensuring that parents are notified when practicable or within 24 hours if their child is involved in an incident, injury, trauma, or illness at the School and that details are recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma, and Illness Record. 
• ensuring the Regulatory Authorities are notified within 24 hours if a child is involved in a serious incident, injury, trauma, or illness at the School 
• ensuring that staff members are offered support and debriefing subsequent to a serious incident requiring the administration of first aid 
• ensuring a resuscitation flow chart is displayed in a prominent position in the indoor and outdoor environments of the School 
• keeping up to date with any changes in procedures for the administration of first aid and ensuring that all educators are informed of these changes. 

A Nominated Supervisor/ Responsible Person will:

• maintain a current approved first aid qualification 
• support staff when dealing with a serious incident and/or trauma 
• provide and maintain an appropriate number of up-to-date, fully equipped first aid kits that meet Australian Standards 
• provide and maintain a transportable first aid kit/s that can be taken to excursions and other activities 
• monitor the contents of all first aid kits and arrange a replacement of stock, including when the use-by date has been reached 
• dispose of out-of-date materials and supplies appropriately 
• ensure safety signs showing the location of first aid kits are clearly displayed 
• ensure that all educators approved first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training, and emergency asthma management training are current and meet the requirements of the National Act and National Regulations and are approved by ACECQA 
• provide training for the administration of an auto-injector device annually and document on staff files (not mandatory) 
• keep up to date with any changes in the procedures for the administration of first aid 
• contact families immediately if a child has had a head injury whilst at the School 
• ensure that appropriate documentation is being recorded by the Nominated Supervisor / Responsible Person regarding incidents, injury, trauma, and illnesses and the administration of first aid. Documentation of the following must be recorded:
  • name and age of the child circumstances leading to the incident, injury, trauma, or illness (including any symptoms) 
    time and date 
  • details of action taken by the school including any medication administered, first aid provided or 
    medical personnel contacted
  • details of any witnesses 
  • names of any person the school notified or attempted to notify, and the time and date of this
  • signature of the person making the entry, and the time and date of this. 

Educators will:

• implement appropriate first aid procedures, when necessary 
• maintain current approved first aid qualifications, and qualifications in anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management as required (Safe Work Australia recommends first aid qualifications should be renewed every three years) 
• refresh their CPR and administration of an auto-injector device training at least annually (not mandatory) 
• ensure that all children are adequately supervised while providing first aid and comfort for a child involved in an incident or suffering trauma 
• ensure that the details of any incident requiring the administration of first aid are recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma, and Illness Record accurately 
• conduct a risk assessment prior to an excursion, regular outing, or when providing regular transportation of children to identify risks to health, safety, or wellbeing and specifying how these risks will be managed and minimised (NB: risk assessment for a regular outing or regular transportation is required at least annually) [Reg. 102B, 102D (4)] 

Families will:

• sign School records of accidents or injuries that have occurred, acknowledging they have been made aware of the incident and the first aid treatment that was given to the child 
• provide the required information for the School’s medication record 
• provide the school with a medical management plan for their child if required 
• provide written consent (via the enrolment record) for school staff to administer first aid  
• provide written consent for the approved provider, nominated supervisor or educator to seek medical treatment for their child by a registered medical practitioner, hospital, or ambulance service and if required, transport the child to the hospital 
• be contactable, either directly or through emergency contacts listed on the child’s enrolment record.  

FIRST AID KIT

The Approved Provider of the School will ensure that first aid kits are kept in accordance with National Education and Care Service Regulations (regulation 89). 

All First Aid Kits at the School must:

• be suitably equipped 
• not be locked 
• be suitable for the number of employees and children and sufficient for the immediate treatment of injuries at the School 
• be easily accessible to staff and educators 
• be constructed of resistant material, be dustproof, and of sufficient size to adequately store the required contents 
• be capable of being sealed and preferably be fitted with a carrying handle as well as have internal compartments containing a list of the contents of the kit 
• be regularly checked using the First Aid Kit Checklist to ensure the contents are as listed and have not degraded or expired 
• have a white cross on a green background with the words 'First Aid' prominently displayed on the outside and be easily recognisable 
• be easy to access and if applicable, located where there is a risk of injury occurring 
• include emergency telephone numbers, and the location of the nearest first-aid-trained educators 
• be stocked with precautionary items such as sunscreen and water if used outdoors or if not readily available elsewhere within the environment 
• be taken on excursions  
• be maintained in proper condition and the contents restocked as required.

Our First Aid delegated individual responsible for maintaining all First Aid Kits at the School is: 

• These individuals are responsible for conducting and maintaining each first aid kit by complying with the First Aid Checklist, certifying each kit has the required quantities, items are within their expiry dates, and sterile products are sealed. This will occur after each use or if unused, at least annually.  
• Individuals along with the Nominated Supervisor will also consider whether the first aid kits and components are appropriate and effective for the School’s hazards and the injuries that have occurred. If the kit requires additional resources, these individuals will advise and follow up with the Nominated Supervisor. 
• Our School will display a well-recognised, standardised first aid sign to assist in easily locating first aid kits. Signage will comply with AS 1319:1994 – Safety Signs for the Occupational Environment. 

FIRST AID OFFICER

Name	Miss Ella and Miss Sam
Role	Front of House and K2 Studio Lead
Number of First Aid Kits Responsible for at the School:	9
Additional First Aid Officer:	Miss Nina - School Director

First Aid Kit Checklist:

Safe Work Australia’s First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice also provides a guide to what to include in a First Aid Kit. (Appendix E- Example of contents) safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-first... 

We will determine the need for additional items to those in the checklist, or whether some items are unnecessary, after analysing the number of children at our School and what injuries children or adults may incur. We will review our incident, injury, trauma, and illness records to assist us in making an informed decision about what to include.    

For further advice on first aid in the workplace, refer to the following website for state and territory specifications.  
safeworkaustralia.gov.au/first-aid

SOURCE

Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2014).  
Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2021). Policy and procedure guidelines- Administration of First Aid Policy Guidelines 
Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics. (2016). 
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010. (Amended 2018). 
Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2011).      
Guide to the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2017). 
Guide to the National Quality Framework. (2017). (amended 2020). 
Revised National Quality Standard. (2018). 
Safe Work Australia First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-first... 
Safe Work Australia Legislative Fact Sheets First Aiders: safeworkaustralia.gov.au/first-aid