Critical Incident Management Procedure Prepared January 2013 Updated February 2016
POLICY OWNER: Headmaster
PURPOSE:
REFERENCES:
DEFINITIONS:
This document is intended as a guide to help in the management of a critical incident.
St Peter’s College recognises that critical incidents can arise that have the potential to impact seriously on the safety of staff and students and/or the School’s business continuity. St Peter’s College further recognises that effective planning, management and rehearsal are the keys to success in the event of a critical incident affecting the School.
This procedure supports the School’s Critical Incident Management Policy and should be read in conjunction with that policy.
The Critical Incident Management Procedure is designed to assist those with primary responsibility for the management of critical incidents and other staff and students to respond appropriately in the event of a critical incident.
This management document should be read carefully and regularly kept on hand for quick access during a critical incident. It is to be reviewed at least annually and copies kept on hand at the main School Reception, Senior School desk and Junior School Reception. A critical incident ‘box’ will be kept at the School’s main Reception in Oval House and will contain items identified by as per Page 11 of this procedure. The contents of the box will be maintained by the Director of Human Resources. A duplicate Critical Incident Box will also be kept in Room 18 (back-up Crisis Centre)
St Peter’s College Managing Child Abuse Allegations Policy & Procedure
In the context of this procedure:
Critical incident means an event that may cause or has caused:
Injury to staff, students or members of the School community;
Significant property or environmental damage or loss;
And/or poses a serious threat to the financial standing or public image of the School.
Potential critical incidents may include:
The death or critical injury of a student or staff member;
Major vandalism or fire;
The loss or injury of students on an excursion / sports event etc.;
Students/staff witnessing serious injury or death;
Allegations of sexual or other assault involving a member of the School community;
Unusual and unfavourable media attention for the School or groups within the School;
A natural or other major disaster in the community e.g. terrorist threat/incident;
Students with parents/siblings involved in an overseas major incident e.g. war action, natural disaster etc.; and
The terminal illness of a member of the School community.
Some incidents are likely to have greater impact and cause greater emotional reactions, others less so. Not all incidents will require a full scale response. Criteria to be used to determine response should be:
Extent of the impact of the incident on the whole School community.
Level of destabilisation of School routines.
The following diagram will assist in the identification of the ‘level’ of the incident and the corresponding impact:
In terms of critical incidents relating to Child Protection the following table identifies potential incidents and associated comments relating to each level:
Level
Child Protection examples (younger the boy potentially higher level)
Comment
1
Violation of professional boundary – staff member sending birthday card privately to boy.
Even if line manager is able to assure self that this was thoughtless not malign, possibility of misinterpretation means need for very clear communication.
2
Boy approached by stranger on way to or from school in way that was uncomfortable but not frightening.
Possible ‘overanxious’ parental response and need to inform police and AISSA makes this more serious although not necessarily more complex.
3
Serious level of problem sexual behaviour by boy.
Protection of the privacy and safety of the boy engaging in the behaviour and the boy(s) affected by the behaviour means that information about the incident(s) must be carefully managed.
4
Allegation of physical assault of a boy by staff member or volunteer at the School.
Protection of the privacy and safety of the boy(s) affected by the behaviour and the requirements of forensic investigation means that information about the incident(s) must be carefully managed.
Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) means the team that will be formed in the event of a critical incident to coordinate the management of the incident.
Critical Incident Director (CID) means the staff member who has overall responsibility for coordinating the School’s response to the critical incident. In the first instance this will be the Headmaster, or in his absence, his delegate.
Critical Incident Management Plan (CIMP)means the actions that will be taken and the steps followed in order to manage the critical incident.
Critical Incident Response (CIR) means the initial response to the incident.
SCOPE: ALIGNMENT TO SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN:
ALIGNMENT TO SCHOOL’S VISION & VALUES
This procedure applies to all staff, students and members of the St Peter’s College School community.
Our Preferred Future – A Strategic Plan for St Peter’s College 2015 – 2018 and the St Peter’s College Human Resource Management Framework underpin this policy.
Our vision is to be a world-class school where all boys flourish. Our Core Values underpin this policy and procedure:
Building lifelong commitment to serve others.
Building leadership capability.
Celebrating the uniqueness of every boy.
Celebrating accomplishment.
Developing emotional maturity.
Developing lifelong learning, engagement, meaning, and purpose.
Embracing creative potential.
Fostering honesty, integrity, and wellbeing.’
Honouring diversity.
Valuing teamwork, collaboration, and communication.
Unlocking individual virtues and strengths.
PROCEDURE:
FLOWCHART
COMMUNICATION:
POLICY HISTORY:
Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) Primary responsibility for the implementation of the Critical Incident Management Plan (CIMP) will rest with the Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) under the direction of the Critical Incident Director (CID) who will be the Headmaster, or his designated deputy. The Primary CIMT will be made up of the members of the Senior Leadership Team:
The above team will be formed in the first instance at the direction of the CID in response to a critical incident. Depending on the nature of the critical incident and the circumstances the following staff members may be co-opted onto the CIMT:
Head of Senior Years
Head of Middle Years
Heads of Early Years - Junior School
Assistant Director of Learning & Teaching Excellence
School Psychologists/Counsellors
Communications & Marketing Manager
Property Manager
Chaplain
School Nurse
Others in the pastoral sphere, e.g. Heads of House
Given the sensitivity in terms of boys’ wellbeing, parental anxiety, School reputation and possible legal proceedings in managing incidents relating to child protection, the CMIT will be kept as small as practicable for such incidents. Those likely to be a member of such a team will be provided with guidance/professional learning that will support their effectiveness in this role and enable them to optimally manage any personal emotional response. This professional learning should include familiarisation with items No. 14, 15, 16 & 17 as contained in the Critical Incident Management Box (refer page 12 of this procedure). If the Headmaster is absent, the role of Critical Incident Director will be filled in order by:
Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School
Head of Junior School
Director of Finance & Administration
In the absence of the Headmaster and depending on the nature of the incident and the staff and students involved, it may be necessary to give consideration to the best person to act as the CID. It must be recognised that both the Head of Senior School and Head of Junior School may be emotionally affected by the incident and therefore may not feel capable of acting in the role of CID. All staff listed as being on the CIMT are to ensure they have mobile numbers of other CIMT members, including the Headmaster’s Personal Assistant (PA) stored in their own mobile phones. This is particularly important should an incident occur after hours or whilst the School is on a holiday period. Roles to be played within the Critical Incident Management Team In order to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the CMIT the following roles have been identified as necessary roles that should be undertaken within the CMIT. In addition to the specific duties identified below, these roles will also be responsible for the following:
Take and follow through on directions given by the CID or actions agreed by the CIMT.
Through focussed action, ensure the School’s effective response to a critical incident with the welfare, health & safety of staff and students and others on School grounds or involved in School activities being the key focus.
Role within CMIT
Role duties
Critical Incident Director (CID)
Project manage and coordinate the efforts of the CIMT and the School’s response to the critical incident through the recovery phase.
Arrange the formation and initial meeting of the CIMT.
Chair the CIMT.
Allocate staff members to specific CIMT roles.
Direct CIMT members to undertake actions associated with their roles.
Coordinate the actions of the CIMT.
Gather relevant information and options from various sources and personnel to enable accurate decision making.
Make decisions and delegate and follow up tasks and agreed actions to ensure outcomes are achieved.
In the Crisis Centre, at 15 minute intervals, call for update on incident management actions and status of incident.
Keep Council appraised of the situation.
Declare when the incident has moved from a critical incident phase to recovery phase.
PA to Headmaster
Under direction from the CID initiate contact with primary CIMT to attend Crisis Centre
Ensure the Critical Incident Management Box is collected from main Reception and available for the CID and the CIMT in the Crisis Centre.
Set-up the Crisis Centre as identified in this procedure (refer Attachment 2).
This role is to be undertaken by the Director of Wellbeing & Positive Education.
Obtain facts and details regarding the critical incident from the In Situ – Incident Coordinator or other relevant person.
Record facts and details on the Critical Incident – Initial Contact Sheet #1 (refer Attachment 1).
Gather and ascertain the facts on: casualties, impact on boys & staff, the damage to property and equipment, the impact on School operations, IT systems, telephones etc.
Provide information to Visual Display Coordinator at regular intervals in order for information to be displayed to all members of the CIMT.
Receive information updates from delegated person attending with boy or staff member at hospital using Critical Incident – Ongoing Record Sheet #2 (refer Attachment 1).
In Situ Incident Coordinator (located in affected area – could be the DH & HoSS or HoJS)
Provide regular updates to the Incident Fact Collector and Recorder who is located in the Crisis Centre.
Take necessary action to ensure the safety of boys, staff and parents at incident site.
Enlist the support of other staff members to help coordinate activities at the affected site (ensuring that this is safe to do so).
Liaise with Emergency Services / Police personnel at incident site.
Visual Update Coordinator
This role is to be undertaken by the Director of Learning & Teaching Excellence.
As updates come to hand, record these in similar format to the Critical Incident Initial Contact Sheet and the Ongoing Record Sheet identified in Attachment 1 on a laptop for projection onto the TV Screen in the Crisis Centre.
Record and display information in concert with CID’s 15 minute updates.
Given the extreme sensitivity in child protection related incidents, the Visual Update Coordinator should be particularly vigilant and ensure that no information of a highly confidential nature is sighted.
School Psychologist / School Counsellor
Based on the nature of the incident, determine the extent of counselling services that will be required.
Assess the need for additional support from outside agencies.
Monitor the stress levels of other members of the CIMT and offer support where required.
Identify educational material to support the incident recovery process.
Be familiar with documents relating to the management of child protection issues (refer Pages 12 & 13)
School Chaplain
Determine the extent of immediate and ongoing Chaplaincy and pastoral services needed to support the recovery process. If required, visit injured boy(s) or staff member(s) in hospital.
Pray and offer spiritual guidance.
Synergetic Data Gatherer
This role is to be undertaken by the PA to the Director of Learning & Teaching Excellence.
Respond to requests from CID and other members of CIMT for data from Synergetic in relation to boys, staff and parents.
Anticipate what further data will be needed from Synergetic in order to facilitate the actions fo the CIMT.
Communication & Media Services Coordinator
This role is to be undertaken by the Communications & Marketing Manager.
Gain an accurate picture of the incident.
Provide advice to the CID on the release of information to the media, parents, community etc.
Draft and issue media release documents.
Draft and issue communication briefing documents for staff, students, parents and community members.
Implement critical incident communications protocols as defined in this procedure.
Undertake media monitoring and advise Visual Update Coordinator of information to be displayed.
Property & Facilities Services Coordinator
Determine impact of incident on facilities and infrastructure.
Identify actions to be undertaken as part of the facilities recovery strategy.
Collaborate with the HR Coordinator (WH&S) to provide advice to secure affected area and to restore area to an acceptable level of safety.
Minimise risk and damage to the School’s business continuity.
Minimise damage to ensure that appropriate lines of communication are kept open.
Coordinate clean-up of site if and when required.
Engage contractors as required.
Coordinate formal handover of the site from Emergency Services back to the School.
Collaborate with the Property and Facilities Services Coordinator to provide advice to secure affected area to an acceptable level of safety.
Liaise with SafeWork SA and other external agencies as required.
Provide advice in relation to the management of workplace injuries.
Ensure necessary health & safety documentation is completed.
Provide advice on actions in response to evacuation, invacuation, on-site medical emergency, bomb threat, gas leak etc.
Human Resources Services Coordinator
Provide assistance to account for all personnel (using additional resources as appropriate, i.e. In situ Incident Coordinator).
Contact and liaise with Next of Kin of staff if required.
Liaise with School Psychologist regarding provision of counselling services for staff.
Maintain awareness of locations of injured staff and conditions.
Co-ordinate additional and temporary staffing as required.
Ensure WH&S and Workers Compensation requirements are met.
Critical Incident Management Box The critical incident ‘box’ will contain the following documents:
Copy of the St Peter’s College Critical Incident Management Policy.
Copy of the St Peter’s College Critical Incident Management Procedure.
List of staff members and their contact phone numbers of Primary Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) and a list of staff members and their contact phone numbers of those that could be co-opted onto the Critical Incident Management Team.
Criticality of Incident Flowchart.
Critical Incident Management Flowchart.
Copy of Senior School Evacuation and Invacuation Procedures (WH&S Policy 005 004)
Copy of Junior School Evacuation and Invacuation Procedures (WH&S Policy 005 005)
Copy of Invacuation Procedure
Critical Incident Management Phases and Steps (high level overview).
Role cards and name tents identifying the roles to be undertaken by members of the Critical Incident Management Team.
Critical Incident Management Team Seating Plan
Copy of the St Peter’s College Ambulance Policy (WH&S Policy 001 003).
Copy of Communication Guidelines as identified at Attachment 3 of the Critical Incident Management Procedure.
Critical Incident Initial Contact Sheets (as identified in Attachment 1 of the Critical Incident Management Procedure).
Critical Incident Ongoing Record Sheets (as identified in Attachment 1 of the Critical Incident Management Procedure).
St Peter’s College Managing Child Abuse Complaints Policy & Procedure
Responding to Problem Sexual Behaviour in Children and Young People, Guidelines for staff in education and care settings, Govt of SA, DECD.
Suicide Postvention Guidelines, A framework to assist staff in supporting their school communities in responding to suspected, attempted or completed suicide. Govt of SA, DECD
Managing allegations of sexual misconduct in SA education and care settings. SA Govt, DECD
The contents of the Critical Incident Management Box will be controlled and maintained by the Director of Human Resources.
CIM Crisis Centre
The Conference Room in Oval House is the designated Crisis Centre with Room 18 (Senior School) being the alternative venue. Rooms will be equipped with the necessary IT equipment in order for the CIMT to access Synergetic and Keystone data. The Crisis Centre if located in the Conference Room in Oval House may be extended into the Admissions Assistant’s office if required. The Crisis Centre will be fitted with computer network connections, and a telephone extension.
