Critical Incidents Management Plan

Creation of a Coping, Supportive and Caring Ethos in the School

• St Mary’s seeks to create a physically & psychologically safe school through its code of discipline & anti-bullying policy, playground Buddies, safety statement, healthy eating, fire drills, equipment & buildings checks, evacuation drill etc

• SPHE programme-develop communication skills, self – esteem building, decision making, bereavement, stress management & coping skills

• Pastoral care programmes: The Rainbows Programme, Students Council

• Training for staff to deal with critical incidents: First Aid, Epilepsy, Lifting

• Developing links with outside agencies and procedures for referral – NEPS, MHB

  Defining a Critical Incident

• death of member of school community

• an accident involving pupil or staff on or off the school premises

• a physical attack on staff member or pupil or intrusions into the school

• serious damage to school building through fire, flood or vandalism

• an accident/tragedy in wider community

• the disappearance of member of wider community

  Critical Incident Management Teams meet annually to review roles and responsibilities + update plan & administrative tasks

  Junior Campus: Ailish Mc Manus, Iseult Murphy, Tanya Curley, Senior Campus Joanne Croughan, Noelle Lee, Nessa Mc Loughlin,

  EVACUATION PLAN

  Ms. Mc Loughlin / Mr Lennon

  A plan for evacuation has been put in place.
  All personnel who have a role in putting the evacuation plan into action practise it at two monthly intervals
  A copy of the plan of the school building is displayed in key places with exits highlighted

  Dealing with a Critical incident

  ROLE 1.Team Leader: Ms. Ailish Mc Manus/ Ms Joanne Croughan

• Establish the facts

• Alert team members of a crisis
• Convene meeting (all go to classes with same information) Coordinates tasks of team
• Keeps in touch with all members (staff meeting)
• Communicates with BOM/DES
• Liaises with bereaved family (how do they want school involved)

ROLE 2. Staff Liaison: Ms.Ailish Mc Manus/ Ms. Joanne Croughan

• Information meeting for teachers – facts, vulnerable students, expression of feelings, routine for day)
• Is alert to vulnerable teachers and circulates building
• Ready to go information pack

ROLE 3. Ready to Go Pack for Parents: Ms Iseult Murphy/Ms Nessa McLoughlin – FAQ’s

– Children’s understanding and reaction to grief
– Range of Normal Reactions to a Critical Incident

ROLE 4. Student Liaison/Counsellor: Ms. Iseult Murphy/ Ms. Nessa Mc Loughlin

• Liaise with parents/teachers
• Identify vulnerable students
• Counselling and monitoring
• Alerts staff to vulnerable students
• Ready to go pack

ROLE 5 . Community Liaison: Ms Ailish Mc Manus/ Ms. Joanne Croughan

• Network with community agencies NEPS, DES, MHB
• Coordinate community involvement in school
• Keep records of involvement – on the ground interventions & supports
• Update team members

ROLE 6 Parent Liaison: Ms Iseult Murphy/ Ms. Nessa Mc Loughlin

• Question & answers meeting
• Meet individual parents
• Parents with skills
• Liaises with parents of deceased
• Ready to go pack
• ROLE 7 Media Liaison: Ms Ailish Mc Manus
• Room for media (can’t go beyond certain area)
• Press release
• No Student Interview
• DES, NEPS, MHB communication office

ROLE 8 Administrative Tasks: Jean / Thomas/Ms. Ailish Mc Manus/ Ms. Joanne Croughan

• Up to date list of contact numbers
• Emergency information for trips
• Telephone – e.g. keeping a line free for out-going and important in-coming calls
• Rooms for debriefing parents, quiet room, counselling etc
• Log of events, letters to parents, telephone calls made and received
• Dealing with normal school business

CRITICAL INCIDENT FOLDER IS KEPT IN PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE

CONTENTS OF CRITICAL INCIDENT FOLDER

Lists of contact numbers

• Up to date list of contact numbers for pupils, parents/guardians, staff
• Emergency support services, displayed in staff rooms & offices.
• Secretary is responsible for regularly updating these lists
  Up to date medical information on pupils with illness, allergies, epilepsy, diabetes etc.
• Emergency information for school trips
• List of all pupils/staff involved and teacher in charge
• List of mobile phone numbers for accompanying teacher/s
• Up to date medical information on pupils with illness, allergies, epilepsy, diabetes etc.

PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE EVENT OF CRITICAL INCIDENTS

SHORT-TERM ACTIONS (1st Day)

1. Gather the facts – Who, What, When, Where

2. Contact appropriate agencies – emergency services, medical services, health board, NEPS, BOM,

   DES/School Inspector

3. Convene the Critical Incident Management Team – agree written statement of facts, delegate

   responsibilities, prepare what to say at staff meeting, prepare of what to say to students, prepare

   letter for parents

4. Organise for supervision of pupils

5. Inform Staff – Hold staff meeting of all staff

   Staff Meeting Agenda:
   Agree on statement of facts
   Identify high risk students/staff
   Organise/advise on roles & responsibilities
   Organise timetable for the day – maintain normal routine as far as possible

6. Inform parents/guardians sensitively a.s.a.p. Give relevant factual information

7. Set room aside for distressed students to meet their parents, provide support to parents on

   arriving on their own, give telephone number for enquiries

8. The parents of children not directly involved should be informed that their child may be upset. Send

   letter outlining the facts briefly (maybe not names at this stage)

9. Inform students – Considering given to age, messenger (adult known to children)

10. Make contact with the bereaved family

11. Organise support

12. Respond to the media – prepare written statement of facts of incident, what has been done, what is going to be done, positive information or comments about deceased person.

13. Organise a re-union of students & parents if necessary- provide private room, offer help with transport

MEDIUM TERM ACTIONS (24-72 Hours)
▪ Review the events of first 24 hours
▪Arrange support for individual students, groups and parents if necessary

▪Plan for the reintegration of students and staff
▪ Plan visits to the injured
▪Liaise with family regarding funeral arrangements
▪Decide about attendance and participation at funeral service
▪ School Closure. -Request decision from BOM and school inspector

LONGER TERM ACTIONS

• Monitor students for signs of continuing distress

• Evaluate response to incident and amend the Critica Incident management Plan appropriately

• Formalise the Critical Incident Plan for the future

• Inform new staff/new school pupils

• Decide on appropriate ways to deal with anniversaries

  This Policy was reviewed in September 2024, It was ratified by the Board of Management in October 2024.

  Signed ___________________________ Philip Gillen (Chairman)

  Signed ___________________________ Ailish Mc Manus (Secretary)