Administration of First Aid

Purpose
To provide clear guidelines to provide first aid for minor injuries, illnesses through to life-saving first aid treatment following an accident causing injury or risk to the life of the children who are under our education and care.

Scope
These guidelines will apply to the Approved provider, nominated supervisor, supervisors, educators, staff, students on placement, volunteers, parents, children and others attending the service.

Objectives
To ensure the affected children are administered first aid in case of accidents/illnesses/injuries/life-threatening diseases when being responsible for children in their care, and fulfill their duty of care as an educator

Policy
We are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for children attending our service. We recognise our responsibility and our educator’s duty of care in providing first aid for minor injuries and illnesses through to life-saving first treatment following an accident causing injury or risk to life.

Procedure
Approved providers and nominated supervisors are responsible:

• For making sure educators hold a current first aid qualification in accordance with Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 r.136.
• For keeping a database of expiry dates of certifications (First Aid, CPR, Anaphylaxis, Asthma)
• Ensuring families complete the medical treatment authority on their child’s enrolment form prior to the commencement of care
• Ensuring the educator maintains children’s files in accordance with the National Education and Care Regulations 2011 including requirements for the incident, injury, trauma and illness record regulation 87
• Monitoring, maintaining and storing all legislated and required records confidentiality
• Requiring educators have a suitably equipped, readily accessible and recognizable first aid kit that complies with Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 r.89
• Being contactable by telephone whilst children are in attendance at the service
• Conducting a safety and performance review within 24 hours of a serious incident
• Notifying Department of Education and Training within 24 hours of a serious incident or a complaint alleging legislation was breached
• Requiring educators are taking every reasonable precaution to protect children from harm and hazards that are likely to cause injury

Educators and assistants are responsible:

• Ensuring a suitably equipped, readily accessible and recognisable first aid kit that complies with Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 r.89
• Ensuring all children’s Medical Management Plans (MMP) are up to date and displayed inside the pantry door to maintain confidentiality
• Ensuring that families are notified within 24 hours if their child is involved in an incident, injury, trauma or illness at service and record details (including the administration of first aid) on the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record
• Maintaining a portable and suitably equipped first aid kit that can be taken offsite for excursions and regular outings
• Ensuring a resuscitation flow chart (CPR) is displayed in a prominent position in the indoor and outdoor environments of the home
• Being contactable by telephone whilst children are in attendance at the service
• Supervising children at all times
• Notifying the approved provider or nominated supervisor immediately of any serious or notifiable incident
• Ensuring that all children are adequately supervised while providing first aid
• Ensuring that the environment is safe and that other children are not in danger of becoming ill or injured
• If an ill or injured child requires further medical attention or hospitalisation (transferrable to a hospital) continue to ensure that all children in care are adequately supervised. This can be achieved by;
  1. Contacting ill/injured child’s family to arrange for them to travel from educator’s home to the hospital inan ambulance with the child
• Immediately arrange for assistance (contact approved provider to advise and support you) to care for children in care while you travel withan ill/injured child inan ambulance.
• If unable to provide alternative supervision for attending children signing injured child into paramedic’s care to be met atthe hospital by family or approved provider
• Ensuring that the details of any incident requiring the administration of first aid is recorded on the Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
• Discussing with children the importance of staying healthy and playing safety in the context of accidents and injuries
• Debriefing with children after any incident, illness or trauma to support their understanding of the events and provide a chance for questions and answers
• Ensuring attendance records are fully completed
• Ensuring near miss incidents are documented and communicated to the approved provider
• Ensuring records are stored in a safe secure location maintaining confidentiality

Parents/Guardians are responsible:

• Ensure documentation/authorisations are completed and signed
• Ensure all records are completed, acknowledged and signed (accident, illness and incident records)
• Engage with your child’s educator daily to discuss your child’s health and wellbeing
• Ensure any changes to children’s health status is communicated promptly to the educator or approved provider
• Provide medication directly to an educator (do not leave in a child’s bag)
• Notify the service, upon enrolment or diagnosis, of any medical conditions and/or needs, and any management procedure to be followed with respect to that condition or need
• Provide written consent (via child’s enrolment form) for the educator to administer first aid and call an ambulance, if required
• Being contactable, either directly or through emergency contact details listed on child’ enrolment form, in the event of an incident that requires the administration of first aid
• Fund all expenses payable for medical/dental treatment or ambulance trip incurred

National Quality Framework

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010	Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011	National Quality Area	National Quality Standard
161-175	85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 136, 137, 168	2.1	2.1.1, 2.1.4, 2.3.2, 2.3.3
		4.1	4.1.1
		7.3	7.3.5

Related policies

• ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION AND STORAGE
• FIRST AID QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
• FIRST AID KIT REQUIREMENTS
• INCIDENT, INJURY, TRAUMA AND ILLNESS
• INFECTIOUS DISEASES, CONFIDENTIALITY, IMMUNISATION, ILLNESS AND HEAD LICE
• INFECTIOUS DISEASE
• CONFIDENTIALITY
• MEDICAL CONDITIONS
• ANAPHYLAXIS AND ALLERGIES
• ASTHMA
• DIABETES
• EPILEPSY
• CODE OF CONDUCT
• RECRUITMENT OF FAMILY DAY CARE EDUCATOR, SELECTION, ORIENTATION

Related legislation

• Children’s Health and Wellbeing Act 2009
• Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
• Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
• Health and Safety Act 2004
• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)

Related resources

• Department of Education and Training (DET)
• Guide for Family Day Care Educators
• DET Emergency Management Guidelines
• Protecting the Safety and Wellbeing of Children and Young People
• Australasian Society of clinical immunology and allergy
• Work safe Victoria – First Aid Kit Requirements

POLICY REVIEWED	July 2019	NEXT REVIEW DATE	July 2020
MODIFICATIONS	Policy created for First Idea Family Day Care Services, inclusive of changes to the National Quality Standards and Education and Care National Regulations