Dealing with accidents and injuries
Children and young people will often have accidents and injuries and it is important to know what action to take in these situations.
One of the most important things to do is remain calm. Children will often panic when they are injured, and they will look to you to give them help and support. Make sure you know who is responsible for first-aid in your setting and how they can be contacted in an emergency.
Information about incidents, accidents and injuries must be recorded – your setting will have an accident book for recording this information. You should also report any accidents or injuries to the child’s parents/carers.
Most of the accidents you will deal with in a childcare setting are likely to involve minor injuries (such as cuts, bruises, bangs and scrapes). However, there are occasions when urgent medical attention will be needed.
Click to see some examples of emergency situations that require urgent medical attention.
Emergency situations
- Choking
- Head injuries
- Severe bleeding
- Unconsciousness
- Breathing problems
- Epileptic seizures
- Suspected fractures/broken bones
- Suspected drug or substance abuse
Key point
If an accident or emergency occurs, you must call for help immediately. Find out as much as you can about what has happened so that you can pass on accurate information to others. Also, remember that other children in the setting may be upset by what has happened, so try to remain calm at all times.