Managing and Reporting School Incidents (Including Emergencies)

Resources

Incident severity rating, reporting and managing incidents

• The Severity rating decision-making matrix (PDF) guides the severity rating of incidents and the reporting requirements at each level
• Managing incidents in my school – poster (PDF) (staff login required) can be displayed at your school
• A guide to managing incidents in your school outlines the 6 stages of managing and responding to school incidents (including emergencies):
  • A guide to managing incidents in your school – booklet (PDF) (staff login required)
  • A guide to managing incidents in your school – booklet (DOCX) (staff login required)

eduSafe Plus

• eduSafe Plus (staff login required) – the department’s hazard, incident and injury reporting system
• The eduSafe Plus incident notification template (DOCX) and the eduSafe Plus hazard notification template (DOCX) are available for contractors, visitors or volunteers to complete when they are reporting an incident or hazard to the site contact

WorkSafe

• For a flowchart on determining when incidents should be reported to WorkSafe, refer to Notifiable incidents to WorkSafe flowchart (PDF)
• For a copy of the WorkSafe incident notification. refer to the WorkSafe incident notification form
• The principal and/or their delegate may use the Hazard and incident investigation template (DOCX) or equivalent when conducting investigations of hazards or incidents reported to WorkSafe
• For an outline of the process relating to WorkSafe Inspector visits, refer to the WorkSafe inspector visit guidelines (DOCX)

Response and recovery

• For information on how to conduct a formal incident debriefing at school following a critical incident, please refer to this debriefing facilitation guide (DOCX)
• Managing trauma guide (PDF) (staff login required) – a comprehensive guide for schools and department staff on how to plan for and respond to incidents that may cause trauma. Includes recovery tools, practical resources to help schools to act following an event, to minimise trauma for students, staff and the school community
• Managing trauma guide (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Managing trauma online modules (LearnED) – 9 modules, based on the Managing Trauma guide, covering topics such as how to establish a recovery team, how to triage students in need, what supports are available to schools, communication strategies and tools, and self-care
• Recovery tools excerpt (PDF) (staff login required) – an excerpt from the guide, as a separate downloadable document

Child protection

PROTECT – Child Protection and Child Safe Standards – information and advice on how to protect children, create a child safe environment, identify and report signs of abuse

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) contacts

For OHS contacts refer to Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management in Schools

External resources

• Child Protection DFFH – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
• The Orange Door – access point for women, children and young people who are experiencing family violence
• Headspace – a national youth mental health service
• Disaster Resilience CFA/SES – School Curriculum Natural Hazard Resilience Package, for secondary schools
• After the Emergency book – helping kids cope with emergencies, published by the Red Cross
• Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network – an online community and information resource supporting positive and hopeful outcomes for young people and their families experiencing trauma, loss and grief
• Grief and Children – Better Health Channel