Critical Incident Policy

CRITICAL INCIDENT POLICY – Arklow C.B.S.

Aim:

This document’s aim is to inform all students & staff of the procedures in the event of a critical incident.

Definition of a Critical Incident:

For the purpose of this policy, Arklow CBS recognises a critical incident to be defined as “any incident or sequence of events that overwhelms the normal coping mechanisms of the school and disrupts the normal running of the school”. Critical incidents may involve students, staff, the school or the local community. The creation of a coping supportive and caring ethos in the school.

e.g. The death of a member of the school community

A serious accident involving students or staff.

A traumatic event involving the school.

An accident/tragedy in the wider community

As each Critical Incident will require the school to respond in a manner appropriate to that particular incident at that time, this policy is intended to serve as a general outline of procedures to be followed in the event of a critical incident occurring. It is informed by the Advice and Information supplied by the National Educational Psychological Service and to be read in conjunction with this document.

A Critical Incident Management Team has been set up and consists of the following personnel:

• The Principal
• The Deputy Principal
• Form Masters
• School Guidance Counsellor
• School Secretary
• Representative of Board of Management
• Garda Liaison /Community Officer/Fire brigade as required
• Parent Liaison (Chairperson Parents Association)
• Student Liaison (Head Boy & Deputy Head Boy)
• Staff Liaison
• Media Liaison
• RE Co-ordinator
• Caretaker

Creation of a coping supportive and caring ethos in the school

Arklow CBS has put systems in place to help to build resilience in both staff and students, thus preparing them to cope with a range of life events. These include measures to address both the physical and psychological safety of the school community.

Physical safety

• Evacuation plan
• Regular fire drills occur and
• Fire exits and extinguishers are regularly
• Pre-opening supervision, during small break, lunch break and immediately after normal school
• Health, Safety and Welfare policy and statement in force and reviewed
• The “Book of Job” (a hard back copy) in the staffroom to inform caretakers of any health and safety defects or other items that need
• Students are reminded of health and safety matters by their teachers and in their

Psychological safety

The management and staff of Arklow CBS aim to use available programmes and resources to address the personal and social development of students, to enhance a sense of safety and security in the school and to provide opportunities for reflection and discussion, such as:

• Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is integrated into the work of the school. It is addressed in the curriculum by addressing issues such as grief and loss; communication skills; stress and anger management; resilience; conflict management; problem solving; help- seeking; bullying; decision making and prevention of alcohol and drug misuse. Promotion of mental health is an integral part of this
• Staff have access to training for their role in
• Staff are familiar with the Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures and details of how to proceed with suspicions or
• Books and resources on difficulties affecting the student are available from the guidance
• Information is provided on mental health in general and such specific areas as signs and symptoms of depression and
• Staff are informed in the area of suicide awareness and some are trained in interventions for suicidal
• The school has developed links with a range of external agencies – Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS), Jigsaw, Beacon of Light, Pieta House, Gardaí, Túsla, National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), Teen
• Additional supports to students from external agencies/speakers are carefully considered in the light of criteria about student safety, the appropriateness of the content, and their
• The school has a clear policy on bullying and deals with bullying in accordance with this
• There is a care system in place in the school using the "Continuum of Support" approach which is outlined in the NEPS documents published on 2007 for primary schools and 2010 for post primary
• Students who are identified as being at risk are referred to the designated staff member (e.g. guidance counsellor or support person), concerns are explored and the appropriate level of assistance and support is provided. Parents are informed, and where appropriate, a referral is made to an appropriate
• Staff are informed about how to access support for themselves (appendix 2).

Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT)

A CIMT has been established in line with best practice. A critical incident management team is defined as;

“A group of individuals from the staff of the school who know the community, the students and each other well enough to make necessary decisions called for when an incident occurs.

The members of the team were selected on a voluntary basis and will retain their roles for at least one school year. The members of the team will meet annually to review and update the policy and plan. Each member of the team has a dedicated critical incident folder. This contains a copy of the policy and plan and materials particular to their role, to be used in the event of an incident.

Team leader: Peter Somers (Principal)

Role

• Alerts the team members to the crisis and convenes a
• Coordinates the tasks of the
• Liaises with the Board of Management; Trustees, JMB, DES; NEPS;
• Liaises with the bereaved

(Note – In the event of the Principal being unavailable the Deputy Principals will take the lead.)

Garda liaison:

Role

• Liaises with the Gardaí
• Ensures that information about deaths or other developments is checked out for accuracy before being shared

Staff liaison:Peter Somers (Principal)

Role

• Leads briefing meetings for staff on the facts as known, gives staff members an opportunity to express their feelings and ask questions, outlines the routine for the
• Advises staff on the procedures for identification of vulnerable
• Provides materials for staff (from their critical incident folder)
• Keeps staff updated as the day
• Is alert to vulnerable staff members and makes contact with them
• Advises them of the availability of the EAS and gives them the contact

Student liaison: Sarah Rooney (Guidance Counsellors)

Role

• May co-ordinate information from tutors and year heads about students they are concerned about
• Alerts other staff to vulnerable students (appropriately).
• Alerts management to vulnerable staff
• Provides materials for students (from their critical incident folder)
• Maintains student contact records (R1).
• Looks after setting up and supervision of ‘quiet’ room where

Community/agency liaison:

Role

• Maintains up to date lists of contact numbers of
  • Key parents, such as members of the Parents Council
  • Emergency support services and other external contacts and resources
• Liaises with agencies in the community for support and onward referral
• If the incident involves a student, to ascertain whether she has siblings in other
• Is alert to the need to check credentials of individuals offering support
• Coordinates the involvement of these agencies
• Reminds agency staff to wear name badges
• Updates team members on the involvement of external agencies

Parent liaison:

Role

• Visits the bereaved family
• Arranges parent meetings, if held
• May facilitate such meetings, and manage ‘questions and answers’
• Manages the ‘consent’ issues in accordance with agreed school policy
• Ensures that sample letters are typed up, on the school’s system and ready for adaptation (appendices 3 & 4).
• Sets up room for meetings with parents
• Maintains a record of parents seen
• Meets with individual parents
• Provides appropriate materials for parents (from their critical incident folder).

Media liaison:Peter Somers (Principal)

Role

• In advance of an incident, will consider issues that may arise and how they might be responded to (e.g. students being interviewed, photographers on the premises, )
• In the event of an incident, will liaise where necessary with the State Exams Commission (SEC); relevant teacher unions
• Will draw up a press statement, give media briefings and

Administrator:Reception Staff

Role

• Maintenance of up-to-date telephone numbers of
  • Parents or guardians
  • Teachers
  • Emergency services
• Takes telephone calls and notes those that need to be responded to
• Ensures that templates are on the school’s system in advance and ready for
• Prepares and sends out letters, emails and texts
• Photocopies materials
• Maintains

Record keeping:All members of the CIMT.

In the event of an incident each member of the team will keep records of phone calls made and received, letters sent and received, meetings held, persons met, interventions used, material used etc.

The reception staff will have a key role in receiving and logging telephone calls, sending letters, photocopying materials, etc.

Confidentiality and good name considerations

Management and staff of Arklow CBS have a responsibility to protect the privacy and good name of people involved in any incident and will be sensitive to the consequences of public statements. Members of school staff will bear this in mind, and seek to ensure that students do so also, e.g. theterm ‘suicide’ will not be used unless there is solid information that death was due to suicide, and that the family involved consents to its use. The phrases ‘tragic death’ or ‘sudden death’ may be used instead. Similarly, the word ‘murder’ should not be used until it is legally established that a murder was committed. The term ‘violent death’ may be used instead.

Consultation and communication regarding the plan

All staff were consulted and their views canvassed in the preparation of this policy and plan. Students and parent/guardian representatives were also consulted and asked for their comments.

Our school's final policy and plan in relation to responding to critical incidents has been presented to all staff. Each member of the critical incident team has a personal copy of the plan.

All new and temporary staff will be informed of the details of the plan by the teacher responsible for the induction of new staff.

Critical incidents during holidays

In the event of a critical incident taking place during the school holidays it is anticipated that this plan will operate but in a limited capacity.

Short term actions – Day 1

Medium term actions - (Day 2 and following days)

Follow-up – beyond 72 hours

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management on Wednesday 20^th September 2023

It is proposed to review this CIMP in the 3 years.