Lusk National School - Critical Incident Policy

Introductory Statement

This policy was devised and formulated by the school community, involving Board of Management, parents and Staff of Lusk National School, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Education and Science and the C.P.S.M.A.

Ethos

Lusk National School is a co-educational, primary school, which strives to provide a well ordered, caring, happy and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural needs of the pupils are identified and addressed. While respect is paid to all religious and/or value systems, Lusk National School is a Catholic school under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin.

The school supports the principles of inclusiveness, equality of access and of participation in school life, with respect for diversity of tradition, values, beliefs, languages and ways of life in society, whilst working within the context of the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Education and Science.

Aim

To outline the steps that should be taken to ensure an effective response to crisis situations.

What is a Critical Incident

A critical incident is any incident or sequence of events which overwhelms the normal coping mechanism of the school and disrupts the running of the school.

Examples

  • Death, major illness/outbreak of disease
  • Criminal Incidents (e.g. Dunblane shooting)
  • Major accidents, serious injury (e.g. Navan bus crash)
  • Suicide

  • Civil unrest, war (refugees may be traumatised by events that happened elsewhere)
  • Fire, natural and technological disaster (e.g. school ceiling collapsing)
  • Disappearance of student from home or school
  • Unauthorised removal of student from school or home

Critical Incidents Management Team

  • Leadership Role: Principal -Paul Comiskey / Chairperson of B.O.M. -Fr. Joe Mullan
  • Communication Role: Principal - Paul Comiskey / Chairperson of B.O.M. – Fr. Joe Mullan
  • Student Liaison/ Counselling Role: Teacher from S.M.T.
  • Chaplaincy Role: School Chaplain – Fr. Joe Mullan
  • Family Liaison Role: Deputy Principal – Ms. Peggy O’Connor / Principal – Paul Comiskey
  • Parents Association Rep: Chairperson of Association, Ms. Theresa Ryan
  • Board of Management Rep: Ms. Caroline McWalter
  • National Educational Psychological Services Rep: Psychologist Appointed to the School (Ms.Sarah Callaghan)

Roles and Responsibilities:

Leadership Role:

Intervention

  • Confirm the event
  • Activate the C.I. response team
  • Express sympathy to family
  • Clarify facts surrounding event
  • Make contact with other relevant agencies
  • Contact and inform Family/Friends of incident
  • Establish lines of communication with agencies dealing with incident with a view to being kept informed of developments as they occur.
  • Decide whether a site visit is appropriate (Site visit by Principal or person nominated by Principal)
  • Decide how news will be communicated to different groups (staff, pupils, outside school)

Postvention

  • Ensure provision of ongoing support to staff and students
  • Facilitate any appropriate memorial events
  • Review plan

Communication Role:

Intervention

  • With team prepare a public statement
  • Organise designated room to address media promptly
  • Ensure telephone line free for outgoing and important incoming calls
  • Liaison with relevant outside support agencies

Postvention

  • Review and evaluate effectiveness of communication response

Student Liaison/ Counselling Role:

Intervention

  • Outline specific services available in school
  • Put in place clear referral procedures
  • Address immediate needs of pupils/staff
  • Decide on information to be presented to children with team leader
  • Provide information on counselling services available

Postvention

  • Ongoing support to vulnerable students
  • Monitor class most affected
  • Refer on, as appropriate
  • Review and evaluate plan

Chaplaincy Role:

Intervention

  • Visit home, if appropriate
  • Assist with prayer services
  • Make contact with local clergy
  • Be available as personal and spiritual support to staff

    • Postvention

  • Provide follow-up support to family in conjunction with Community Liaison Role.
  • Work in partnership with religious education team
  • Review and evaluate plan

Family Liaison Role:

Intervention

  • Coordinate contact with families (following first contact by C.I. Team Leader)
  • Keep families of pupils involved informed of current developments in incident.
  • Consult with family around involvement of school in possible events e.g. funeral service
  • Assist with all communication dealing with parents of any student affected by critical incident.

Postvention

  • Provide ongoing support to bereaved/affected family/families
  • Involve as appropriate family in school liturgies/ memorial services
  • Offer to link family with community support groups.
  • Review and evaluate plan

Action Plan

Short-Term Actions (Day 1)

  • Immediate contact with families involved in incident
  • Consult with the family regarding appropriate support from the school, e.g. funeral service.
  • Contact with families of the other children affected(option – in school support – withdrawal by family)
  • Ensure a quiet place can be made for pupils/staff
  • Rooms will be made available as follows:
    • Prayer room: Resource Room 1 (Peggy)
    • Individual Meetings: Resource Room 2 (Frances)
    • Parents Room: School Hall

Media Briefing (0 - 24 hours)

  • Designate a spokesperson. (Leader)
  • Prepare a brief statement. (Team)
  • Protect the family's privacy.
  • Gather accurate information.
    1. What happened, where and when?
    2. What is the extent of the injuries/fatalities?
    3. How many are involved and what are their names?
    4. Is there a risk of further injury?
    5. What agencies have been contacted already?
  • Contact appropriate agencies
    1. Emergency services
    2. Medical services
    3. H.S.E Psychology Departments/Community care services
    4. NEPS
    5. B.O.M.
    6. DES/Schools inspector
  • Convene a meeting with Key Staff/Critical Management Team (8.30 a.m.)
    1. Organise a staff meeting, if appropriate. (9.00 a.m.)
    2. Organise timetable/routine for the day.(Adhering to the normal school routine is important, if this is possible).
    3. Class teachers to take note of any absentees who might need to be contacted, list of friends etc., or any other relevant information and give to the student Liason person
    4. Arrange supervision of pupils
  • Liaise with the family regarding funeral arrangements/memorial service.

    1. The Chaplain/Principal liaise with the family, to extend sympathy and clarify the family's wishes regarding the school's involvement in funeral/memorial service.
    2. Arrange a home visit by two staff representatives within 24 hours, if appropriate.(Principal + Class Teacher)
    3. Have regard for different religious traditions and faiths.

Medium-Term Actions (24-72 Hours)

  • Preparation of pupils/staff attending funeral
  • Involvement of pupils/staff in liturgy if agreed by bereaved family
  • Facilitation of pupils/staffs responses, eg Sympathy cards, flowers, book of condolences, etc.
    • <
  • Ritual within the school.
  • Review the events of first 24 hours.
    1. Reconvene Key Staff/Critical Incident Management Team. (8.30 a.m.)
    2. Decide arrangements for support meetings for parents/pupils/staff.
    3. Decide on mechanism for feedback from teachers on vulnerable students.
    4. Have reviews Critical Incident Management Team meeting. (3.00 p.m.)
    5. Establish contact with absent staff and pupils.
  • Arrange support for individual pupils, groups of pupils, and parents, if necessary.
    1. Hold support/information meeting for parents/pupils, if necessary, in order to clarify what has happened.
    2. Teacher for each age group to talk separately(depending on age) certain things they don’t need to know.
      3. .
    3. Give any teacher who feels uncomfortable with involvement in support meetings the choice of opting out.
    4. Arrange, in consultation, with outside agencies, individual or group debriefings or support meetings: (with parental permission(permission slips to be included in enrolment forms)
  • Plan for the re-integration of pupils staff e.g., absentees, injured, siblings, close relative etc.)
    1. Student Liaison person to liaise with above on their return to school.
    2. Plan Visits to injured.
    3. Family Liaison person + Class teacher + Principal to visit home/hospital.
    4. Attendance and participation at funeral/memorial service(to be decided).
    5. Decide this in accordance with parents wishes and school management decisions and in consultation with close school friends. School closure
    6. Request a decision on this form school management.

Longer Term Actions

  • Monitor Pupils for signs of continuing distress
  • If, over a prolonged period of time, a student continues to display the following, he/she may need assistance from Health Board
    1. Uncharacteristic behaviour
    2. Deterioration in academic performance
    3. Physical symptoms - e.g. weight toss/gain, lack of attention to appearance, tiredness, restlessness
    4. Inappropriate emotional reactions
    5. Increased absenteeism.
  • Evaluate response to incident and amend Critical Incident Management Plan appropriately
    1. What went well?
    2. Where were the gaps?
    3. What was most/least helpful?
    4. Have all necessary onward referrals to support services been made?
    5. Is there any unfinished business?
  • Formalise the Critical Incident Plan for the future.
  • Consult with NEPS psychologist
  • Inform new staff/new school pupils affected by Critical Incidents where appropriate.
    1. Ensure that new staff is aware of the school policy and procedures in this area.
    2. Ensure they are aware of which pupils were affected ion any recent incident and in what way.
    3. When individual pupils or a class of pupils affected by an incident are transferring to a new school, it would be useful to brief the Principal of the new school.
  • Decide on appropriate ways to deal with anniversaries. (Be sensitive to special days and events)
    1. Anniversaries may trigger emotional responses in pupils/staff and they may need additional support at this time.
    2. Acknowledge the anniversary with the family.
    3. Be sensitive to significant days like Birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.
  • Plan a school memorial service e.g. plant tree(closure)
  • Care of deceased persons possessions. What are the parents wishes?
  • Update and amend school records.

Resources

"Young People and Loss, A Handbook for Schools" Robin Cooper

"Silver Linings: Community Crisis Response" Rainbows

"Responding to Critical Incidents - Resource Materials for Schools" DES

"Responding to Critical Incidents - Guidelines for Schools" DES

Review

This policy will be reviewed during or before the school year Sept 2011 - June 2012.

Signed: ______________________

Fr. Joe Mullan, Chairperson, Board of Management

Signed: ______________________

Paul Comiskey, Principal.