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Critical Incidents in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services: Supporting Children’s Emotional Wellbeing
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Author
Barnardos
Date
2023
Citation
Barnardos. (2023). Critical Incidents in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services: Supporting Children’s Emotional Wellbeing. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13085/1294
Abstract
All Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services are required to have a service level Critical Incident Plan that outlines how the service will prepare for and respond to critical incidents should one occur. For information on how to prepare for critical incidents see the companion guide Critical Incidents in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services: Planning and Responding.
As well as the practical considerations involved, it is essential that you think about how you will support the emotional wellbeing of both the children and the adults in your service. All of the children in your setting, from the youngest to the oldest, will need this support. When there has been a traumatic event in a community, for example, an accident, an attack or death, or an incident such as a fire or flood causing severe damage to the service buildings and facilities, everyone is impacted, even if they were not a first-hand witness to events. Children are reliant on their parents and other primary caregivers to protect them from harmful experiences but, sadly, we cannot always protect them when potentially traumatic serious incidents happen in or near their setting, or in their community. Thankfully, we can provide supports for children that can help to minimise the impact that such an incident could have on their wellbeing.
This resource provides information on the kinds of support that will help children in an Early Learning and Care setting or a School Age Childcare setting to cope better following a critical incident, which will have a positive impact on their wellbeing both now and in their future.