Bumped head policy

[maisiemog]

After a scary incident yesterday when a child bumped their head at school and then started vomiting at mine I want a policy in place.

Basically our school send a text to mum when a child bumps their head but mums never tell me. School didn't tell me when I picked up either and I didn't have a clue until they started being sick on me and mum mentioned it when I rang her.

So now I'm thinking that I want a policy saying parents are to notify me if they get the text so I can also keep an eye on their child. I just can't get it worded right though so would appreciate some help.

[shortstuff]

maybe call it an existing injury form? and send it to parents via email. Then you could expect one to be emailed with all of the relevant info on it?

not something i have given any thought to sorry

[Simona]

After a scary incident yesterday when a child bumped their head at school and then started vomiting at mine I want a policy in place.

Basically our school send a text to mum when a child bumps their head but mums never tell me. School didn't tell me when I picked up either and I didn't have a clue until they started being sick on me and mum mentioned it when I rang her.

So now I'm thinking that I want a policy saying parents are to notify me if they get the text so I can also keep an eye on their child. I just can't get it worded right though so would appreciate some help.

I have had a short but clear section in my contract for a long time under: Info sharing with schools and other settings the child may attend
It states clearly they must inform me of any accidents especially 'bumps to the head'
They may still not do so but at least I have covered myself and parents have signed in agreement
I have often found strips of paper in school bags saying: today I bumped my head!...not good enough if further details are missing

[Jiorjiina]

I have a head injury letter that I send home with kids who've bumped their heads (my unwritten rule is that if their head makes a noise (when it hits), it gets a note. Or if they've hit it on something sharp like a corner, but that doesn't rhyme the same way! .) Fortunately most of my parents are really good at informing me of bigger things like head injuries, burns, trapped fingers, etc.

I would definitely complain to the school about that though, because if they're sending a letter home to parents, then they should also be informing the person caring for the child until the parents can read the flipping letter! It's not much good sending a child home at 3:30 with a letter to parents who might not see it until 6pm, leaving a gap of 2.5 hours for a potentially fatal complication to develop and a carer who doesn't know they should be keeping an eye out for any symptoms! (And vomiting after a head injury is one of the more serious ones too.)

RE: Wording for a policy. I would go with something fairly simple, like:

"In order to keep children safe, and provide correct medical treatment as soon as possible, I ask that parents inform me of any head injuries or major accidents suffered by their children at the earliest opportunity."

Also link it in to your sickness (You could just make it part of that, if you wanted) and your safeguarding policy, and any emergency medical treatment permission things you might have.

[gef918]

My kids school puts a large sticker on their coat/jumper saying "I bumped my head today", so I know to ask the teacher what happened and when. Still find it strange though that even when in reception, I was never asked to sign an accident form.

[Simona]

My kids school puts a large sticker on their coat/jumper saying "I bumped my head today", so I know to ask the teacher what happened and when. Still find it strange though that even when in reception, I was never asked to sign an accident form.

The reason for not being asked to sign the accident form is that ONLY the parents are those the school will report to...which is totally wrong but difficult to change a schools habit of a lifetime not to engage with those who act in 'loco parentis':Cms

however as an accident at school needs to be recorded by us in our accident form as 'children arriving with an incident that occurred outside our setting' maybe when these accidents happen we should be braver and approach the school and question the reason for not reporting it to us

Stickers put on children's foreheads are the worst form of breach of confidentiality I have ever experienced....I am utterly amazed it is allowed to be done without any reflection on the rights of the child or respect...sorry another thing I feel strongly about

Roll on when the schools take on the 1:30 ratio for wraparound care...they will have to invest in tons of stickers as I am sure lack of supervision will lead to many more accidents...

[gef918]

The reason for not being asked to sign the accident form is that ONLY the parents are those the school will report to...which is totally wrong but difficult to change a schools habit of a lifetime not to engage with those who act in 'loco parentis':Cms

however as an accident at school needs to be recorded by us in our accident form as 'children arriving with an incident that occurred outside our setting' maybe when these accidents happen we should be braver and approach the school and question the reason for not reporting it to us
...

I've never been asked to sign a form even for my own children.

And actually the teacher has normally been happy to tell me about accidents with mindees.

[Simona]

I've never been asked to sign a form even for my own children.

And actually the teacher has normally been happy to tell me about accidents with mindees.

Sorry if was not clear...I do not expect to be asked to sign a form...I know schools don't do that
What I would expect is to be informed of certain accidents so that I can put it in my accident log as having happened 'outside' my setting

You are very lucky of course having a teacher that does communicate that information ...not all do that and we know they are busy but we are discussing a 'bump on the head' which resulted in the child being unwell after

My personal view is there is a difference between that and a graze

[AdeleMarie88]

I have had two bumped heads this week, neither cases did the teacher tell me, and when I noticed a whopper of a lump on her head I approached teacher and she said I don't know it must have happened in break!! I politely suggested they need a system whereby lunch time staff can write up accident form and tell the teacher! When I got home I found a scrap piece of paper in book bag that said, "banged head, mom will be called" mom wasn't called. It's appalling! Xx

[kellib]

I have had two bumped heads this week, neither cases did the teacher tell me, and when I noticed a whopper of a lump on her head I approached teacher and she said I don't know it must have happened in break!! I politely suggested they need a system whereby lunch time staff can write up accident form and tell the teacher! When I got home I found a scrap piece of paper in book bag that said, "banged head, mom will be called" mom wasn't called. It's appalling! Xx

Same kind of thing happened to my son, twice!!

He came out of school with massive eggs on his forehead, even my grandad noticed them his teacher said she didn't even notice them!! And that no playground assistant had mentioned it to her.

Obviously not heard of communication!

[shortstuff]

Ds got bitten by a fellow year 2 and neither me nor the other parent were told. When I questioned the teacher I was told because ds said it didnt hurt they werent worried.

Trouble is ds has an amazingly high pain threshold because of his medical history. Turns out the teacher wasnt told about that so didnt make allowances.

Fuming wasnt the word to describe me im afraid.