Am I right about accident book?

[C&A Childcare]

We just have a notebook that we intend to use to record accidents (we luckily haven't had any yet!) this was checked by Ofsted at our last inspection and nothing was said about it. We were also informed by our local authority that a notebook or similar will do as long as you are recording accidents accurately.

We were doing a training course and a member of staff from this company told us that what we use isn't an accident book and that her childminder uses forms with the body maps on them. I told her that I know you can buy those but we have never been told that we must have them. She then basically kicked us off the course because I'd challenged her. She said that I wasn't willing to listen to her but I had to listened to her, I just don't think she is in the right as Ofsted were fine with what we had used and she then went on to say that maybe our inspector was new to her job!

I think she can suggest that we use a different format but she seemed to genuinely believe that you had to use the forms with the body maps on and I don't think this is a requirement as all the EYFS says is that accidents must be recorded.

[Tunja]

We just have a notebook that we intend to use to record accidents (we luckily haven't had any yet!) this was checked by Ofsted at our last inspection and nothing was said about it. We were also informed by our local authority that a notebook or similar will do as long as you are recording accidents accurately.

We were doing a training course and a member of staff from this company told us that what we use isn't an accident book and that her childminder uses forms with the body maps on them. I told her that I know you can buy those but we have never been told that we must have them. She then basically kicked us off the course because I'd challenged her. She said that I wasn't willing to listen to her but I had to listened to her, I just don't think she is in the right as Ofsted were fine with what we had used and she then went on to say that maybe our inspector was new to her job!

I think she can suggest that we use a different format but she seemed to genuinely believe that you had to use the forms with the body maps on and I don't think this is a requirement as all the EYFS says is that accidents must be recorded.

The accident book she refers to will be a commercially available one. There is no requirement to buy a specific accident book and they all vary slightly anyway. A note book is fine provided that you record each incident/accident on a separate page to maintain parent confidentiality and get parents to sign. If you need to add a photograph or sketch a wound then that is also acceptable and provides more detail. You may for example draw a hand and mark which finger was bitten. For this you do not need a whole body map!

I would query being removed from the course with their supervisor and notify the local authority as they may be subsidising the training and would want quality training.

[suez]

my D.O told me a couple of wks ago that you can no longer use the body maps to identify where the injury is.

[Mouse]

When I did a Health & Safety in the Work Place course we were told that we had to use the 'offical' accident record book. Most of us said that we didn't. The trainer was adamant we did - we were just as adamant we didn't! But this trainer also told us that we should use hoists to lift 'clients' and should have a lockable medicines trolley that we should attach to a wall in a locked office.

He really had no idea about childminders & how we worked

I would question your trainers knowledge and ask for an apology!

[C&A Childcare]

Thanks everyone for your answers. It's strange that there is so much conflicting information out there. It was a health and safety check when I was told this so I wonder if they have different information for some reason. Although this woman told me that they are governed by Ofsted just like we are so how can they not know what they're talking about?

Anyway I've contacted my LA to help me out with this.

[lilac_dragon]

I've always used the reverse of my Record of Information (childs parents names, addresses,contact numbers, place of work, Drs details etc) to record accidents/injuries as only the parents of that child ever see that.

This way I never need to think about does anything need to be covered/hidden. Also, that childs records are then all together and I would never have to try and track down where a particular accident may be recorded. Everything to do with that child is in it's own folder.

Last inspection - Ofsted Inspector thought it was a "Good Idea" - I nearly fainted!!!!!!!!!!

[k1rstie]

the topic of body maps was discussed a few months ago in a thread. I was on my first aid 2 weeks ago. I asled the question about body maps - he could not/ would not answer on way or other, and said that I should contact the local authority for their definate answer.

I have not yet bothered!

[murrayspud]

According to our Local Authority (Staffordshire) Body Maps are no longer to be used. This came out in the revised EYFS training I attended in the Summer. I think it is a decision that is made by individual Local Authorities and it is best to check with them what they recommend.