in case of emergency policy

[TabbyTuTu]

Okay, so this is my in case of emergency procedure, what do you think?

"If a reason arose where I was unable to look after your child I would contact you immediately and in most cases be able to await your arrival. However, in some emergencies this may be impossible. If this ever happened, I will have to contact someone else to come and provide emergency care, until you arrive to collect your child. I have a list of available emergency care, all with DBS checks and previous childcare experience. An envelope will be pinned to the notice board with contact details on, I shall also carry emergency contact details with me.

Thankfully scenarios that will prevent me from contacting you myself are very rare, and hopefully there is no need for this procedure to be put in practice."

I did not want to a couple of people as I can't depend on the situation. It may be that my husband is home, or a neighbour. But if I am out in town and hit by a car, it would be quicker to get one of my friends there (I have several that live nearer town than I do with DBS checks). I also wanted to point out that it is very unlikely that it will be needed, but unsure if that part sounds ok or not?

This has been the hardest to write, I don't want to concern parents but need it wrote down. I know it isn't required by Ofsted so hopefully it is enough.

Any advice or input is welcome :-)

[moggy]

Personally, I would not mention the DBS checks. It is not a requirement and to be honest, are you going to be checking that nice neighbour or friend up the road's DBS has not expired, before you are taken off in that ambulance? No, you will do your best in the situation and leave the children with who you trust at that moment.
Friends' and neighbours' DBSs are not issued for you or Ofsted, so you are not in control of them or what they say or when they might or might not expire. Just avoid it IMO.

Likewise, the 'childcare experience'- on the day of the hypothetical emergency the best person you know to step in might not actually have that experience, are you going to say 'sorry, can't use you because my policy says...'. 'Childcare experience' is not a requirement so I'd avoid mentioning it.

[loocyloo]

I just say that in an emergency I will endeavour to leave the children with one of my named emergency contacts, however should that not be possible I will leave children with a trusted and safe adult.
I also have emergency contact details on my notice board.

[TabbyTuTu]

Thank you Moggy, I didn't think about that. Pretty much everyone I know has worked or currently works in childcare but I suppose that doesn't mean I have to state it.

[clairelou]

Hi, I have come here with the same query, I was inspected in September and my inspector asked me what I would do in the event o an emergency,
I replied with what I had written in my policy, explaining that for 14 years I had another local childminder as my contact but as she had recently retired I would get my husband (who works around 3 minutes away) to care for the other children until parents can arrive while I go to hospital with the child in need.
Well her eyes opened really wide and a horrified look came over her she said 'but but does he have a paediatric first aid?' I replied 'no just the first aid at work' She then said "you must change that policy with immediate effect and NEVER NEVER leave the children with him as if a second emergency happened he wouldn't know what to do" You must keep all the children with you until they can be collected.
I did this as soon as she left stating that all the children would come with me to the hospital in the event of an emergency.
Fast forward to this last weekend when I renewed my first aid, I mentioned this to the first aid trainer, She said "ho no, other children would not be allowed in the ambulance or into A&E.
I have contacted ofsted about this and twice been given a link to the EYFS guidelines on suitable paid carers. I have tried to phone but have been on hold for 30 minutes twice so emailed instead.
My CSSO has no words of advice apart from ask ofsted or get my husband a paediatric first aid.

Surely I am not the only very rural childminder in the country who has no emergency contact with a paediatric trained first aider as an emergency contact who could arrive before an ambulance?
I have been childminding 17 years and this last inspection has about finished me off!

[loocyloo]

Never been told that!
My husband is my emergency contact too ( as rural and he is closer than any other childminder ( who probably wouldn't be able to get here due to their minded children! )
He doesn't have first aid at all. But it is only to cover until children collected.
If I remember correctly the EYFS says 'left with a suitable person'.

Look forward to hearing other responses!

[natlou82]

I have my husband listed, he also only has first aid at work cert. it didn't cause a problem on my last inspection. Tbh in a real emergency you can't wait around until a suitable person with paediatric first aid arrives, if my husband is here I would leave the children with him it's only until they're collected!

[KateA]

oh thanks for heads up my in-laws are my in case of emergency and they don't hold first aid certs are all but all dB's checked and were teachers. Will look into this further I just I was in worst case situation its fine .

[moggy]

I have my husband listed, he also only has first aid at work cert. it didn't cause a problem on my last inspection. Tbh in a real emergency you can't wait around until a suitable person with paediatric first aid arrives, if my husband is here I would leave the children with him it's only until they're collected!

Exactly, do you say 'Sorry paramedics- just hold on a minute, leave me bleeding on the driveway, while I check my neighbour's paediatric first aid is up to date and whether it covers all the requirements of the EYFS so I can leave the children for the 30 mins it will take for their parents/emergency contacts to collect them'... ridiculous.

In an emergency you do what you need to do with the children's best interests in mind. Snap decisions need to be made. But that also means that written policies are also maybe a bit daft as you may list 2 local CMers but on the day of the emergency they might be ill/on holiday/out and you have to call your partner/neighbour/friend. But at least a policy helps show parents what kind of thing might happen if the hypothetical emergency occurs.

[moggy]

Interesting, just had my Pacey Public Liability Insurance renewal through and on the back the Policy Summary says:

"Automatically included in your insurance cover:
...
- leaving children in the care of another adult during an emergency
..."

So, there we are, we are insured for it.
Personally, I have no concerns about it and would be willing to argue my point with an inspector.

[loocyloo]

Interesting, just had my Pacey Public Liability Insurance renewal through and on the back the Policy Summary says:

"Automatically included in your insurance cover:
...
- leaving children in the care of another adult during an emergency
..."

So, there we are, we are insured for it.
Personally, I have no concerns about it and would be willing to argue my point with an inspector.

:-) :-) :-) great. Thanks x

[clairelou]

Moggy,
Thank you sooooo much for this, its been stressing me all week.
Think i'll ignore her comments as it wasn't noted anywhere in my inspection, although she did say if my husband was to be my emergency contact I would be graded inadequate.
She also said when I'm re-inspected it will not be the same inspector.
Im off to change my policy back to what it was now and remove the "i will take all the children to hospital with me" bit.

[moggy]

Moggy,
Thank you sooooo much for this, its been stressing me all week.
Think i'll ignore her comments as it wasn't noted anywhere in my inspection, although she did say if my husband was to be my emergency contact I would be graded inadequate.
She also said when I'm re-inspected it will not be the same inspector.
Im off to change my policy back to what it was now and remove the "i will take all the children to hospital with me" bit.

TBH, I'd keep you emergency policy as vague as possible- just say you 'might, if necessary, leave children with a responsible adult'. There are so many possible hypotheticals, there is really no point saying you would do XYZ because on the day the emergency may be something you could never have envisaged and you will just have to do your best and the policy will go out the window!