PADUA COLLEGE LIMITED ACN ABN

Transcription

1 PADUA COLLEGE LIMITED ACN ABN Plicy Title Versin Number Date Issued Critical Incident Management Plicy 2.0 Nvember 2007 Reviewed April 2010 June 2015 Definitin Critical incidents are defined in this plicy as events which have a significant, perhaps dramatic, impact n the daily rutine f the Cllege. They will usually create strng emtinal and psychlgical respnses in all peple wh are in sme way assciated with the incident. They may als attract r threaten t attract undue r negative attentin t Padua Cllege. Sme examples f critical incidents are: Death f a student r staff member resulting frm an accident r suicide. Tragedy n an excursin r n the way t r frm schl. Flds r fires. Criminal activity invlving schl staff r students n schl premises. Bmb threats. Critical incidents ften have similar characteristics including: rapid time sequences; verwhelming f usual cping respnses f individuals r the cllege cmmunity; severe disruptin, at least temprarily, t the functining f individuals r the cllege cmmunity; and perceptins f threat and helplessness and a turning t thers fr help. Plicy (1) Padua Cllege will ensure that systems are in place t deal with critical incidents in the schl and that thse systems include the prvisin f apprpriate fllw up care and cunselling as needed. (2) Management pririties - the Cllege will: prvide planning and respnse guidelines fr the management f critical incidents; develp systems and prcedures t ensure buildings and ther Cllege facilities are made safe fr use fllwing the ccurrence f a critical incident; assist in the develpment f skills fr respnse t a wide variety f critical incidents; raise awareness f issues which may cnfrnt cunsellrs and thers in their supprt f students and staff fllwing a critical incident; assist staff t identify when supprt prgrams may be apprpriate, and prvide sme verview f nrmal human reactins t the abnrmal circumstances f a critical incident. (3) Guiding Principles - Padua Cllege staff are t be prepared t deal with critical incidents in rder t prtect the safety and welfare f all students, staff and thers invlved in the peratins f the Cllege. Cnsistent with the Franciscan eths and the traditins f Padua 1

2 Cllege, critical incidents are t be handled pastrally and apprpriately, ensuring that the dignity and privacy f each persn are respected. Respnsibility fr implementatin (1) The Rectr is respnsible fr the implementatin f this plicy persnally, and by delegatin. (2) The Cllege shall establish a standing Crisis Management Team, which will cnsist f the Cllege Senir Administratin Team. Other staff (fr example the Student Cunsellr and the Wrkplace Health and Safety Officer) may be included in the team depending n circumstances and needs. The team will be respnsible fr directing and managing staff, students, parents, the media and ther cmmunity members, during and fllwing a critical incident. (3) The Rectr shall use discretin t determine which Cllege stakehlders are t be cntacted depending n the nature f the circumstances. Critical Incident Management Prcedure Managing Crises There are three main aspects t the management f critical incidents and ther persnal crisis situatins: making suitable preparatins by deciding n prcedures t be fllwed in the event f a crisis, implementing these prcedures in a sensitive manner t minimise the trauma shuld the need arise, and prviding in-huse cunselling r access t specialist help if required. Critical Incidents: The Cllege needs t be able t respnd quickly t a critical incident which invlves schl staff and/r students. T enable staff t prepare fr such cntingencies Critical Incident Management prcedures have been develped. The schl cmmunity staff, students, parents - need t be aware in general terms that the schl has plans in place fr dealing with emergencies and fr managing any subsequent staff and student trauma. Grief Management: Critical incidents can ccasin cnsiderable grief t members f the schl cmmunity. Staff can find themselves cnfrnted with the need t deal with sme very emtinal reactins as the impact f the incident is felt. The respnse t a critical incident invlving staff r students requires delicate handling t minimise the trauma. Cunselling: The prvisin f supprt and cunselling will ften be required bth in respnse t critical incidents and ther persnal crises, as well as in day-t-day matters. Cunselling is best given by thse prfessinally trained t d s. Teachers shuld be wary f assuming this rle and need t refer students t the Student Cunsellrs as the first step twards btaining assistance. The Cllege ffers staff the ability t gain prfessinal cunselling thrugh Access Cunselling. Respnsibilities Cnsistent with the Cllege s plicy, the Rectr has the verall respnsibility fr ensuring that an effective management framewrk is implemented and t: ratify and review this plicy; develp and implement Critical Incident Management plans; 2

3 appint and mnitr Critical Incident Management teams as required; prmte knwledge f the existence and cntent f the Critical Incident Management Plicy and Prcedures; cmmunicate decisins regarding an incident, in line with the crisis management plan develped fr the incident; be guided by the plicy and prcedures when making decisins cncerning cmmunicatin with the media. apprve additinal resurces in the event f a critical incident; prvide training pprtunities fr staff, and ensure cmpliance systems are in place. The Rectr will act as the media spkespersn fr the Cllege. Staff are t: make themselves aware f the relevant plicy and prcedures relating t critical incidents; fllw mandatry reprting requirements as required, and fllw prcedures in the event f a critical incident. Critical Incident Management Team The Cllege s Critical Incident Management Team will be established at the cmmencement f each year and is t be prepared t manage critical incidents frm an rganisatinal perspective. The decisin t activate the team will be made by the Rectr. The team will: meet at the cmmencement f each new schl year fr the purpses f training and planning; ensure that crisis management plans are current and relevant; fulfil allcated tasks, and advise the Rectr n imprving and updating plans. Critical Incident Management Planning The purpse f Critical Incident Management planning is t: prvide guidelines fr handling f critical incidents and respnses by the Cllege; raise awareness f issues that may ccur fllwing a critical incident; ensure that cmmunicatin channels between relevant grups are clear and direct, t maximise accuracy, efficiency, and ultimately minimise anxiety and speculatin; ensure that the prcess f identifying and gathering infrmatin abut a critical incident r issue is managed effectively, and assist staff in identifying what supprt prgrams may be apprpriate. The plan shuld include: an utline f key rles and respnsibilities f staff; clear lines f cmmunicatins and supprt; identificatin f ptential incidents, r issues, t enable early identificatin and apprpriate respnses; templates and standard frms t be used fr recrding, reprting and mnitring cmmunicatin activity during a critical incident; cntact numbers fr emergency services and ther utside agencies; a critical incident management flw chart; steps t be taken in respnse t a critical incident, and details f legal, media and cunselling cntacts. 3

4 Dealing with the Media It is imprtant whenever a critical incident ccurs effective cntrl f the media be established at the scene. This may invlve sending a member f the Critical Incident Management Team t the site and/r the emplyment f a media cnsultant t represent the Cllege. If the media enters Cllege prperty withut permissin, they may be requested t leave, but this culd result in them emplying ther methds t get the stry r pictures. If the media arrives unannunced they shuld be referred t the media cnsultant. If the media cnsultant is nt yet n the scene, the media shuld be directed t a safe area where they d nt disturb the crisis recvery prcess. They shuld be infrmed that their requests will be dealt with as sn as pssible. The Rectr is the spkespersn fr the Cllege. Respnding t a Critical Incident Prcedures fr respnding t a Critical Incident are detailed in Appendix 1. Staff wh are invlved in a critical incident are t use this prcedure as the basis f managing the situatin until the Cllege s Critical Incident Management Team is able t take cntrl. The prcedures will be the basis f the management plan develped by the Critical Incident Management Team with aspects being added r deleted depending n the level f incident. The prcedure sheet is t be included in the Staff Handbk. Cnclusin Padua Cllege has a respnsibility t be sensitive t and manage the reactins f students, staff and thers during and after a critical incident by initiating supprt prgrams within the Cllege r in cperatin with external agencies. Whether the incident is f a disastrus prprtin r f a relatively small magnitude, a quick and effective respnse is required. The effective management f such events will enable staff and students t better vercme the crisis and return t a nrmal life. Cntrl f the media aspects f such events will result in keeping the circumstance surrunding the event in perspective. 4

5 APPENDIX 1 CRITICAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT RESPONSE PROCEDURES A. Survive Preserve life: Danger Respnse Airways Breathing Circulatin Ensure safety B. Immediately 1. Accunt fr everyne 2. Tend t injured 3. Render the situatin safe 4. Establish the facts 5. Cntact emergency services Plice 000 Ambulance 000 Fire Brigade 000 Dctr Priest C. ASAP 1. Rectr t activate Critical Incident Management Team 2. Team t develp Actin Plan 3. Infrm Minister Prvincial 4. Infrm Bard Members D. Once safety assured 1. Ntify relatives 2. Infrm staff, students and schl cmmunity 3. Cnsider clsure f schl 4. Cnsult media and legal advisers 5. Identify hlding r brief area 6. Dcument facts 7. Prepare phne cntact persn t deal with cmmunity media calls E. Within 24 hurs 1. Set up incident rm and ther rms as necessary 2. Prepare fr cunselling 3. Update dcument facts 4. Plan t return t nrmal duties asap 5. Access specialist prviders F. Beynd 24 hurs 1. Onging debriefing 2. Encurage all t access supprt 3. Prepare fr dealing with Pst Traumatic Stress 4. Mnitr and supprt survivrs and families 5. Mnitr admin and care givers 6. Update facts 7. Supprt absent staff/students 8. Plan fr return f injured staff/students 9. Plan fr frmal prceedings: inquests, curt, funerals, liturgies 10. Liaise with Media and Legal advisers 11. Cntinue with specialist prviders as required 12. Recgnise different cultures 5