POLICY CONTENT

The sudden and unexpected death of a staff member at a childcare service is a traumatic event and can have a profound impact on other staff, educators, children and families. As a result of the suddenness of such an event, well-trained and experienced staff can experience strong emotions and traumatic stress responses. The role of our Service is to ensure our workplace promotes the health and wellbeing of all staff and provides a safe, healthy and supportive environment in which to work. Should a serious incident occur, our Service will ensure mandatory reporting requirements are followed and support is provided to assist all staff, children and families deal with distress, grief and bereavement.  
 

NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)

QUALITY AREA 2: Children's Health and Safety

2.2.2

Incident and emergency management

Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.

QUALITY AREA 7: Governance and Leadership

7.2

Leadership

Effective leadership builds and promotes a positive organisational culture and professional learning community.

 

PURPOSE

Our Service will ensure that management and educators follow the procedures and principles within this policy and that immediate and appropriate action is taken to notify relevant authorities in the event of the death of staff member whilst at the Service. There are a number of legal requirements to adhere to in the tragic event of the death of a staff member at a Service as outlined below.  

SCOPE

This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service. 
 

INCIDENT NOTIFICATION  

Within this policy a notifiable incident relates to a fatality in the workplace due to: 

• an injury sustained in the course of a work activity 
• the result of someone else’s work activity or  
• natural cases such as heart attacks and strokes.

 Under the Work Health and Safety Act (2011) legislation, all businesses are mandated to immediately notify SafeWork, if a notifiable incident occurs. If the regulator stipulates, the incident site must be preserved until an inspector arrives or directs otherwise.     
Phone: 13 10 50 
 

NOTIFICATION OF A SERIOUS INCIDENT

Although there is no specific requirement stipulated in the National Law and National Regulations for reporting a death of a staff member, the approved provider must notify the state regulatory body if any circumstance arises at the service that may pose a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child or children attending the service [Section 174(2) (a) and Regulation 176 (2) (a)]. 
The unexpected death of a staff member could be viewed as a serious incident. Notification to the regulatory authorities must be made within 24 hours. This must be done by logging into the National Quality Agenda IT System (NQA IT System).  
 
INITIAL ACTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY
Management and educators will ensure that immediate and appropriate action is taken in the event of the death of a staff member whilst at the Service by implementing the following procedures:   

1. assess the situation as per service and First Aid procedures for any immediate danger to other staff and children 
2. provide immediate First Aid and/or CPR in accordance with current First Aid training 
3. call an Ambulance immediately on 000 
4. assess the situation as per First Aid procedures for any immediate danger to other staff and/or children 
5. management/Responsible person will call the emergency contact person of the staff member 
6. Notify Regulatory Authorities and Safe Work 
7. take care not to disturb the incident site until police or inspector from SafeWork arrives 
8. the Responsible person will complete in detail the Service’s Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness record  
9. management/approved provider will contact the Service’s insurance company 
10. the approved provider will log the incident on the NQA IT System, attaching incident form and evidence within 24 hours of the death. 
11. acecqa.gov.au/resources/national-quality-ag...

  
The Nominated Supervisor, Responsible Person and educators will:

• transition children away from the area 
• demonstrate sensitivity, open mindedness and a balanced approach to managing the incident 
• recognise and support cultural needs of staff, children and families 
• ensure all evidence is preserved 
• maintain accurate and detailed record keeping 
• contact their legal representative for support and direction 
• establish protocols for staff and educators to discuss the traumatic event 
• advise staff of social media protocol for the event 
• provide professional and sensitive communication with families of the Service 
• engage the services of health care professionals (counselling and support for staff) 
• cooperate on an ongoing basis with inter-agencies involved in the investigation   
• provide support and comfort to the family of the colleague (phone calls, reassurance, legal advice, workers compensation information etc.)

 

CARING FOR THE WELLBEING OF EDUCATORS, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES

Our Service will support staff members who may be deeply affected by the loss of a colleague by the following: 

• provide grief counselling as soon as possible 
• foster a culture of compassion, understanding and respect 
• be present as a team to support one another on a day-to-day basis 
• provide opportunities for staff to grieve privately (flexible rostering where possible) 
• contact other childcare services or providers in your network/community to assist with emergency support if needed (providing the opportunity for colleagues to attend the funeral if appropriate) 
• closely monitor staff for ongoing suffering and offer immediate support 
• discuss employee leave entitlements (sick, FACS, long service, unpaid) 
• promote self-care for all staff in the workplace.

 Our Service will be sensitive and mindful of the impact of such an event has on all stakeholders and engage professional health professionals to provide information, guidance and support for staff, educators, children and families. 

Educators will support children’s understanding of grief and loss by: 

• answering questions simply and honestly 
• allowing children to express their emotions and feelings  
• provide appropriate comfort 
• implement a range of learning experiences to express their thoughts- drawing, movement, play 
• create a safe space for time alone when needed 

SUPPORT SERVICES

Our Service will seek advice and support from health professionals to provide appropriate information and resources to send home to families to assist in experiencing grief and the effects of trauma on children. 
 
beyou                                                     1300 224 636        beyou.edu.au 
Beyond Blue                                          1300 224 636        beyondblue.org.au 
Headspace                                            1800 650 890        headspace.org.au 
Lifeline                                                           13 11 14        lifeline.org.au 
Kid’s Help Line                                       1800 551 800       kidshelpline.com.au 
The Compassionate Friends of Victoria 1300 064 068       compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au 
National Centre for Childhood Grief       1300 654 556       childhoodgrief.org.au/contact-us/ 
Rainbows                                                03 9798 7005       rainbows.org.au/ 
 

CONTACT DETAILS FOR REGULATORS  

To notify a ‘notifiable incident’ contact your local regulator: 

Jurasdiction	Regulator	Telephone	Website
Western Australia	Worksafe WA	1300 307 877	commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/

SOURCE

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement: grief.org.au 
Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss & Grief Network: earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/files/ACATLGN_grief_and_loss.... 
Education and Care National Regulations. (2011). 
Guide to the National Quality Standard. (2017). (Amended 2020). 
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. 
Safe Work Australia: safeworkaustralia.gov.au 
Work Health and Safety Act 2011.