Documenting and Reporting Incidents

This policy has been established to ensure, that effective procedures are in place for Educators and Families to be properly informed and to understand their reporting obligations, if a circumstance in which an incident could have occurred or did occur and to understand their roles and responsibilities regarding child safety, and the need to identify and respond to children at risk.

This policy seeks to:

• Ensure that there is immediate management of an incident, accident or emergency and that each of these events are prioritised, managed and investigated appropriately
• Minimise risk and prevent future incident through the effective management and documentation of incidents, through training, assessments and reviews
• Identify opportunities to improve the quality of support by ensuring that the management of incidents is planned and coordinated

Serious Incidents

The Educator, Family and Service document, manage, reflect and notify relevant authorities of all serious incidents (including allegations) that occur during or in connection with a session of care. Serious incidents include:

• The death of a person
• Serious injury of a person
• Abuse or neglect of a person
• Unlawful sexual or physical contact with, or assault of, a person (excluding, in the case of unlawful physical assault, contact with, and impact on, the person that is negligible)
• Sexual misconduct, committed against, or in the presence of, a person, including grooming of the person
• Unauthorised use of a restrictive practice in relation to a person, other than where the use is in accordance with an authorisation (however described) of a state or territory, in relation to the person or a behaviour support plan

Minor Incidents

The Educator, Family and Service document, manage and reflect upon all minor incidents that occur during a session of care. Minor Incidents include:

• Mild injury of a person
• Home Safety issue
• Damage to an item
• Alarming behaviour which could result in the harm of person
• Concerning circumstance that could be rectified with support

If an incident occurs during or in connection with a session of care, Educators are required to follow procedure, which includes Informing, Documenting and Reporting all incidents details to the Family and the Service via phone and online via the Documenting and Reporting Incident Form (https://www.australiasleadinghomecareagency.com.au/reportable-incidents/).

This should be completed:

• immediately (if possible)
• or once the child is safe
• or by the end of the shift (at the very latest)
• but definitely within 24 hours.

The Service will assist in determining whether the incident meets the Serious Incident criteria which will need to also be reported to relevant authorities. The Educator must meet their mandatory reporting requirements (relevant to their state or territory), understand their obligations and comply with any legislation and reportable conduct schemes and complete all child protection training (relevant to their state or territory) and ensure relevant refresher training is completed when required.

Educators must take reasonable steps to ensure that each child in the session of care is adequately supervised to promote safety in the physical environment. Adequate supervision is critical to the safety of children and helps protect them from harm and hazards daily, which minimises the risk of incidents from occurring.

Responsibilities (to help guide the practice of the Service, Educator and Family)

• The Service must ensure access has been provided to relevant policies, resources and professional development opportunities through the Carer and Client Portal
• The Educator and Family must take part in inductions, training, and reviews to stay current with standards
• All parties must follow the Incidents and Mandatory Reporting Policy and Procedure and any related guidelines or procedures
• All parties must ensure Incidents and Mandatory Reporting Policy and Procedures are implemented, relevant management plans are completed, authorisation provided, and all risks are identified to minimise the risk to children’s health, safety and wellbeing
• The Educator and Family must attend any scheduled online meetings, phone calls, assessments, compliance or orientation sessions

Step 1. Inform and take action                                  

• The Educator and Family must immediately seek emergency assistance e.g. 000 if required
• The Educator and Family must initiate first aid treatment or seek medical treatment
• The Educator and Family must meet our legislative obligations by responding to risks, hazards, incidents, and concerns promptly by Informing, Documenting and Reporting all incidents details to Family and the Service via phone and online via the Documenting and Reporting Incident Form (https://www.australiasleadinghomecareagency.com.au/reportable-incidents/). This should be completed:
  • immediately (if possible)
  • or once the child is safe
  • or by the end of the shift (at the very latest)
  • but definitely within 24 hours.
• The Service must if serious reportable incident criteria met, ensure relevant parties notify and make reports to relevant authorities within lawful timeframes

Step 2. Investigate and analyse                                

• All parties must investigate the incident, gather all available information, document findings clearly
• The Service must consider each perspective and review how the incident was managed
• The Service and Educator must identify whether the incident was preventable and what factors contributed to its occurrence
• The Service must determine the underlying cause or reason for the incident
• All parties must assess whether current strategies, policies, or processes require review or improvement
• All parties must identify and record any remedial or corrective actions needed to reduce future risks and prevent recurrence
• The Educator and Family if relevant, complete a Hazard Management Form, highlighting strategies to mitigate risks (https://www.australiasleadinghomecareagency.com.au/hazardreportform/)
• The Educator and Family if relevant, complete an updated Home Safety Assessment, to identify actions for risk minimisation (https://www.australiasleadinghomecareagency.com.au/home-safety-update/)
• The Service and Educator if relevant, complete a Full Home Safety Assessment of the entire care environment

Step 3. Support                                

• All parties must support and review the wellbeing of all impacted parties
• The Service must provide and access resources, training and relevant professional development opportunities, to build confidence, quality and safety
• The Service if relevant, schedule additional or ongoing check ins and support provision e.g. EAP or Workcover

Step 4. Review incident/accident minimisation and corrective action

• The Service must review and, if required, revise any related policies, strategies, and procedures
• All parties must implement corrective actions and incident minimisation strategies
• All parties must develop or update relevant plans to address identified risks and strengthen prevention measures
• The Service must document and incorporate key learnings into the continuous improvement process
• All parties must ensure changes are communicated and embedded to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents or accidents occurring again

Step 5. Informing

• All parties must collaboratively involve all parties in the management and resolution of the incident
• The Service must establish and implement incident specific continuous improvement plan
• The Service must inform relevant parties of investigation outcomes
• All parties must notify related regulatory authorities, departments, organisations and agencies of relevant issues, updates and reportable events as required by law, related frameworks, guides, standards and regulations

An In Home Care Educator who is personally injured or damages property during children’s CCS attendance times (within work times) is covered by ALHCA Workcover Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.  In Home Care Families who allow In Home Care Educators to remain within the boundaries of their property outside of the children’s CCS attendance times (outside work times) agree to have active insurance cover in place, that covers personal injury to others or damage to their property as a result of an incident.