Click here to download our Critical Incident Policy
Holy Trinity N.S. aims to protect the well-being of its students and staff by providing a safe and nurturing environment at all times. The Board of Management, through the Principal and teaching staff has drawn up a critical incident management plan as one element of the school’s policies and plans.
Our aim is to establish a Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) to steer the development and implementation of the plan.
Definition of a Critical Incident:
The staff and management of Holy Trinity consider a critical incident to be –
‘An incident or sequence of events which overwhelms the normal coping mechanism of the school and disrupts the running of the school.’
Critical incidents may involve one or more students or staff members, or members of our local community. For example:
- The death of a member of the school community through accident, violence, suicide or suspected suicide or other unexpected death
- An intrusion into the school
- An accident involving members of the school community
- An accident/tragedy in the wider community
- Serious damage to the school building through fire, flood, vandalism, etc
- The disappearance of a member of the school community
Aim of the Critical Incident Management Plan:
The aim of the CIMP is to help school management and staff to react quickly and effectively in the event of an incident, to enable us to maintain a sense of control and to ensure that appropriate support is offered to students and staff. Having a good plan should also help ensure that the effects on the students and staff will be limited. It should enable us to effect a return to normality as soon as possible.
Creation of a coping supportive and caring ethos in the school
We have put systems in place to help to build resilience in both staff and students, thus preparing them to cope with a range of life events. These include measures to address both the physical and psychological safety of the school community.
Physical safety
Measures to address the physical safety of the school community include the following:
- An Evacuation Plan has been formulated and is displayed in the entrance foyer. This plan is brought to the attention of all staff and students during the school year.
- Fire drills are held at least once a term.
- Fire exits and extinguishers are regularly inspected.
- Parents are informed of the pre-opening supervision arrangements, whereby pupils can gain access to the school building from 8.40am.
- Rules of the playground and expectations of general pupil behaviour, as laid out in the school Behaviour Policy, encourage gentleness and positive relations and prohibit bullying in any form.
Psychological safety
The management and staff of Holy Trinity aim to use available programmes and resources to address the personal and social development of students, to enhance a sense of safety and security in the school and to provide opportunities for reflection and discussion.
For example:
- Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is integrated into the work of the school. It is addressed in the curriculum by addressing issues such as grief and loss; communication skills; stress and anger management; resilience; conflict management; problem solving; help-seeking; bullying and decision making. Promotion of mental health is an integral part of this provision.
- Staff have received training for the teaching of SPHE.
- Staff are familiar with the Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures and details of how to proceed with suspicions or disclosures. The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is James Tobin and the Deputy Designated Liaison Person (DDLP) is Loretta Redmond.
- Students who are identified as being at risk are referred to the Designated Liaison Person (James Tobin), concerns are explored and the appropriate level of assistance and support is provided. Parents are informed and where appropriate, a referral is made to an appropriate agency.
- The school has a clear policy on bullying and deals with bullying in accordance with this policy.
- Staff members accept their role in the pastoral care of pupils and colleagues.
Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT)
A CIMT has been established in line with best practice. The members of the team were selected on a voluntary basis and will retain their roles for at least one school year. The members of the team will meet annually (in September) to review and update the policy and plan. Each member of the team has a dedicated critical incident folder. This contains a copy of the policy and plan and materials particular to their role, to be used in the event of an incident.
Preparation of CIMP (Critical Incident Management Plan)
A school Critical Incident Management Team has been put in place, with key responsibilities as follows:
| Roles | Members | Key responsibilities |
| • Team Leader & Garda liaison | James Tobin | • Alerts the team members to the crisis and convenes a meeting• Coordinates the tasks of the team• Liaises with the Board of Management; DES; NEPS;
• Liaises with the bereaved family • Liaises with the Gárdaí • Ensures that information about deaths or other developments is checked out for accuracy before being shared [In the absence of the Team Leader, James Tobin, this role will be taken by Loretta Redmond] |
| • Staff & Student liaison | Loretta Redmond | • Leads briefing meetings for staff on the facts as known,gives staff members an opportunity to express their feelingsand ask questions, outlines the routine for the day
• Advises staff on the procedures for identification of vulnerable students • Provides materials for staff (from their critical incident folder) • Keeps staff updated as the day progresses • Is alert to vulnerable staff members and makes contact with them individually • Advises them of the availability of the EAS and gives them the contact number. • Alerts other staff to vulnerable students (appropriately) • Provides materials for students (from their critical incident folder) • Keeps records of students seen by external agency staff • Looks after setting up and supervision of ‘quiet’ room where agreed |
| • Parent liaison | Brianóg Brady Dawson | • Visits the bereaved family with the team leader• Arranges parent meetings, if held• May facilitate such meetings, and manage ‘questions and answers’
• Manages the ‘consent’ issues in accordance with agreed school policy • Ensures that sample letters are typed up, on the school’s system and ready for adaptation • Sets up room for meetings with parents • Maintains a record of parents seen • Meets with individual parents • Provides appropriate materials for parents (from CI folder) |
| • Community / agency liaison | Ciara O’Sullivan | • Maintains up to date lists of contact numbers of- Key parents, such as members of the Parents Council
- Emergency support services and other external contacts and resources • Liaises with agencies in the community for support and onward referral • Is alert to the need to check credentials of individuals offering support • Coordinates the involvement of these agencies • Reminds agency staff to wear name badges • Updates team members on the involvement of external agencies |
| • Media liaison | Caroline Walsh | • In advance of an incident, will consider issues that may arise and how they might be responded to (e.g. students being interviewed, photographers on the premises, etc)• In the event of an incident, will liaise where necessary with the relevant teacher unions etc.• Will draw up a press statement, give media briefings and interviews (as agreed by school management) |
| • Administrator | School Secretary(under the direction of the Team Leader) | • Maintenance of up to date telephone numbers of- Parents or guardians- Teachers
- Emergency services • Takes telephone calls and notes those that need to be responded to • Ensures that templates are on the schools system in advance and ready for adaptation • Prepares and sends out letters, emails and faxes • Photocopies materials needed • Maintains records |
Record keeping
In the event of an incident each member of the team will keep records of phone calls made and received, letters sent and received, meetings held, persons met, interventions used, material used etc.
The school secretary will have a key role in receiving and logging telephone calls, sending letters, photocopying materials, etc.
Confidentiality and good name considerations
The management and staff of Holy Trinity have a responsibility to protect the privacy and good name of the people involved in any incident and will be sensitive to the consequences of any public statements. The members of the school staff will bear this in and will seek to ensure that students do so also. For instance, the term ‘suicide’ will not be used unless there is solid information that death was due to suicide, and that the family involved consents to its use. The phrases ‘tragic death’ or ‘sudden death’ may be used instead. Similarly, the word ‘murder’ will not be used until it is legally established that a murder was committed. The term ‘violent death’ may be used instead.
Critical incident rooms
In the event of a critical incident, the following room allocation will be in place:
| Jun Infant classroom | Meetings with Staff |
| Sen Infant classroom | Meetings with students |
| 1st Class room | Parents |
| 2nd Class room | Media |
| SET Room 1 | Individual sessions with students |
| SET Room 2 | Other visitors |
Note:
- Appendices to be attached with letters, announcement samples, guidelines for action, emergency numbers etc.
- Plan to be ratified by BOM
