Accidents happen, regardless of how well the childminding service is run. And that’s why SCMA members who hold Public Liability Insurance (PLI) with us have peace of mind.
However, PLI is not sufficient alone – all accidents or incidents must be recorded. If a child is involved in an accident or incident whilst in your care, you must follow the correct reporting procedures. This ensures that everything well-documented and everyone concerned is informed.
Potentially any accident could become an insurance claim. If attention from a medical professional is required, you must contact SCMA and complete an insurance claim form. Regardless of whether a claim is being made against you, our claim form must be completed to further document the accident.
Do you know what to do if your minded child has an accident?
In the event of an accident:
1.
Assess the situation and take appropriate action, i.e. is medical attention required?
2.
Notify the child’s parents to inform them of the situation.
3.
Complete and sign an accident report. Parents must also read and sign the report.
4.
If medical attention is required, notify the Care Inspectorate (0345 600 9527) and contact SCMA (01786 445377) to inform us.
5.
Complete SCMA’s claim form, regardless of whether a claim is being made against you.
If you’re in any doubt, call SCMA’s Helpline on 01786 449063 (Mon-Fri, 10am – 4pm)
Guidance from the Care Inspectorate:
Accidents requiring notification to the Care Inspectorate are unforeseen events resulting in harm or injury to a person using the service that result in:
•
a GP visit
•
a visit or referral to hospital
•
an injury reportable under
RIDDOR.
Notification of such events should be made to the Care Inspectorate within 24 hours. All other accidents should be recorded and the information made available for inspection.
Full guidance is available at
careinspectorate.com or
login to the Membership Dashboard to view the Documents section.
At SCMA we understand the risks you face – that’s why we provide tailored PLI, specifically for childminders. Having appropriate PLI is essential – check your cover is suitable and appropriate to the needs of your childminding business.
Read SCMA’s PLI summary online
The Care Plan Organiser from SCMA is an all-in-one tool to help you organise each child’s care plan and record essential information. Each Care Plan Pack includes a set of Accident/Incident forms, which set out the information you need to record.
Find out more.