All schools must have at least one qualified first aider. It is essential to know who the named first aiders in the school are and how they can be contacted.
Illness in school
It is important that sick children are identified and taken appropriate care of. If a child tells their teacher they are unwell it is up to the school to make a decision about whether they should be sent home. Sometimes a child may just need to sit down for a while before feeling better and returning to class. However it’s the responsibility of the school to protect other students and staff from getting an infection, therefore if a child is showing signs of a contagious illness, it may be advised they are sent home.
Minor Injury
Children may sometimes suffer minor cuts and bruises. The most frequent injuries are from children falling over. These can be treated in schools and do not require children to be sent home. A qualified first aider can treat the wound.
Reporting and Recording
If a child has been feeling ill during the day, or has had a minor injury, it is the responsibility of the school to inform and send a report about the symptoms of the illness noticed or about the injury a child has had in the school premises to the parents or carer. Even if a child has suffered a head bump and they are no obvious symptoms, the parents must be reported and they should be aware of what has happened. Information of any incidents is recorded in the report book, the staff who has observed the incident has to provide details about it and also mention the actions taken soon as possible. Serious accidents have to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive by law.
