1. Purpose

The City of Greater Geelong Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services have a duty of care to provide all persons with a safe and healthy environment.

First Aid is defined as the essential skills and knowledge required to manage life threatening emergencies until professional medical help arrives. This includes OH&S, resuscitation, managing shock, bleeding, burns, fractures, soft tissue injuries, environmental exposure, cardiac emergencies, respiratory emergencies, diabetes, allergies, epilepsy and poisoning.

It is understood there is a shared legal responsibility and accountability between, and a commitment by, all persons to implement the service’s First Aid Policy and Procedures.

2. Scope

All services

To ensure all educators know their responsibilities and follow correct procedures in the administration of first aid in an emergency.

3. References

• Education and Care National Regulations 2011
• Amendments 2017
• Education and Care National Law Act 2010
• Amendments 2017
• Education and Care National Quality Standard
• Council Workplace First Aid Management Procedure
• Workplace Compliance Code: First Aid in the Workplace

4. ECEC Policy

In all services, management will:

• Ensure all educators have current First Aid qualifications, CPR, Anaphylaxis and Emergency Asthma training. (exception – newly appointed staff have 3 months from start date to complete all First Aid Training)
• Ensure evidence of relevant qualifications are stored on site and accessible upon request.
• Provide in date first aid provisions in all ECEC services (with the exception of FDC).
• Ensure induction processes for all new educators and staff includes the location and contents of Service first aid kits and AED Defibrillator (where these are provided).
• Ensure all educators and staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to administering first aid.
• Ensure all relevant paperwork is available for educators to complete.
• Contact the Department of Education (DE) within 24 hrs in relation to a serious incident taking place.

In all services, educators will:

• Ensure their approved first aid qualifications including CPR, Anaphylaxis and Emergency Asthma training are current and provided to management.
• Ensure all first aid kits and AED’s located in the ECEC service are accessible, in date and completely stocked and all staff, students or visitors are alerted to their whereabouts.
• Ensure disposable gloves are worn when dealing with blood or other bodily fluids and your service’s blood spills procedure is followed (see individual service handbook).
• Ensure a first aid kit is taken on every outing, excursion or event; including each Emergency Evacuation event / practice.
• Complete a risk assessment prior to each outing, excursion or event to ensure all potential health and safety risks are addressed (see individual service handbooks).
• Complete all written relevant documentation accurately and in detail ensuring it is signed by all relevant parties. (see ECEC Template: incident, injury, trauma and illness record.)
• Report all incidents and the first aid treatment provided to management as soon as practicable but within 24 hours.
• In the event of a minor incident, injury, trauma or illness:
  • Assess the situation.
  • Attend the injured person and apply first aid as required.
  • Reassure the person.
  • Complete relevant documentation.
  • Inform parent/ guardian or In Case of Emergency (ICE) and ensure documentation is signed.
• In the event of a serious incident:
  • Assess the injury and decide whether an ambulance should be called.
  • Call an ambulance if required.
  • Attend to the injured person and apply first aid as required.
  • Stay with injured person until further assistance arrives.
  • In relation to an injured child, ensure the child’s enrolment information accompanies them in the ambulance.
  • Alert the parent/guardian or ICE as soon as practicable.
  • Ensure all relevant documentation is completed ASAP.

(FDC Specific) In the event of a serious incident:

• Before administering emergency medication without an action plan; call triple 000 and follow the operator’s directions.  

5. Quality records

See City of Greater Geelong ECEC services handbook.

6. Attachments

• Incident, injury, trauma and illness record Template   
• City Safe – Administration of First Aid Policy & all associated Council documents.      
• City Safe – New Staff Induction Template