Accident/incident book question

[allinatiz]

Hi. My mindee is 15 months and so falls quite a bit during the day. They aren't big falls, maybe a trip here and a bump down there iykwim, so I haven't been putting them in my accident book as I'd be spending more time recording them than with the children! I am right aren't I? These don't need to be recorded?

Thanks!

[sarahnev707]

Acc to Ofsted - every single bump, trip, fall etc needs to be recorded for parents to sign

Imagine if it was your child coming home and there was a new bruise.....

Pain in the arse, but cover yours!

Sarahx

[susi513]

There are lots of potential problems if you don't have good written records to defend yourself
- if someone made a complaint that you or someone in your house/care had injured the child
- if someone made a complaint that you were not supervising the child adequately to prevent injuries
- any injuries occuring outside of your care may be blamed on you (eg if mum wasn't present when child had a bump in dad's care and didn't notice bruising til after collecting from you next time)


If you record everything:
- the parents know how each injury has occured and that you have a) noticed & b) treated each injury where needed
- you can show Ofsted, Social Services or anyone else the causes for each bruise, scratch etc
- if you have a thorough record of injuries (including those parents tell you that happened outside of your care) you are in a better position to defend yourself (and members of your family) from false allegations of abuse or poor supervision etc
- if the child's condition worsens (eg head injury may cause problems hours or days after accident) your accident form may be handy to refer to if either you or the parents need to seek medical help

I record everything that made a child cry or resulted in a mark of any kind (even if the mark isn't visible by the time they go home). I only don't bother if the stumble/fall does not result in any visible injury AND the child wasn't bothered & didn't cry.

[kelly]

I know it seems like you are constantly completing the accident book, but I put every bump that marks or upsets the child in the book, to cover my back more than anything. I also make sure I complete the pre-existing injuries bit if the children arrive with new bumps and bruises.

[allinatiz]

susi513 said:

I only don't bother if the stumble/fall does not result in any visible injury AND the child wasn't bothered & didn't cry.

Hi. It was these kind of bumps that I was thinking of when I posted, sorry, I should have been more specific. She falls a lot but always gets up and looks at me as if to ask 'do I cry or not?'. So I say 'up you get!' and off she goes! It's my own child that makes the fuss when she falls and I know she hasn't hurt herself....maybe I should start recording her falls

Thanks for the replies!

[miffy]

I think Sarah's reply summed this up beautifully and made me laugh!!

Miffy

[linda]

Sarahs reply is short and sweet but very accurate and funny.
Lindax

[snowqueen]

After these last few days, i really see the importance of having to do this;)