1.4.7 Incidents Reporting

Contents

1. Introduction 
2. Reporting Incidents 
3. Records and Forms
4. Management Responsibilities  

1. Introduction

This guidance is designed to assist Staff on reporting incidents and the completion of Incident Reports, and Managers in the undertaking of Management Reviews.

This Chapter should be read in conjunction with relevant incident procedures, e.g. Countering Bullying Procedure, which defines an incident as any persistent or serious bullying.

Some incidents are also Notifiable Events, such as Death of a Child. Notifiable Events Procedure contains a list of what constitutes a Notifiable Event and summarises the steps that must be taken in such an event.

2. Reporting Incidents

Unless otherwise stated in relevant procedures, incidents must be reported to the  Manager and relevant Social Worker(s) without delay. 

"Without delay" means as soon as practicable but within 1 working day.  Where an agency is not open for business, e.g. at weekends, it is reasonable to notify them on their next working day.  Social Workers should also be notified when their offices are open for business unless it has been agreed that their Out of Hours or Emergency Duty Teams can be contacted.  In any case, Social Workers must also be notified when their offices re-open.  If Social Workers are not available, their Line Managers must be contacted.

Where the Manager is unavailable, his/her Line Manager or a more senior Manager must be informed.  Individual procedures state where others, such as the Regulatory Authority, must be notified.

3. Records and Forms

1. When to Complete Records/Reports

Incident Records should be completed as soon as practicable after incidents have occurred, but within 24 hours, which means 1 working day. Incident reports should also be completed at the first available opportunity.

It is advisable that Staff do not complete records immediately after an incident, but wait until they can calmly recollect what happened.  If unable to do so (e.g. too traumatised), Staff should seek permission from a Manager to extend the timescale.  However, it is recommended that notes are made as soon as possible (e.g. in a Detailed Record Sheet) after the event to ensure clarity.

Staff must not destroy rough/handwritten notes when the final report is completed, they should be kept safe. This is imperative in child protection situations, however it is always advisable to record all communications directly into the detailed record log.

Before completing records, it may be helpful for Staff to talk to others involved to help recollect events, but Staff should avoid having suggestions put to them that are inaccurate or inconsistent with what they did or observed. Any disagreements or different perceptions must be included.

2. Who Should Complete Records/Reports

The Staff member most significantly involved should complete records, after consulting other Staff concerned; except where there is any risk that a Complaint, Child Protection Enquiry or criminal investigation will be undertaken.  In which case, each person involved must write his or her own record.  Separate records must also be completed if there is significant difference or dispute between Staff on what occurred. (See The Continuum Group Complaints Procedure)

3. Guidance on Completion of Reports

1. State the day as well as the date and time of the incident.  State your own name, preferably in capitals, and state your Post Title.
2. When asked for locations, be as clear as possible (don’t just say “On the Stairs”, say where e.g. toward the top or bottom).
3. Write down what happened in chronological order, preferably stating the time (or approximate time) each event occurred.  If it is a behavioural incident, recording should coincide with the Stress Model of Crisis. Identifying the measures you took to de escalate the situation.
4. Use the 24 or 12 hour clock consistently throughout the report.
5. Don’t express opinions and don’t make assumptions about what happened. 
6. If you are writing the report on behalf of others make sure you check and report their versions, not what you think they said or did. 
7. Differences of opinion, recollection or knowledge must be accurately recorded; significant differences or disagreements must be recorded separately.
8. Always use full names.  If the common name for a person is an alias or nickname, always put the person’s full name in brackets the first time you use the alias e.g.  Dave (David) Smith.
9. Always indicate, in brackets, the status of the person named (e.g. RSW, Young Person).
10. Avoid using jargon or professional terms unless you are confident that readers will understand them.
11. Don’t use generalisations such as “aggressive”, “verbal” or “offensive”; use plain English, write down exactly what was said or done, and by whom. Any problem statement use must be supported with specific evidence.
12. State clearly what diversionary tactics or Strategies were used, and by whom; also state the impact or changes the tactics brought about.
13. If Restrictive Physical Interventions were used, provide a justification, e.g. that it was necessary to intervene to prevent the child or others from being injured.  If injury was likely, state the potential or actual severity.
    
    Provide a full description of the intervention used and state who used the intervention, the duration it was used and what was said and done during the intervention until the child was released.
    
    If more than one intervention was used, state the sequence they were used in - and why it was necessary to escalate or reduce the intervention. Using the principles of: who, what, when, where, how and why.
14. The child should be asked to contribute to the report(s); as part of this process, the child should also be offered a de brief.  If requested, if there is a significant difference between Staff and child versions or a complaint is made, the Manager should be consulted.
15. If Restraint or other Physical Interventions were used, it is important to debrief the young person and ensure they have access to someone external to the home any actions should be fully recorded.  Also state whether the child or others were offered medical attention, whether it was accepted and the outcome.
16. If completing a form/record, don’t leave sections blank or any significant spaces.  If you have nothing to report in a section, either draw a line through it, put N/A or (for example, in the section on injuries) “No Injuries”.  Alternatively strike a line through the space.
17. Always sign and date the record and make sure other Staff do the same before you pass it to the Manager.

If you have any concerns about your own or other people’s actions or decisions you must discuss them with the Manager as soon after the incident as possible.  If you feel uncomfortable or uneasy about returning to work also talk to a Manager.

4. Management Responsibilities

1. Immediate Post Incident Responsibilities

This summarises the Manager’s responsibilities, post incident.

The Manager should also conduct a Critical incident Review(which could be linked to Physical Interventions de-brief), see, Section 2, Critical Incident Reviews

When the Manager is informed that an incident has occurred, the following tasks should be undertaken immediately:

• Facilitate a process of reflective practice and consider whether the Police or other emergency services should be contacted; co-operate with Police/emergency services if contacted.
• Check if anyone has been injured; ensure first aid or hospital treatment as appropriate.
• If Physical Intervention has been used, whether or not the child was injured, s/he must be given the opportunity to see a Registered Nurse or Medical Practitioner - and the outcome recorded.
• Check whether there is any damage; and that it is made safe or repaired
• Listen to everyone involved, note what they have said, provide support and advice if necessary;  but don’t make judgements or take sides.
• Ensure that the child is given adequate opportunity to contribute to the reports, consider whether the child would benefit from discussing the incident with an Advocate; if Physical Intervention has been used, offer the child support if appropriate. A Life Space Interview must take place after any difficult incident and restraint .

• Provide support for the child and those Staff involved - see below, Section 6, Debrief and Support

• Establish whether people need to be separated, for example if there are Complaints; and take what action is necessary. (See The Continuum Group Complaints Procedure).

• Ensure those involved are recording their recollections in detail in an Incident Record.  If there are any conflicts between those involved or potential complaints, ask each person to write a separate record.  These records should normally be completed and passed to the Manager within 1 working day of the incident.

• If there are complaints or any potential child protection issues, follow them up in line with appropriate complaints or Child Protection Procedures. (See Child/Adult Protection Procedure)
• Arrange for Social Worker, Parents and others, including Senior Managers,  are notified as required.  If a Notifiable Event has occurred, ensure relevant agencies are notified; see Notifiable Events Procedure

2. The Critical Incident Reviews (Purpose of)

The purpose of the Management Review is to unpick the circumstances leading to the incident, the manner in which it was managed and the actions and decisions of all those involved - with a view to reducing or preventing future similar incidents.

As a last resort it may be necessary to reprimand, sanction or take other disciplinary measures against a person involved; but the review should never be conducted in the context of trying to blame those involved.

Everyone involved, Staff and children alike, will have been affected, probably negatively; some may have been traumatised. 

Managers shouldn’t seek to catch people out, they should seek to help people learn from what has happened; they should take a positive, developmental stance throughout, even if things could have been done differently. 

3. Who should Undertake Management Reviews

The Manager should undertake the review, unless directly involved or required by a line Manager.

4. Gathering Information for Critical Incident Reviews

When conducting the review, Managers should take account of the following principles:

1. Don’t make judgements early on.  Don’t take sides.  
2. Start from the point of view of seeking to learn from what has happened
3. Involve everyone, including the child, at all stages.  Inform them of the anticipated timescales.
4. Listen, note, explore; try to identify the circumstances or behaviours that triggered the incident.  Analyse the extent to which everyone adhered to procedures or recognised good practice; were people working effectively together, were they planning ahead, sharing information, doing what they could to anticipate and prevent the incident from occurring?
5. Read the records of the incident clarify and challenge, if necessary, generalisations, assumptions, justifications etc.  Unpick and simplify jargon.
6. If Restrictive or other Physical Interventions were used, ensure Staff are able to demonstrate they applied it in keeping with procedures and guidance.
7. Did everyone appear to behave reasonably in the circumstances?  To what extent was the child (or Staff) set up by the actions of others; did anyone act in a way that provoked or increased the likelihood of the incident?
8. Look beyond that which is stated in the record of the incident; what hasn’t been included which should have been in the circumstances.
9. If anyone was injured, check and note the outcome of any first aid or medical treatment offered/given.
10. If Restrictive Intervention was used upon a child, whether or not the child was injured, check and note the outcome of any first aid or medical treatment offered/given.
11. Obtain views from everyone involved about whether the incident was managed as required by procedures or in line with recognised good practice. 
12. Consult and keep your Line Manager informed if required to do so, if the review is complex or potentially controversial or if you need assistance/support.

5. Reviewing Information

Having gathered the information, Managers should review what occurred.

1. Remain objective, stay positive and look for developmental outcomes.  Only consider sanctions or disciplinary measures as a last resort.
2. Balance what actually happened against what was required by procedure, recognised good practice or in the light of Staff experience, skills and knowledge.
3. Consider how the child acted in the light of his/her background, skills, and knowledge.
4. Consider your own interests and needs; look at the role you played; or should have played; be open to criticism.
5. Get help if you need it; consult your line Manager, especially if policy or other decisions outside your brief are required. 
6. Consider whether there are any training or clinical support needs that ought to be put in place for the team.
7. Consult the Social Worker; consider whether any changes are required to the child’s Care Programme or Individual Crisis Management Programme (ICMP); Including new or amended expectations, Strategies or interventions to help reduce or prevent the likelihood of a repeated incident. Is there a need for specialist or therapeutic intervention.
8. Come to a decision, which can be sustained - which can be put into practice.
9. Avoid ‘punishing’ or looking to blame.  Seek outcomes that are encouraging and developmental

If changes are required to the child’s Care Programme and/or ICMP, the Manager/supervisor must co-ordinate these changes; which may mean undertaking a Placement Review.

6. Debrief and Support

Make sure everyone is informed of the outcome, and is given the opportunity to make comment.

Having undertaken the Management Review, the Manager must ensure that all concerned do not have unresolved feelings, guilt or other concerns about their own behaviour or other people.  Please see additional guidance below.

The emphasis must be on everyone learning for the future - and reducing or preventing similar incidents from occurring.

It may also be appropriate for all concerned, including the child if it would be beneficial to meet and discuss what happened.

If there are procedural, policy or practice issues which individuals or whole teams can benefit from the Manager must follow them up.

The Manager must record the outcome Critical Incident Review document .

End