BEST PRACTICE
Preparing for incidents
Caroline Wadham, press and external affairs officer at the Alliance, explains how the UK Trauma Council’s new incident guidance can help providers prepare for the unexpected
Caroline is part of the communications and external affairs team at the Alliance, leading on the organisation’s press and media coverage, as well as supporting campaigns and policy work.
The UK Trauma Council (UKTC) has published new guidance centered on supporting children through critical incidents. The guidance has been developed in collaboration with staff in education settings – including early years - and aims to ensure that settings have processes in place to support children’s recovery in the days, weeks, months and even years following a critical incident.
David Trickey, consultant clinical psychologist and co-director of the UK Trauma Council, told Under 5: “The principles on which the guidance is based could help to provide the best environment for recovery after any potentially traumatic event, including events that affect an individual child. But the guidance is particularly aimed at an event that affects
a large part of any educational community, including pre-schools and nurseries.
“The guidance takes the principles and tries to demonstrate how they can be applied in different settings, including early years settings. However, it is important to note that these are principles, not prescriptions, and that each child and situation is different."
“After critical incidents, sometimes staff are really keen to do something to help, but they can be overwhelmed by the fear of doing the wrong thing. The guidance is intended to give staff the confidence to act, knowing that their actions are based on evidence-informed principles that are proven to help.”
What is a critical incident?
A critical incident is an event that is potentially traumatic and affects a large part or an entire educational community, rather than just one or two individuals. For example, it may include the serious injury or death of a child, young person or educator.
Five key principles
Here’s an overview of the principles, and how it can help you and the children at your setting:
Safe
To help children re-establish realistic beliefs based in fact and view the facts of the critical incident in a more balanced and useful way, UKTC suggests that setting mangers and educators should surround children with evidence showing they are safe and well-supported.
For example, following an accident, children may start to see that even though a coach crashed, it doesn’t mean that every vehicle is inherently unsafe.
Calm
A critical incident can trigger a fight-or-flight response for children. Even after the event it might be challenging for the mind and body to return to a relaxed state. The UKTC says it is useful to acknowledge and validate the strong emotions that children and staff may be experiencing and reassure them that this is completely normal.
Educators are usually well versed in knowing what to do to help children regulate their emotions, but it is important to recognise that they may also be emotionally affected by the incident and may feel overwhelmed and less able to provide support.
Connected
Feeling connected and supported by others can go a long way in helping people cope with critical incidents. In addition to focusing on how educators and setting managers communicate and connect with colleagues and children following an event, the UKTC advises that settings should look out for those who may feel more isolated, such as a child or member of staff that is new to the setting, or a child that may struggle to make friends.
However, it is important to remember that the quality of the connection is more important than the number of connections a person has.
In control
Following an incident, beliefs about the control and influence we have over our lives and the world can be shaken and, in some instances, people may feel powerless.
To re-instill a child’s sense of self efficacy, educators may want to remind them of their abilities, strengths and courage. For example, it may be helpful to give children and staff control over decision-making to instill a sense of power, control and self-efficacy.
Hopeful
Feeling hopeful about the future can be a very important factor in recovery. However, rather than pretending the event was “not that bad”, it is about acknowledging the negative aspects of what has happened, accepting that some people may be struggling to cope, while also holding onto an expectation that things will get better.
Further support
The UK Trauma Council’s has also published a range of resources including lesson plans, policy templates and staff training, available at www.bit.ly/U5UKTC.