Definition

First aid support in education and childcare settings is the same as that provided to the wider community. It is provided in response to unpredictable illness or injury to:

• Preserve life
• Protect a person, particularly if the person is unconscious
• Prevent a condition worsening
• Promote recovery

First aid incorporates basic life support. It comprises emergency procedures to:

• Recognise and manage a clear and open airway
• Restore breathing and/or circulation
• Monitor well-being, using techniques as described by approved first aid training providers, until the person is transferred to the care of an
• Ambulance officer, nurse or doctor

Obligations

Health, care and education legislation and policy collectively provide the framework to describe obligation in the provision of first aid to children and students in childcare and education services.

Duty of care

Care providers, teachers and support workers have a special and primary duty to the children and students in their care. This duty of care requires them to refrain from doing things that might lead to a child or student being injured. It also requires the worker to take positive steps towards maintaining health and safety. An employee could be found to be negligent if assistance was not provided to an ill or injured child or student.

The duty of care owed by education and childcare personnel is that of a 'reasonable professional' and will be governed by factors that include:

• The age of the child or student
• The child's individual capabilities, including intellectual and physical impairment
• Potential dangers
• The degree to which injury, or un-wellness due to illness, is predictable

Occupational health and safety

All employees must take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety and of others at work. In providing first aid to children and students they must therefore:

• Become familiar with policies and procedures that guide work performance
• Follow instructions related to health and safety
• Accept responsibility for safe working conditions within their control. This includes the responsibility to notify their employer (where the worker is not self-employed) should their own health, including their infection status, pose risk to others safeguard the privacy of health information,
• Using privacy principles
• Use equipment provided for health and safety purposes
• Assist with the maintenance of clean and safe equipment and premises
• Apply standard precautions against transmission of infections
• Perform tasks in line with training received

Non-discriminatory practice

Commonwealth disability discrimination legislation and state equal opportunity legislation, makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of medical impairment. In relation to first aid, this means that:

• A child or student should not be denied first aid assistance. This should be provided in line with the training of staff where a child or student has a known; predictable first aid need, planning should occur to ensure reasonable, fair and safe access to assistance when needed.

Roles and responsibilities

School principal or Centre Director

School principals and Centre Directors should ensure that workers and families understand and are supported to follow the worksite's first aid procedures.

In the effective provision of first aid, it is the responsibility of the principal or director to:

• Actively seek from a medical practitioner, via the family, a first aid action plan for any child or student with a reported, individual first aid need
• Work with the family (or adult student) to complete a health support plan detailing how the child's or student's special first aid needs will be met by staff
• Ensure relevant staff are involved in health support planning
• Manage confidentiality
• Ensure staff training requirements are fulfilled
• Ensure delegated staff responsibilities reflect duty of care and job specifications
• Ensure that worksite procedures allow the provision of first aid to take priority over routine duties in emergency situations
• Ensure first aid record keeping, facilities and equipment standards are met
• Manage archives

Section 2 details how these obligations can be met.

Where there is more than one worker at the worksite, it is prudent for one member of staff to be delegated the task of coordinating first aid procedures, supervising the first aid facility and maintaining and securing the contents of the worksite's first aid kit. A relief staff member should be nominated in the event of the absence of the first aid coordinator. Other staff with first aid qualifications should be identified and available to assist the coordinator if required.

Parent, guardian or adult student

Parents and guardians are primarily responsible for the health and well- being of their children. Adult students not under a care order can take this responsibility themselves. It is the responsibility of parents, guardians and adult students to:

• Make sure staff have up-to-date, relevant written recommendations from the doctor regarding any predictable, individual first aid need
• Liaise with the doctor to ensure first aid plans reflect the scope and limits of staff training and can be managed within the education or childcare setting
• Assist children for whom they are responsible to self-manage, as much as is safe and practical, their health and first aid needs

Child or student

Wherever possible, children and students should be supported to take responsibility, in line with their age and stage of development and capabilities, for managing their own health and first aid needs in non-emergency situations.

Education and childcare workers can develop health support plans which assist children and students to learn to recognise any signs that they need to act to keep themselves safe. For example, children and students with a history of asthma can be supported to recognise and avoid triggers, and to take reliever medication, or seek adult assistance, at the early signs of an asthma attack.

Generally students of junior primary age and under will need supervision with medication and other first aid interventions. Older children can often self-manage simple and predictable first aid needs as negotiated with the staff, family and doctor. For example, young children can wash and cover a minor wound, take reliever asthma medication, or seek permission to use an ice pack for minor soft tissue injury.

The health support plan should identify how first aid support will be provided should an emergency arise and should the child or student not be able to self-manage their health care needs.

Worksite first aid records and logs should record staff observations of child and student self-administration of first aid.