DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
REPORTING SERIOUS INCIDENTS

28 January 2000

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The Minister and senior officers of the Department of Education and Training need to be informed as a matter of priority of incidents which might severely impact on the effective operation of departmental work and activities which might attract negative media attention or lead to a significant public profile for the school, college or the Department.

Serious incidents include:

• the death of a student or staff member;
• the serious injury of a student or staff member requiring medical attention;
• the presence of emergency services (police, fire brigade, ambulance) at the workplace because of an incident, or the presence of police who are in pursuit of offenders thought to be on Department of Education and Training property;
• the discovery of suspected illegal substances at a workplace;
• violence between students, or the assault of a student or a staff member;
• threats to the safety of students or staff, including the presence at the workplace of an individual behaving in a dangerous or threatening manner;
• a major disruption to workplace routine requiring the workplace to be evacuated, for example, fires, bomb threats or floods;
• major damage of the whole or part of the workplace;
• unfavourable media or community attention, including major complaints or criticism of Department of Education and Training activities, programs or curriculum; or
• issue of improvement notices by WorkCover NSW following a review of occupational health and safety matters at the workplace.

Notes
Serious incident reports need to be submitted irrespective of any other communication with State Office in respect of the incident.

Reports need to be submitted within two hours of the incident (where possible).

The real reason for submitting a report may be different from the incident described. It is important for SES officers to clearly communicate why the issue/incident is serious, eg, a relatively minor physical assault may be a serious incident because of potential legal action, media attention, racial tensions or prior history.

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
A GUIDE TO COMPLETING THE SERIOUS INCIDENT REPORT FORM

1. The intention of this guide is that it be used by SES officers after the decision to report the incident as a serious incident has been made.
2. Whilst it is necessary to include details of the incident, a person's name should not be used in serious incident reporting. In the case of a school student a person's gender, year level and age should be used.

Box	Circumstance
Death	Consider marking this box if there is the death of a: · Student; or · Staff member; or · Parent or family member where it significantly impacts on the study/work environment
Injury with medical attention	Consider marking this box if an injury has occurred to a student or staff member, whether on Departmental premises or travelling to and from, which requires one or a combination of the following medical attention: · Ambulance · Hospital · Doctor
Police	Consider marking this box if a: · Call is made to police; and/or · Police attend Departmental premises in a matter directly related to the Department
Other outside agency	Consider marking this box if: · Other agencies are involved in a matter of significance to departmental operations
Drugs	Consider marking this box where a person is either in possession of, using or selling: · Any prohibited substance · Alcohol
Weapon	Consider marking this box where: · A person is either in possession of, or using a weapon
Violence	Consider marking this box where an incident of · Physical assault · Verbal abuse · Threat of violence is likely to have serious ramifications
Intruder	Consider marking this box where: · There is a person without permission to be on departmental premises or property
Serious disruption to routines	Consider marking this box where: · There is a disruption to routine that affects a significant proportion of people and has systemic implications
Major property damage	Consider marking this box where there is significant damage to: · Property belonging to the Department · The value of $10 000 or more (does not include property belonging to students, staff or visitors)
Media contact	Consider marking this box when: · Actual contact has been made with the media indicating adverse comment at a local or systemic level
Expected media contact	Consider marking this box when: · It is expected that adverse media may result from the incident

Department of Education and Training

Serious Incident Report

School/College Name

School/College Code

School/College Phone

Principal/Manager

District/Institute

Super./Director & Phone

Date of Incident

Time of Incident

Type an ‘X’ in the boxes below to indicate any of the following which apply:

Death	Drugs		Serious disruption to routines
Injury with medical attention	Weapon		Major property damage
Police	Violence		Media contact
		OR
Other outside agency	Intruder		Expected media contact

Is this a follow-up report for a previously reported Incident?

Yes/No

Key issue^[1]

Enter a brief description of the incident

Describe action taken

When completed, this form should be sent District Office

SUPPORT FOR PRINCIPALS: KEY CONTACTS

Contacts and Documents

Issue	District contact	State Office contact	External contact	Document source
Apprehended Violence Orders	District Superintendent	Legal Services Unit Ph: 9561 8538	Local Court	· Legal Issues Bulletin No.6: Protection of students and staff in school and institutes from violent behaviour. · Legal Issues Bulletin No 11: Apprehended violence orders update. · Memo to Principals – 96/139(S.133) Safe Disciplined Learning Environment. · Memo to Principals – Assault and Threat of Assault by Students. 96/132 (S.125)
Bomb Threats and Terrorist Activity	District Superintendent	School Security Unit Ph: 9831 7622	Police and Emergency Services Dial 000	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Break and Enter	Properties Officer <$10,000	School Services Unit >$10,000	Police Maintenance Contractor	· School Asset Management Guidelines – Principals Properties Management Manual. · School Maintenance Guidelines.
Chemicals	Properties Officer Training and Development/ Curriculum Coordinator	School Standards Analyst Ph: 9561 8956 Senior Project Officer, Staff Welfare, Training	Emergency Services Dial 000 WorkCover Authority – Hazardous	· Chemical Safety in Schools. 00/282 (s.214) · Health Care and Safety Matters in All Schools 1997 p.12.
		and Development Ph: 9886 7732	Activities Unit Ph: 9370 5212 -Dangerous Goods Hotline Ph: 9370 5187 or 9370 5191	· Dangerous Goods Act 1975. · Dangerous Goods Regulation 1978. · Hazardous Substances Regulation 1996.
Conduct (Breaches of the Code of Conduct)	District Superintendent	Assistant Director Audit Ph: 9561 8410		· Code of Conduct – revised August 1997. 97/230 (S.211)
Conduct – Corrupt	District Superintendent	Assistant Director Audit Ph: 9561 8410
Counselling, Students	Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Student Counselling Unit Ph: 9886 7547	Area Health Service	· Student Welfare Policy, 1996. · School Manual on Educational Management – Part 13 Student Welfare.
Counselling, Staff	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Employee Assistance Program (EAP)	· EAP brochure for staff. · EAP brochure for principals.
Criminal activities: including external vandalism	District Superintendent	Assistant Director-General Primary Ph: 6334 8195 Assistant Director-General Secondary Ph: 9561 8487 School Security Unit Ph: 9831 7622 Director of Audit (Fraud Matters) Ph: 9561 8913	Police and Emergency Services Dial 000	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · Procedures for Suspension and Expulsion of School Students 1999.
Cruelty to Animals	Training and Development/ Curriculum Coordinator Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Manager Science, Curriculum Ph: 9886 7626 Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661	RSPCA National Parks & Wildlife Service	· Memo to Principals – Cruelty to Animals. 96/169(S.160) · Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · Good Discipline and Effective Learning 1995. · Procedures for the Suspension and Expulsion of School Students 1999.
Death – Staff Member	Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Teacher Services Ph: 132 527 or Administrative Staff Services Ph: 132 528 Media Unit Ph: 9561 8501	Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Police	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · EAP brochure for principals. · Departmental Correspondence Guidelines: Letters of Appreciation, Sympathy and Concern - Special Requirements.
Death – Student	Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Media Unit Ph: 9561 8501 Student Counselling Unit Ph: 9886 7547	Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Police	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · EAP brochure for principals.
Discrimination – Staff Member	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Office of the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment Ph: 9248 3555	· Teachers Handbook. · Memo to Principals – Discrimination in Schools. 96/073 (S.067) · Memo to Principals of Central and Secondary Schools – Homophobia in Schools. DG.97.4465 · Memo to Principals – Policy Statement and Guidelines on Sex-based Harassment. 86/208 (S.597) External Document · Harassment Free Workplace Policy and Guidelines – Issued by ODEOPE. · Personnel Handbook.
Discrimination – Students	Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661		· Memo to Principals – Procedures for Resolving Complaints About Discrimination Against Students. 95/015 (S.041)
Drugs and Alcohol – Staff	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Area Health Service	External Document · Alcohol and Other Drugs – Policy and Guidelines – August 1998 issued by Premiers Department.
Drugs and Alcohol – Student	Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Drug Education Unit, Student Services and Equity Programs Ph: 9886 7532	Local Area Health Service	· Guidelines for Managing Drug Related Incidents in Schools, 2000. · Memo to Principals – Protecting Our Children and Schools from Illegal Drugs in the Community.97/289 (S.262) · Memo to Principals – Alcohol in Schools. 94/007 (S.007) · Memo to Principals of Secondary Schools – Supply of Alcohol to Minors. 97/302 (S.273)
Equipment in TAS	Staff Welfare Officer	Chief Education Officer TAS Ph: 9886 7623
Earthquake, Flood, Severe Storm	District Superintendent	Assistant Director-General, Primary Ph: 6334 8195	Police and Emergency Services Dial 000	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Earthquake, Flood, Severe Storm (cont.)		Assistant Director-General, Secondary Ph: 9561 8487 School Services Unit, Properties
Efficiency Procedures- Teaching Staff	District Superintendent Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	Staff Efficiency and Conduct Unit Ph: 9561 8896		· Memo to Principals – Procedures for Managing Teachers who are Experiencing Difficulties with their Teaching Performance. 99/486 (S.354)
Efficiency Procedures – Non Teaching Staff	District Superintendent Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	Staff Efficiency and Conduct Unit Ph: 9561 8896		· Personnel Handbook.
Electric Faults	Staff Welfare Officer Properties Officer	School Services Unit, Properties	Electricity Supplier Maintenance Contractor WorkCover Ph: 131 050	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · School Asset Management Guidelines – Principals Properties Management Guidelines.
Evacuation Procedures	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	WorkCover Ph: 131 050	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Finance	Office Manager	School Financial Unit Ph: 131 072		· School Manual on Financial Management. · Memo to Principals – Payment of Relief Costs by Schools. 97/063 (S.059)
Fire and Explosions	District Superintendent	School Security Unit Ph: 9831 7622	Fire Brigade; Police; and Emergency Services Dial 000	· Safety Bulletin, March 1983, No.3. Fire Precautions in Schools – Action in the Event of a Fire. · Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Freedom of Information		Manager, Freedom of Information Ph: 9561 8447		· Memorandum to Schools – Freedom of Information Legislation. 89/193 External Document · FOI Procedure Manual 1994 NSW Premier’s Department.
Grievances	Staff Welfare Officer	Assistant Director Audit Ph: 9561 8410		· Memo to Principals – Procedures for Resolving Complaints About Discrimination Against Student. 95/015 (s.014) · Responding to Suggestions, Complaints and Allegations. (Effective from 23 April 2001)
Grievances (cont)		Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661		External Document · Harassment Free Workplace Policy and Guidelines – ODEOPE. · Personnel Handbook.
Immunisation – Staff	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Area Health Service	· Memorandum to Principals - General Hygiene and Communicable Diseases Including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). 89/038 (S.027) · Memorandum to Principals-Transmission of Hepatitis B Within Schools. 89/334 (S.223)
Immunisation – Students	Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661		· Memo to Primary Principals – Immunisation: Children Entering Kindergarten. 92/136 (S.089) · Memo to Principals – Public Health (Amendment) Act 1992. 93/016 (S.013)
Industrial Action (Employees)	District Superintendent	Industrial Awards and Conditions Ph: 9561 8842		· Memo to Principals – Use of Casual Teachers to Replace Teachers on Strike. 79/025 · Memo to Principals – Distribution of Notices of a Political or Industrial Content. 85/100 (S.347)
Industrial Action (Service Providers)	District Superintendent	Leader Services Contracts Ph: 9244 5482	N/A
Infectious Diseases	Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661	Area Health Service	· Memo to Principals – General Hygiene and Communicable Diseases Including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). 89/038 (S.027) · Memo to Principals – Transmission of Hepatitis B Within Schools. 89/334 (S.223) · Memo to Principals: Hepatitis B. 89/207 (S.134) · Memo to Principals – Pediculosis in School Children. 83/122 (S.129) · Memo to Principals – Meningococcal Disease. 97/286 (S.259) · Memo to Principals – AIDS – Information for teachers in the Primary School. 90/023 (S.015) · Memo to Secondary Principals – Enclosed Booklet – The AIDS Manual. 90/046 (S.033) · Memo to Primary Principals – HIV/AIDS Education in Primary Schools. 91/162
Injury Management - Staff	Staff Welfare Officer Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	GIO, Injury Management Centre Ph: 1300 652 150	· Occupational Health, Safety and Injury Management – Guide for Principals and Managers. · Memo to Principals – Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998. 98/322 (S.258) · Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Resource Manual, January 1997.
Insurance	Office Manager	Treasury Managed Fund Section Ph: 9244 5480		· School Manual on Financial Management.
Interpreters	Student Services and Equity Coordinator Staff Welfare Officer	Manager Equity Programs Ph: 9244 5442 Personnel Programs Ph: 9561 8287	Ethnic Affairs Commission 24 Hour interpreter service Ph: 1300 651 500	· Memo to Principals – Interpreter and Information Service. 87/149 (S.097)
Investigation: Conducting an Official Investigation	District Superintendent	Child Protection Investigation Unit Ph: 9266 8070		· Teachers Handbook. · Responding to Suggestions, Complaints and Allegations. (Effective from 23 April 2001)
Investigation: Conducting an Official Investigation (cont.)		Director of Audit Ph: 9561 8913		External Document · Personnel Handbook. · Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Tool Kit.
Leave	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	Teacher Services Ph: 132 527 Admin. Staff Services Ph: 132 528		· Teachers Handbook. · Handbook for Non – Teaching Staff in Schools.
Legal Issues	District Superintendent	Legal Services Unit Ph: 9561 8538		· Memo to Principals – Family Law and the School. 97/197 (S.185) · Legal Issues Bulletins – Issued by Legal Services.
Machinery – Certificates of Competency	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	External Document · Occupational Health and Safety – Certificate of Competency Regulation. (Currently being updated)
Machinery –Safeguarding	Properties Officer Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	External Document · AS 4024.1-1996 Safeguarding of Machinery Standard.
Manual Handling	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	External Document · Occupational Health and Safety (Manual Handling) Regulation 1991. (Currently being updated)
Media	District Superintendent	Media Liaison Unit Ph: 9561 8501
Mediation	Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 Senior Project Officer Equity Training and Development Directorate Ph: 9886 7735	Community Justice Centres	· Responding to Suggestions, Complaints and Allegations (Effective from 23 April 2001).
Medical Examinations	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	HealthQuest Ph: 9266 0811	· Teachers Handbook. · HealthQuest Procedures (Draft). External Document · Premier’s Memorandum 98-1: Revised Health, Safety, Medical Assessment and Medical Retirement Procedures. · Personnel Handbook.
Needles, Syringes and Sharps	Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661	Local Area Health Service	· Memo to Principals: Safe handling and disposal of sharps. 00/128 (S.094)
OHS Issues	Staff Welfare Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	· Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management – A Guide for the Principal or Manager.
OHS Committee Training	Staff Welfare Officer Training and Development/ Curriculum Coordinator	Senior Project Officer Staff Welfare Training and Development Ph: 9886 7732 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	External Document · Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983, Committees in the Workplace Regulation 1999. (Currently being updated)
OHS Rectification of Problems	Staff Welfare Officer District Properties Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Maintenance Contractor WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	· Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management – A Guide for the Principal or Manager. External Document · Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983. (New Act to be promulgated 2001)
Official Visits	District Superintendent	Leader International Relations Ph: 9561 8527
Parent Complaints	District Superintendent	Assistant Director – General Primary Ph: 6334 8195
Parent Complaints (cont.)		Assistant Director – General Secondary Ph: 9561 8487
Physical Assault	District Superintendent Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 Legal Services Ph: 9561 8538 Manager Behaviour and Attendance Ph: 9886 7672	Police	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · Legal Issues Bulletin No. 9: Physical Restraint of Students. · Good Discipline and Effective Learning 1995. · Procedures for the Suspension and Expulsion of School Students 1999.
Privacy	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	Privacy Policy and Executive Information Ph: 9561 8519	Privacy Commissioner	· Privacy: detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/privacy External Document · Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.
Property Damage –School	Properties Officer <$10, 000	School Services Unit, Properties >$10,000	Police Maintenance Contractor	· School Asset Management Guidelines – Principals Properties Management Manual. · School Maintenance Guidelines.
Property Damage – Personal	Properties Officer	Treasury Managed Fund Section Ph: 9244 5480	Police	· Legal Issues Bulletin No. 8: Claims for loss or damage to personal property and use of private motor vehicles.
Protected Disclosures	District Superintendent	Director of Audit Ph: 9561 8913		· Corruption Prevention Policy and Internal Reporting System for Protected Disclosures. 97/093 (S.089)
Protection of Children and Young People	District Superintendent Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Student Welfare Unit Ph: 9886 7661 Child Protection Investigation Unit Ph: 9266 8070 Senior Project Officer Equity, Training and Development Directorate Ph: 9886 7735	Department of Community Services Local Police	· Revised Code of Conduct. 97/230 (s.211) · Memo to Principals – Welfare of students while engaged in activities conducted under the auspices of the school. 97/138 (s.130) · Memo to Principals – Guidelines for billeting students. 99/089 · Memo to Principals - Care and supervision of students. 97/165 · Procedures to be followed in response to allegations of improper conduct of a sexual nature by a staff member against a student. 97/018 (Currently being updated). · Memo to DET Staff: Revised Procedures for Reporting Concerns about Suspected Risk of Harm to Children and Young People. 00/496 (S.385) · Protecting and Supporting Children and Young People. Revised Procedures. 00/496 (S.385) · Protecting and Supporting Children and Young People. Initial Briefing. 00/469 (S.365) · Child Protection Education. 98/029 · Child Protection Education: Stage 3 98/174
Protection of Children and Young People (cont.)				· Memo to Principals – Introduction of Changed Procedures for Reporting Risk of Harm to Children and Young People from 18 December 2000. 01/038 (S.031) External Document · Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998. · Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998. · Ombudsman Amendment (Child Protection and Community Services) Act 1998. · Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection Act) 1998. · Inter-agency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention 2000.
Return to Work: Rehabilitation	Staff Welfare Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949	GIO Rehabilitation Providers	External Document · Introduction to Rehabilitation Coordination (WorkCover Authority).
Risk Management	Office Manager	Treasury Managed Fund Section Ph: 9244 5480		· School Manual on Financial Management.
Salaries	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131536	Teacher Salaries Wollongong Ph: 131 073
Salaries (cont.)		SASS Blacktown Ph: 132 529 Casual Staff Ph: 131 074
Serious Incidents	Staff Welfare Officer District Superintendent	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375 Media Unit Ph: 9561 8501	Employee Assistance Program (EAP)	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Serious Incident- State Office Response Required		State Office Serious Incident Line Ph: 9561 8501
Sexual Assault – On a Staff Member	District Superintendent Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Police Employee Assistance Program (EAP)	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents – 00/158 (S.112) · Legal Issues Bulletin 10: Protected confidences in relation to school and TAFE counsellor files concerning victims of sexual assault.
Smoking – Staff	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Cancer Council Ph: 9334 1917	· Memo to all staff – NSW Department of Education and Training Policy on Non Smoking in the Workplace other than TAFE Institutes. 88/061 (S.034)
Smoking –Students	Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Drug Education Unit Student Services and Equity Programs Ph: 9886 7532	Cancer Council Ph: 9334 1917	· Guidelines for Managing Drug Related Incidents in Schools, 2000. · Memo to Principals: Students who smoke. 98/251 (S.210)
Staffing- Casual	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	School Staffing Unit Ph: 131 075 Payroll Services Ph: 131 074	Casual Connect Internet
Staffing –Permanent	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	School Staffing Unit Ph: 131 075
Staffing - Temporary	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536	School Staffing Unit Ph: 131 075 Payroll Services Ph: 131 074		· Memo to Principals: Temporary School Teacher Implementation Procedures. IRC No. 01/003
Suicide – Staff	District Superintendent Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Employee Assistance Program (EAP)	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Suicide – Students	Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Student Counselling Unit Ph: 9886 7547	Local Area Health Service	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Suspension and Expulsion	District Superintendent Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Manager Behaviour and Attendance Ph: 9886 7672		· Procedures for Suspension and Expulsion of School Students 1999. · Good Discipline and Effective Learning 1995.
Technology	Technology Adviser	School Technology Support Ph: 132 348
Tractors	Properties Officer Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050 Farm Safe	· School Machinery Safety – Tractors, Excavators and Front End Loaders. 97/061 External Document · WorkCover Guide to the Safe Use of Tractors.
Trespass	District Superintendent Properties Officer	Legal Services Unit Ph: 9561 8538 School Security Unit Ph: 9831 7622	Police	· Legal Issues Bulletin 1: Unauthorised entry in school and TAFE NSW premises. · Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112)
Violence	District Superintendent Staff Welfare Officer Student Services and Equity Coordinator	Manager Behaviour and Attendance Ph: 9886 7672 Legal Services Unit Ph: 9561 8538 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Police Employee Assistance Program (EAP)	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · Student Welfare Policy 1996. · Procedures for Suspension and Expulsion of School Students 1999. · Legal Issues Bulletin 6: Protection of staff in school and institutes from violent behaviour. · Legal Issues Bulletin 11: Apprehended Violence Orders Update. · Good Discipline and Effective Learning 1995.
Weapons	District Superintendent Student Services and Equity Coordinator Staff Welfare Officer	Manager Behaviour and Attendance Ph: 9886 7672 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Police	· Guidelines for School and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents. 00/158 (S.112) · Legal Issues Bulletin No.2: Possession of knives and offensive behaviour on or near Departmental premises. · Legal Issues Bulletin 2a: Possession of knives and powers of search. · Legal Issues Bulletin 9: Physical restraint of school students. · Good Discipline and Effective Learning 1995. · Procedures for the Suspension and Expulsion of School Students 1999.
WorkCover Authority Notification	Staff Welfare Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	· Memorandum to Principals: Occupational Health, Safety, Rehabilitation and Workers Compensation. 98/343 · Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management – A Guide for the Principal or Manager.
WorkCover Authority Notices	Staff Welfare Officer	Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	WorkCover Authority Ph: 131 050	· Memorandum to Principals: Occupational Health, Safety, Rehabilitation and Workers Compensation. 98/343 · Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management – A Guide for the Principal or Manager.
Workers Compensation	Personnel Support Officer Ph: 131 536 Staff Welfare Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949	GIO Rehab Providers	· Memorandum to Principals: Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998. 98/322 · Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management – A Guide for the Principal or Manager.
Work Experience and Work Placement	Vocational Education Consultant	Principal Education Officer Vocational Learning Ph: 9886 7410		· Workplace Learning Handbook 2000.
Work Placement – Return to Work (Staff)	Staff Welfare Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949
Work Restrictions (Reasonable adjustment)	Staff Welfare Officer Properties Officer	OHS & R Task Force Ph: 9209 1949 Staff Welfare Unit Ph: 9266 8375	Office of the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment Ph: 9248 3555	External Document · Anti Discrimination Act 1977. · NSW Disability Services Act 1993. · Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

H:\Pers\swu\PRINCPLS\SUPPORT FOR PRINCIPALS2.doc 11 July 2001

Coping with a catastrophe

Serious or critical incidents may be accidental, intentional or a natural disaster. Whatever the cause, entire school communities can be devastated by a single, unexpected act. Julie Hare explores what happens when tragedy comes to school.

People are much greater and stronger than we imagine, and when unexpected tragedy comes we see them often grow to a stature that is far beyond anything we imagined. We must remember that people are capable of greatness, of courage, but not in isolation. They need the conditions of a solidly linked human unit in which everyone is prepared to bear the burden of others.” Archbishop Anthony Bloom.

It was the hardest thing I have had to do in 30 years of teaching,” says Paul Alliston, Principal of Inverell High School of the days following the murder of a popular and gregarious HSC student. “I thought it was necessary to appear as a solid, unaffected leader; to speak to friends of the victim, to visit the murder scene, to be with the murdered student’s parents, to talk to the police, to participate in mourning rituals with everyone who needed and wanted to, to speak at the funeral and to protect the staff and the students from intrusive media.

“In any serious incident, someone has to take charge. Someone has to be seen to be making the decisions, otherwise people get confused and feel insecure.”

Principals are central to how a school copes when faced with a tragedy. Being the school’s figurehead, it is they to whom teachers, students, community members and the media turn. However, a principal is not an island and they in turn must solicit and draw on the support of a number of other people.

Responding to a situation

Greg Rowe is one of six Coordinators - Student Counselling and Welfare who, as their title would suggest, coordinate counselling services to schools across the State. When a school is struck by a major serious incident, it is their responsibility to assist their counsellors, in collaboration with the principal, district office staff and external agencies such as police, health and community services, to respond quickly, effectively and appropriately to the situation.

“The whole point of what we do is to help a school which has been affected by a serious or critical incident to return to normal as quickly as possible,” says Greg. “The greatest contribution schools can make to this process is to have a predetermined plan.”

Why a plan works

“Each critical incident is unique, but it’s imperative that schools have a general, predetermined plan that is revisited and revised regularly,” says Greg. “It’s too late to think of a plan, or find the one you have isn’t adequate, the day a tragedy strikes.”

Indeed, for Menai Public School in late 1997 this was just the case. The school had, only days before bushfires swept through the area, revised its evacuation plan with the manager of the local bus company. With fires threatening the area all day, the then-Principal (now retired) Trevor Somerville kept the situation closely monitored. When the decision to evacuate was made, a fleet of buses arrived within two minutes of the call and within five minutes 475 students had been relocated to Menai High 1.5 km away. Names were checked off by a teacher and an hour later students were evacuated again, this time to Revesby Workers Club. Students whose parents were unable to pick them up due to lack of transport or communication spent the night there. The school was subsequently inundated with herograms and subject of a laudatory article in the Sydney Morning Herald.

For Paul Alliston, having a plan was like having a ‘security blanket’. “Nothing can prepare you for what actually happened,” Paul says. “The plan was valuable because it listed what to do. You could look at it and say I’m up to step 2 or step 3. But in a way a lot of what happens is instinctive and commonsense.”

Grief is contagious

Counselling is usually the front-line means of dealing with anguish and trauma faced by students and staff who are affected by a serious incident. According to Roger Stonehouse, Coordinator - Student Counselling and Welfare, one aim of counselling is to help the school return to normal as quickly as possible. In fact, grief is an important part of the normalisation process.

“There is a strong dynamic at work,” he says. “Mass grieving is an important part of the healing process because those involved share the same feelings and form very strong bonds.”

Anthropologist Dr Stephen Juan, concurs and points out that grief is contagious. “When you see someone crying, you are likely to cry too. In schools, you can expect to see mini-epidemics of crying. It’s much more prevalent among adolescent girls than boys, because boys are socialised not to cry. But, when they do, they cry more seriously and more deeply.”

“We should never try to truncate the grieving process because some people take longer than others. Sometimes we put pressure on others to stop being upset,” says Roger Stonehouse.

Dr Colin Wastell, a psychologist from Macquarie University, agrees.

“We have to face the fact that after a time society doesn’t want to talk about it any longer; people get uncomfortable seeing others are still distressed a few months down the track. “The time frame for recovering from this type of trauma is, in my opinion, 12 to 18 months. The first year is the hardest because it is the year of anniversaries - the first Christmas, the first beginning of term, the first birthday and so on. These anniversaries give the bereaved a chance to get in touch with a lot of unresolved material.”

Talking it over

According to Stephen Juan, there can, paradoxically, often be an upside to a catastrophe.

“If, for example, you are a child lacking a group to identify with, the tragedy can actually bring the school and community together. Where you have mass grieving, you have a community coming together and identifying with everyone else in the community. It affirms and identifies values.”

Roger Stonehouse points out that students will become very concerned for the welfare of others and see a counsellor because they are worried about one of their peers.

Talking about the incident repeatedly is an innate preservation response, says Colin Wastell.

“Discussion and externalisation of the experience is essential whether it is talking to a counsellor or friends or through art. The vital thing is not to sit in a room and ruminate on what happened, because isolation further isolates you,” he says.

“A child will have the same physiological response to a trauma as an adult, but how they interpret it differs. Adolescents need to talk about it over and over again and not get too deep and meaningful about it. By externalising it they take in and process the reflective reactions of the people they tell the story to, particularly their own peer group. Feedback from peers normalises the experience within their own development level.”

While externalisation is essential, we mustn’t think that talk is the only way to approach the healing process.

“We must get away from the Platonic myth that if we talk about it, we solve it,” says Colin Wastell. “In fact, talk is only one way we make meaning and understand things. For younger people and for those whose primary means of experience is not words (people from NESBs, a great many adolescents, people who are doers not talkers), then we have to recognise that these people need other opportunities to express themselves, such as art, drama or constructively acting out what they are feeling.”

Putting homework to good use

After the Sydney bushfires of January 1994, a workbook was developed to help students and their families work through some of the emotional terrain which such widespread devastation brought. Coordinator - Student Counselling and Welfare, Sue Pamment says there was a large-scale response to the bushfires, which affected many families and schools particularly in suburbs near the Royal National Park.

“There were a lot of issues - family members had died, children with burns had to take time off to recover, there was the loss of homes, school buildings, students’ work, teachers’ notes and personal belongings.

“The bushfires brought very multifaceted types of grief. We worked closely with the health department to screen all students who may have been affected. A workbook was developed for children to work through at home with their parents. It helped families talk about what had happened. The feedback to the workbook was very positive and it has been modified for use in a variety of circumstances since.”

Colin Wastell says the workbook is an excellent way of helping entire families deal with tragedy.

“Often parents will not know how to deal with a situation, so they won’t talk about it at all. However, we know that getting upset and talking about the incident is healthy.”

When the media comes knocking

Interest from mainstream media in a serious incident can complicate matters enormously. Not only does the principal and counselling team have to deal with the immediacy of the situation, there may be dozens of journalists camped out the front of the school.

Media Liaison Officer Alison Errey was responsible for dealing with the media when two missing Bega school girls were found murdered.

“The first decision we made after the bodies were found was that no comment would be made to the media. You have to consider whether the interests of students and staff welfare and the process of grieving are helped by talking to the media. Also, you have to nominate one person to talk to the media and that can be very taxing emotionally.

“As a rule of thumb, if the families are not talking, then I don’t feel it is the responsibility of the school to comment. “On the first day, I took 105 requests for media interviews. Journalists were just walking into school grounds without permission and part of my job was to try to police that and to make sure students were not harassed.”

Alison says that prior to the girls’ bodies being found, the school had been responding to media requests in the hope appeals for information on their whereabouts would prove fruitful. Like Bega, Inverell is a small rural community which was suddenly and unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight when news of the murdered student broke. Paul Alliston says media travelled 650 km from Sydney and arrived before staff and students had emerged from initial shock and disbelief.

“The media homed in on the school even though the incident occurred away from school and outside school hours.

“I prepared a statement and that was the only one to be given to the media by me or my Deputy. We just stuck to the facts and were careful not to say anything that could not be misinterpreted.”

Alison Errey says it was her instinctive reaction - and a crucial part of her job - to protect staff, students and parents from the media during the Bega incident. On the day of the community memorial service, the media presence was all too apparent.

“Despite our protests, students were placed next to a cordoned off area for media. After the service, as we were trying to get the students back to school as quickly as possible, there were some kids who were really distraught and comforting each other. A cameraman was trying to film them and I kept standing in the way of his shots. I felt what he was trying to get was gratuitous - he already had all the shots he needed - and his intrusion was inappropriate. My priority was to protect the children. Finally, after about four attempts, he’d had enough of me and threw me to the ground so he could get his shot.”

Paul Alliston found similar heavy-handed tactics in Inverell.

“As well as bailing up students in the street, reporters from one newspaper spread word of a school meeting in the park where students were asked to bring photos and other items that held memories of the deceased student,” Paul says. “Schools should be wary of the more sensation-seeking members of the press. They aren’t there to help the kids and they will do anything to get a story.”

Laying blame

It is not just media presence and intrusion after an incident that schools need to be wary of. Stories have been created by the media for the media - the situation can be inflamed to an incredible degree. Mount Druitt is one such tale of media hype which will never be forgotten by the school’s staff and students. Its ramifications are still going on; a group of the Year 12 students at the centre of story are taking out a class action against the newspaper.

Principal June Richards says her initial response to the story was disbelief and horror. With school holidays in full swing, contacting students was difficult, but the ‘grapevine’ worked well and those students who needed counselling support were able to access it.

“We have a serious incident management plan, but this wasn’t a text book case,” she says. “We accessed all the help mechanisms available and gave people time and space. We are still very sensitive about the whole incident. “There were a number of things that were critical to managing the situation: having only one nominated spokesperson; staff cohesion based on an open and positive relationship (this also avoids blame being wrongly placed); accessing EAP for staff. Our Teachers Federation organiser, Angelo, was very supportive. He paid regular visits and helped put another perspective on the situation.”

Finding a point of closure

One point that all involved in the area of trauma and counselling agree on is the importance of having a point of closure, especially in unresolved cases (for example, a student has gone missing without trace).

Finding an appropriate point of closure - a memorial service, a remembrance assembly at school, planting a tree or putting up a plaque - is essential to bring the school back towards normalcy by bringing a symbolic end to the incident. Points of closure must be tailored to the circumstances and expert advice should be sought, for example, after a suicide.

Paul Alliston says it was difficult to close the Inverell case because of an on-going investigation and then trial.

“It presented the challenge of determining the best time to move the school back to the sanctuary of normal routine,” he says. “It was important to choose the right time to say, ‘let’s get on with the job’ without appearing callous. “I think that is up to you and your knowledge of your own community,” he says.

An ironic truth is that it is catastrophes can bring schools and communities together. They can bring individuals and their strengths and the services they provide to the fore.

Paul Alliston agrees that while his school will never be the same, the overall, long-term impact has not been necessarily negative. “Those of us who were here at the time it happened are definitely stronger for it,” Paul says. “There is also a stronger bond between us.”

New guidelines for schools to follow in the management of serious incidents are expected to be forwarded to school in the near future.

Signs of on-going trauma

Post-traumatic stress disorder may manifest itself in a number of ways. Teachers’ observations are essential in helping counsellors identify those students who may still be in need of assistance after the school has ‘normalised’. Symptoms to be aware of include:

• on-going, outward displays of distress
• emotional debility or shutting down
• changes in behaviour
• wanting to revisit the situation
• absence from school
• school work falling off
• physical conditions, such as stomach upsets, headaches, etc
• chronic fatigue

Counselling - a case study

Roger Stonehouse, Coordinator - Student Welfare and Counselling, coordinated the counselling response after a student fatally shot himself in front of classmates some years ago.

“It happened at 10.30 in the morning. Mine was an immediate organisational role, such as getting people into appropriate places. There wasn’t any on-going threat to students and staff because the student had died, but there was a need for an immediate emotional response - bringing in a counselling team and community health workers.

“We decided not to let any of the students in that class go home until they had been through a process of debriefing and discussion. We also held a large group meeting for all students in that particular Year. We then contacted parents and guardians and provided students with emotional support until they were able to go home.

“Over a period of six months we held a series of meetings with students - discussions, debriefs and so on - as they demonstrated their needs. The program was to talk to every student in the class at length about their reactions, expected grief, what they could expect to occur emotionally and assure them that their responses were normal responses to an abnormal event. They were also assured that these feelings would gradually dissipate with time.

“Expected reactions among friends and classmates were: guilt (‘I could have stopped this’, ‘I should have known’); a great sense of anguish or angst; a feeling they were out of control and school was no longer a safe place. As expected, a number of students didn’t return to school for a number of days.

“We identified other individuals who also needed help, such as a group of special friends and other students who were showing signs of needing additional support.

“We also debriefed the teachers, especially the teacher in whose class the incident had happened. However, the primary role of school counsellors is to support students and there are other more appropriate avenues for staff such as the Employee Assistance Program.

“The school counsellors role is to support, identify and educate (about grief and normal responses). We liaised extensively with the year adviser and classroom teachers and also worked closely with other schools; for example, the student’s sibling went to a local primary school.

“We started with a team of six counsellors and three community health counsellors. Since counselling is best done by local people who know the people concerned, the community health counsellors moved into a secondary role after a while, providing support when required.”

What about SSPs?

Terry Murphy, Relieving Coordinator Student Counselling and Welfare, is currently working with a group of colleagues to draft written materials to help students and staff in SSPs deal with serious incidents including the death of a student, a situation which is more likely to occur in a SSP than in a mainstream school as some students can be quite frail.

“This presents a number of issues: How do you talk about the death of a classmate? What language do you use? How do kids with a significant intellectual disability articulate their feelings? What is their understanding of events? Do they have a concept of death? “Staff can become very attached to the students and have known them for a very long time. SSPs also have additional staff who become very attached to the children - therapists, drivers and so on and it is important that these people are not overlooked in serious incident management plans.

Checklist for dealing with the media

If your school is involved in a serious incident which is likely to attract the interest of the media, here is a checklist to help your principal deal with the situation. All staff need to be aware of the following steps, but only one person, usually the principal, should be responsible for its coordination.

1. Immediately contact your District Superintendent and Media Liaison unit (MLu) for advice and assistance with media

The Media Liaison Unit (MLU) will assign a Media Liasion Officer (MLO) to work directly with your school. Contact the MLU on (02) 9561 8501. On-site support can be provided. If journalists have been making enquiries, never simply say ‘no comment’ because it can convey the impression that you’re covering something up.

2. Brief front office staff

Your front office staff are the first point of contact and are vitally important to managing issues. Ask them to record the names, media outlets, phone and fax numbers of journalists who ring or arrive and inform them that someone will get back to them shortly. Staff should be friendly but aware that any comments they make to journalists may be quoted. Remember, from the moment a journalist identifies himself or herself and the media outlet for whom they work, everything from that point forward is on the record.

3. Inform your MLO of the journalists who have made enquiries

Your MLO will support the school by contacting journalists who have rung or arrived to ascertain exactly what information (true or false) they already have and who else they have interviewed.

4. Be aware of the broader context

Your district superintendent and MLO will be able to provide support by advising you of other relevant developments or broader issues that need to be considered in framing your response and about the most effective ways of doing newspaper, radio and television interviews (if appropriate).

5. Channel all media through one spokesperson

Depending on the nature of the incident, whether strictly local or with Statewide implications, the appropriate spokesperson may be the principal, the district superintendent, the Minister or a DET representative (or even another department). Your MLO will work with you to determine the most appropriate spokesperson.

6. The nominated spokesperson or MLO must return all media calls

Always return the calls, even if the response is simply that the matter is under investigation or the matter is in the hands of the police and it is not appropriate for the school to comment.

7. Internal communication is important

Where appropriate, brief staff, students and other key members of the school community on the incident. This will reduce the risk of idle speculation and inaccurate information taking on a life of its own.

8. Ongoing communication is vital

Keep your district superintendent and MLO advised of the following as the situation unfolds:

• concerns being raised by parents or others
• other people making statements to the media
• involvement of police, threats of legal action
• further media enquiries.

9. Devise an after hours communication plan

Ensure that all relevant parties are kept advised of any late breaking developments and further media enquiries can be dealt with accurately and efficiently.

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All content copyright
NSW Department of Education and Training
© 1998

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^[1] The key issue indicates the impact on the system which may be different from the subject matter of the incident.