ACCS Critical Incident Policy and Procedures – Old

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CRITICAL INCIDENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES

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1 PURPOSE

This policy relates to critical incidents directly involving staff and/or students on any ACCS Campuses, which impact not only on the individual but also on other members of the College community. A critical incident is any event that causes a significant number of people to experience reactions that are beyond their normal emotional range.

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2 SCOPE
This policy pertains to all enrolled international/overseas and domestic students studying with ACCS.

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3 DEFINITION OF TERMS

A critical incident is defined in the National Code as ‘a traumatic event, or the threat of such (within or outside Australia), which causes extreme stress, fear or injury’.

Critical incidents are not limited to, but could include:

• death, serious injury or serious threats of these
• attempted suicide
• missing student
• assault, including sexual assault, domestic violence, severe verbal or psychological aggression
• a natural or other major disaster in the community
• the destruction of part, or the whole of the College
• major vandalism
• acts of terrorism
• student arrested or detained
• extremely damaging media attention
• enforced school closure
• drug or alcohol abuse
• other serious events

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4 STRUCTURE

4.1 Critical Incident Team

The Critical Incident Team consists of staff holding the following positions: Principal, Office Administrator, Dean of Studies, College Counsellor, Student Support Officer. The Critical Incident Team’s role is to manage any critical incident, and is responsible for:

• assessing risks and response actions;
• liaison with emergency and other services;
• contact with students’ relatives and other appropriate contacts;
• liaison with other external bodies, such as homestays, carers or foreign embassies, and
• counselling and managing students and staff not directly involved in the incident.

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Additional persons can be co-opted to assist on an incident-specific basis, as circumstances require, in line with the set of procedures developed under the auspices of the Critical Incident Team and set out in this policy document. This should include those with appropriate expertise as well as others who have

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personal qualities appropriate to crisis management. The Principal will, where appropriate, nominate a Recovery Director to the incident.

4.2 Specialist Support

Specialist support to assist the Team will, in the event of a critical or major incident, provide expertise relating to the key areas identified as providing the major foreseeable risks to the College’s business continuity – human, physical, IT and related systems and media relations.

Other specialist support may include legal, finance or business services.

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5 IMPLEMENTATION

Stage 1: Action to be taken

• Any critical incident must be reported to the College Principal or the respective role of the

campus Principal.

• Issues of safety must be immediately addressed (using evacuation procedures and/or calling

emergency services where necessary).

• The Principal needs to ascertain the facts. The Principal must be able to verify what was

‘reported to have occurred’ (this will involve members who reported the incident and those involved). The College Administrator or an assisting member of staff will document the reported facts.

• The Principal meets with and informs the “Critical Incident Team” of the appropriate steps to be taken that are planned and documented
• Staff are informed by the Principal (as appropriate).
• The Student Support Officer and any additional counsellors required are contacted by the

College Administrator.

• Contact clergy, where appropriate.
• The Principal communicates with the students and campus community affected by the critical

incident, being mindful of legal and privacy constraints.

• Siblings and close friends of the victims are told individually.
• The Principal informs the Sydney College of Divinity, if relevant.
• All students are informed of counselling and assistance available.
• The College Counsellor contacts organisations and individuals for additional assistance if

required.

• The Principal ensure that staff members have support and counselling if required.
• The College Administrator maintains a supportive, calm atmosphere, by maintaining normal

procedures as far as possible.

• The Principal plans the response to the media, as required.
• The College assists memorials as required.
• The facts of the event and all steps that were followed are documented and held on file by the

College Administrator.

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Stage 2: Documenting

• Confirm that the initial documenting of the incident by the Principal has taken place.
• Ensure the steps taken by the Principal and his or her Critical Incident Team are

documented.

• Ensure that the facts of the event and all steps that were followed including who, what,

when, where, and how, have been documented.

• The ESOS Act 2000 requires ACCS to notify the Department of Home Affairs as soon as

practical after the incident. In the case of a student’s death or other absence affecting the student’s attendance at ACCS, the Liaison Officer at the Department of Home Affairs should be contacted by phone prior to reporting via the PRISMS reporting system.

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• Please record the critical incident in the Critical Incident Register with a copy of the Critical Incident Report.

Stage 3: Follow up

• Ensure that student support staff and any ‘outside professionals’ are able to meet the needs

of the College community.

• Provision of reading/support material to staff and students.
• Aim to return to the ‘normal routine’, within a timeframe that is appropriate to the nature of

the critical incident.

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6. REPORTING, RECORDING OF INCIDENT – INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The college is required to notify the Department of Home Affairs as soon as practical after the incident and in the case of an international student’s death or other absence affecting the student’s attendance, the incident will need to be reported via the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS). All aspects of the incident and its management will be recorded on the student files.

Any action taken in regard to a critical incident will be recorded to include outcomes or evidence if the incident is referred to another person or agency. The Office Administrator (or the Principal if unavailable) will ensure the correct procedures have been actioned appropriate reports created and follow-up completed. The Principal will report the incident to the College Board; if the Principal is not available the College Administrator or the Dean of Students will prepare a report for the College Board.

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APPENDIX A
Emergency Numbers and Contact Details

POLICE 000 AMBULANCE 000 FIRE 000

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ACCS Contact List

Position

Name

Mobile No.

Principal

Dr Len Smith

0408967720

Office Administrator

Pam Loneragan

0410608195

Dean of Studies

Dr Paul Porta

0401032338

Student Services Officer

Merilyn Smith

0407960677

Counsellor

Kerrie Merchant

0413139589

Board Chair

Jeff Spencer

0417088615

Korean Counsellor

Ps Byung Kim

0430474878

First Aid Officer

Dr Len Smith

0408967720

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APPENDIX B Critical Incident Report

Date of incident: ____/_____/_____ Time of incident _________________________ Location (include address where applicable): _______________________________________ Name of person completing form _________________________________________________ Position of person completing form __________________________Contact no: ___________

People involved in incident: ☐Student 1. Name

__________________________________ 2. Name:

_________________________________ 3. Name:

__________________________________ 4. Name:

__________________________________ 5. Name:

__________________________________

☐Staff

☐Other ___________________ Age: _____

Age: _____

Age: _____

Age: _____

Age: _____

Description of incident and background (relevant Information leading up to the incident, circumstances, whether the incident was witnessed and other relevant issues):

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Who was informed of the incident (Critical Incident Team, Emergency Services)?

Len Smith ☐ Merilyn Smith ☐ Police ☐

Pam Loneragan ☐ Kerrie Merchant ☐ Ambulance ☐

Paul Porta ☐ Jeff Spencer ☐ Fire Brigade ☐

External Services

_____________________________________________________________

Actions taken to date: (including date and time of contact that other agencies were informed, as well details of support provided):

1._____________________________________________________________________
2._____________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________
4._____________________________________________________________________
5._____________________________________________________________________

Follow up action planned:

1._____________________________________________________________________
2._____________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________
4._____________________________________________________________________
5._____________________________________________________________________

Critical incident reported by: ____________________________________

____________________________________ (Signature of Principal)

Time: ___________ Time: ___________

Date: ___________ Date: ___________

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Nearest Hospital:

AUBURN HOSPITAL

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APPENDIX C Emergency services

20 Hargrave Rd, Auburn NSW 2144

(02) 8759 3000

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ALCOHOL & DRUG INFORMATION
24 Hour Telephone Service
Information and Referral (02) 9361 8000 Outside Sydney Metro Area1800 422 599 http://yourroom.com.au/faq/

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CENTRELINK
Youth and student services 132 490
For information in languages other than English 131 202

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CONSULATES IN AUSTRALIA
For a full index of consulates in Australia http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Consulate/list.rails

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CORONER’S COURT
44 – 46 Parramatta Rd, Glebe (NSW State Coroners Court) (02) 8584 7777 http://www.coroners.justice.nsw.gov.au/

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FINANCIAL COUNSELLING
(CreditLine) 53 Regent St Sydney 2000 (02) 9951 5544

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INTERPRETING SERVICES
Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW 24 Hour Interpreting Service 1300 651 500

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LEGAL SERVICES
Legal Aid Commission of NSW (NSW Government) (02) 9219 5000 Under 18’s Hotline FREECALL1800 101 810

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LIFELINE 24 HOURS
24 hr Counselling 131 114

LIFELINE Harbour to Hawkesbury Counselling 131 114
Lifeline is a 24-hour telephone counselling line for urgent and immediate needs.

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MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY SERVICE (02) 9745 4277 POISONS INFORMATION CENTRE 131 126

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ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL & COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES General Enquiries (02) 9926 7111 Sexual Assault Help Centre (02) 9926 7580
Drug & Alcohol Service1300 889 788

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SALVO CARE LINE CRISIS CENTRE
(24 hrs) Salvo Care Line (02) 9331 6000
Salvo Suicide Prevention/Crisis Line (02) 9331 2000 Salvo Youth Line (02) 9360 3000

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SEXUAL ASSAULT 24 HOUR CRISIS CENTRE Rape Crisis Centre 24 Hours Counselling Line FREECALL1800 424 017 info@nswrapecrisis.com.au www.nswrapecrisis.com.au

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ST VINCENT’S PUBLIC HOSPITAL
Victoria St Darlinghurst 2010 (02) 8382 1111
Alcohol & Other Drug Information (02) 9361 8010
Mental Health Service (02) 8382 1800 Anxiety Disorders Clinic (02) 8382 1730

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SYDNEY HOSPITAL
Macquarie St Sydney 2000 (02) 9382 7111 Sexual Health Centre (02) 9382 7440

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VICTIM SUPPORT LINE
(24 hour) Sydney 2000 (02) 9374 3000 FREECALL 1800 633 063

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MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
Sue Nelson Quick Thinking Communications Ph 61 2 9907 8241 / 0403 343 275 http://www.qtcommunications.com/index.html

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ACCS/Critical Incident Policy and Procedures
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