The Critical Incident Support Service provides support to schools, academies, independent schools and Early Years settings in a Critical Incident, as well as information, training and consultation about bereavement and trauma.
A Critical Incident is defined as 'An event or events, usually sudden, which involves the experience of significant personal distress to a level which potentially overwhelms normal responses, procedures, and coping strategies and which is likely to have emotional and organisational consequences.' An example for a Critical Incident may be the unexpected death of a child or an adult closely associated with the school. Equally, it may be an event causing injuries which result in temporary or long-term disablement.
The Critical Incident Service can be accessed by phoning the Critical Incident Support Line, which is a pager system to ensure countywide coverage. The Critical Incident Lead Officer will be able to guide you through the process of alerting other key services and will offer advice on how to deal with the immediate impact of a Critical Incident. In school support is available from professionals trained in trauma management and psychological support, who will support you as you come to terms with the consequences of a Critical Incident. This may be at two levels, immediate telephone advice and, where appropriate, allocation of a team to visit the school and support the school community.
For information on critical incidents, bereavement and trauma please have a look at our new EPSS website. If you are a LA school or subscribe to the CI service please register and log in for more detailed information.
http://www.norfolkepss.org.uk/information/schoolsacademies/critical-incident-trauma-bereavement/
