GREAT BEDWYN PLAYGROUP POLICIES
Crisis Management Policy
Background
The authorities recommend that all schools and nurseries devise a policy and procedure in
anticipation of an influenza pandemic. The committee have enlarged on this and decided not only to
plan for a flu pandemic but also have emergency measures to cope with other epidemic illness, bad
weather, hall closure due to fire, heating failure or indeed closure due to our inability to function the
playgroup for whatever reason.
In the case of a pandemic or other serious epidemic, the government may determine which areas
need to close their educational establishments but it is unlikely that establishments will be legally
required to close.
All staff must be made aware of this policy and be made aware of their responsibilities should this
eventuality occur. Staff should know how to access relevant information.
Procedure
A Playgroup Crisis Management Team (PCMT) has been established consisting of:
- The Chairman
- The Secretary
- Playgroup Supervisor
- Deputy Playgroup Supervisor
In the event of a Crisis the PCMT will monitor and review opening procedures throughout the event,
and disseminate all decisions at the earliest opportunity to allow normal service to resume. It may be
necessary to close playgroup, in which case as much notice will be given as possible.
The decision to take special measures must be made by the PCMT as a whole. Therefore each
member of the team should supply each other with mobile and land line contact telephone numbers.
Staff and children contact telephone numbers should be held by the Chairman and the Playgroup
Supervisors away from the playgroup facility. Should either of these officials be away from home
during playgroup termtimes the list should be passed to another member of the PCMT and another
committee member should join the PCMT temporarily until the officials return.
Should parents and staff be contacted by telephone the contact list should be divided by 4 and who
calls which section will be decided by the chair at the time of the crisis and each member of the
PCMT will be advised. Should any member of the PCMT be unavailable then another member of the
committee should come on board.
The Playgroup Supervisor should be responsible for contacting any local authorities who would need
to know we had closed temporarily.
In the event of a crisis we will put a statement on the front page of our website, and update it
regularly.
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GREAT BEDWYN PLAYGROUP POLICIES
If necessary the Deputy Supervisor would be responsible for advising the Toddler Supervisor that
Toddler sessions should close and ask her to place a notice on the village hall door and village notice
board.
The PCMT will communicate to staff and parents all decisions of how to deal with the crisis either by
telephone if closing the setting or by a notice on the door if not so final. The Playgroup Supervisor
should be responsible for any notification placed on the door and in the event of the closure, the
village notice board also.
If the crisis results in some members of the staff being absent then the ration of qualified staff to
children can not be compromised. Bank staff, CRB checked Committee Members or CRB checked
parents may be asked to help if required to keep the playgroup sessions open. Additional parent
helpers may be required. A list of these people should be attached to the contacts list.
If the Crisis is due to Ill Health
In the event of notification of a flu pandemic the Playgroup will initially remain open but an
assessment will be made daily by the PCMT. The PCMT should have already identified vulnerable
children / staff. The parents of these children and the relevant members of staff should be kept
informed of the situation and recommendations made that they do not attend Playgroup if illness
numbers rise.
Any child / member or staff may not return to playgroup until fully recovered, a doctors note may be
required. PCMT will advise at the time of the crisis.
Note
The Secretary should write to parents explaining what will happen in the event of an emergency.
All staff will be paid their contracted hours if the playgroup had to close for a short time (ie. a number
of days or a week.) Committee will consider refunding parent fees on a case by case basis. In the case
of a serious crisis forcing us to close the playgroup for a substantial length of time the PCMT should
meet to discuss the contractual situation.
The committee must ensure that a crisis management budget is in place in the reserve account.
After Action Review
PCMT to carry out an after action review, identify how well the plan has worked and identify the
lessons that can be learnt and implement improvements to this policy.
Signed:
Position:
Date:
Next review date:
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