Use separate written procedures for different emergencies. A missing child, a serious injury, a fire, and a child-protection concern require different actions.
For a missing child, activate the plan immediately. Keep the rest of the group safe, notify the lead, confirm the last known place, and involve emergency services as the situation requires. Do not impose an arbitrary waiting period before seeking help. Do not send children to search.
For injury, staff act within their training and call the appropriate help. One person supports the injured child, another keeps the group safe, and another manages access and communication. Never move someone simply to keep the timetable on track.
A suspected concussion means removal from the activity and medical assessment, not a same-day return because the child feels better.1
Write down facts promptly: who, when, where, what was seen, actions taken, calls made, and who received the child. Keep incident records separate from casual parent messages.
After the event, check what failed in the system. Fix the gate, timing, equipment, or staffing issue. Do not stop at “the child should have listened.”
Do this next: Run a staff-only practice. Note the time needed to find contacts, records, and emergency access.
Sources for this page
- CDC HEADS UP, Responding to a Sports-related Concussion. Remove a participant with suspected concussion; medical assessment and return decisions. ↩