First Aid and Medication Policy

Section 1Aim

• Ensure the health and safety of all staff, children and visitors
• Ensure that staff and trustees are aware of their responsibilities with regards to health and safety
• Provide a framework for responding to an incident and recording and reporting the outcomes
• To work in partnership with parents, children, health professionals and other colleagues to ensure that children who require medication during their time with us are able to receive it in a safe and secure environment allowing them to continue to make progress in their learning with us.

Section 2Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the following legislation and guidance.

• The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, regulation 3, which require an employer to provide equipment and facilities that are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances to enable first aid to be given to its employees. These Regulations protect employees; BTC’s duties towards children, parents and volunteers arise instead under section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and at common law.
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3, which require a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), under which certain injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive. Regulation 12 requires records to be kept for at least three years from the date of entry. An over-seven-day incapacity to a worker is reportable within 15 days.
• The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, which set out rules on the retention of accident records.

Allergy and anaphylaxis. BTC holds, for every child, a record of any allergy, intolerance or medical condition and of any medication the child may need. It is collected on the registration form, held on the Saturday School app where the session lead can see it, and confirmed with the parent or carer at the start of each term.

BTC does not occupy premises of its own and does not hold a stock of adrenaline auto-injectors. It is not permitted to: the exemption allowing spare devices to be obtained without a prescription applies only to a person carrying on the business of a school. The only adrenaline at a BTC session is the child’s own prescribed device.

Where a child has been prescribed an auto-injector, the parent or carer brings it to every session and hands it to the session lead, who checks it is in date, records receipt on the app, and keeps it unlocked and immediately accessible in the room the child is in — not in a locked cupboard, an office or a vehicle. It is handed back at the end of the session. Where two devices have been prescribed, both are brought; MHRA advice is that a person prescribed an auto-injector should have two available at all times.

Every member of staff and volunteer on duty is told at the start of the session which children have a device, where it is, and how to use it. Anyone may use one in an emergency: regulation 238 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 disapplies the prescription requirement for the medicines in Schedule 19, which include adrenaline 1:1000 up to 1mg intramuscular for anaphylaxis, where it is given to save life in an emergency. On suspected anaphylaxis the device is used without delay, 999 is called and anaphylaxis stated, a second dose follows after five minutes if there is no improvement and a second device is available, and the child goes to hospital by ambulance even if they appear to recover. The incident is recorded on the app the same day and the parent or carer informed.

Paediatric first aid. Where children aged five and under attend, at least one person holding a current paediatric first aid certificate will be on site for the whole session.

Records and consent. No medication will be administered without the written consent of a parent or carer, recording the medicine, the dose, the time and the reason. Every dose administered, and every refusal, will be recorded and logged and the parent or carer told the same day. Accident and first aid records will be kept for at least three years, and where the injured person is a child, until their twenty-fifth birthday.

All accidents, injuries and near misses are recorded on the Saturday School app at saturdayschool.beingthecure.org, using the accident form, by the person who dealt with the incident, on the same day. The app is BTC’s accident book for the purposes of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979 and of regulation 12 of RIDDOR, and the trustees should satisfy themselves that its records can be exported and retained for the periods set out in the Privacy Notices and Records Retention Policy.

Where an accident may be reportable to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR, the CEO is told the same day and makes the report; recording it on the app does not discharge that duty.

• Out-of-school settings: safeguarding guidance for providers (DfE, last updated 9 February 2026). It expects a provider to have an appointed person or at least one member of staff with first aid training, and at least one person holding a current paediatric first aid certificate where children aged five and under attend, and to know of any medical concerns or allergies affecting the children in its care.
• The Equality Act 2010, sections 20 and 29(7), under which reasonable adjustments must be made for a disabled child, which may include administering or supervising medication.

Section 34 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 requires an allergy policy for children at schools. It does not apply to BTC. Given that BTC works with children under eight and that food is served at its activities, the trustees have chosen to adopt an equivalent allergy and anaphylaxis procedure voluntarily, set out below.

Section 3Roles and responsibilities

Section 4.1 below sets out the expectations of appointed persons and first aiders as set out in the 1981 first aid regulations and the DfE guidance listed in section 3.

3.1Appointed person(s) and first aiders

At each site we appoint a member of staff responsible for first aid and medication. Their details are made available to parents, children, and volunteers on-site. They are responsible for:

• Taking charge when someone is injured or becomes ill
• Ensuring there is an adequate supply of medical materials in first aid kits, and replenishing the contents of these kits
• Ensuring that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate

First aiders are trained and qualified to carry out the role (see section 7) and are responsible for:

• Acting as first responders to any incidents; they will assess the situation where there is an injured or ill person, and provide immediate and appropriate treatment
• Sending children home to recover, where necessary
• Filling in an accident report on the same day, or as soon as is reasonably practicable, after an incident
• Keeping their contact details up to date

3.2The Board of Trustees

The board of trustees has ultimate responsibility for health and safety matters at BTC, but delegates operational matters and day-to-day tasks to the CEO, DSL, and staff members.

3.3The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

The DSL is responsible for the implementation of this policy, including:

• Ensuring that an appropriate number of appointed persons and/or first-aiders are present on-site at all times
• Ensuring that first aiders have an appropriate qualification, keep training up to date and remain competent to perform their role
• Ensuring all staff are aware of first aid procedures
• Ensuring appropriate risk assessments are completed and appropriate measures are put in place
• Undertaking, or ensuring that managers undertake, risk assessments, as appropriate, and that appropriate measures are put in place
• Ensuring that adequate space is available for catering to the medical needs of children
• Reporting specified incidents to the HSE/Charity Commission when necessary

3.4Staff

BTC staff are responsible for:

• Ensuring they follow first aid procedures
• Ensuring they know who the first-aiders or appointed persons on-site are
• Completing accident reports for all incidents they attend to where a first-aider or appointed person is not called
• Informing the DSL of any specific health conditions or first aid needs

Section 4First aid procedures

4.1On-site procedures

In the event of an accident resulting in injury:

The closest member of staff present will assess the seriousness of the injury and seek the assistance of a qualified first aider, if appropriate, who will provide the required first aid treatment

The first aider, if called, will assess the injury and decide if further assistance is needed from a colleague or the emergency services. They will remain on the scene until help arrives

The first aider will also decide whether the injured person should be moved or placed in a recovery position

If the first aider judges that a child is too unwell to remain on-site, parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child. Upon their arrival, the first aider will recommend next steps to the parents

If emergency services are called, the DSL will contact parents immediately

The first-aider or relevant member of staff will complete an accident report form on the same day or as soon as is reasonably practical after an incident resulting in an injury.

4.2Off-site procedures

When taking children off-site, staff will ensure they always have the following:

• A mobile phone for emergencies
• A portable first aid kit including, at minimum:
  • A leaflet giving general advice on first aid
  • 6 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings
  • 1 large sterile unmedicated dressing
  • 2 triangular bandages – individually wrapped and preferably sterile
  • 2 safety pins
  • Individually wrapped moist cleansing wipes
  • 2 pairs of disposable gloves
• Information about the specific medical needs of children
• Parents’ contact details

When transporting children using a minibus or other large vehicle, BTC will make sure the vehicle is equipped with a clearly marked first aid box containing, at minimum:

• 10 antiseptic wipes, foil packed
• 1 conforming disposable bandage (not less than 7.5cm wide)
• 2 triangular bandages
• 1 packet of 24 assorted adhesive dressings
• 3 large sterile unmedicated ambulance dressings (not less than 15cm × 20 cm)
• 2 sterile eye pads, with attachments
• 12 assorted safety pins
• 1 pair of rustproof blunt-ended scissors

Risk assessments will be completed by the DSL prior to any educational visit that requires taking children off-site.

Section 5First aid equipment

A typical first aid kit on-site will include the following:

• A leaflet giving general advice on first aid
• 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes)
• 2 sterile eye pads
• 2 individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile)
• 6 safety pins
• 6 medium-sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings
• 2 large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
• 3 pairs of disposable gloves

No medication is kept in first aid kits. First aid kits are stored in an easily accessible location on-site.

Section 6Record-keeping and reporting

1. 1.
   1. 1.FIRST AID AND ACCIDENT RECORD

• An accident form will be completed by the first-aider or relevant member of staff on the same day or as soon as possible after an incident resulting in an injury
• As much detail as possible should be supplied when reporting an accident, including all of the information included in the online accident form which can be found on saturdayschool.beingthecure.org
• Records held in the first aid and accident log will be retained for a minimum of 3 years, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and then securely disposed of
  1. 1.REPORTING TO THE HSE/CC

The DSL will keep a record of any accident which results in a reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence as defined in the RIDDOR 2013 legislation (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7).

The DSL will report these to the HSE as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 10 days of the incident.

Reportable injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences include:

• Death
• Specified injuries, which are:
  • Fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
  • Amputations
  • Any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight
  • Any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
  • Serious burns (including scalding)
  • Any scalding requiring hospital treatment
  • Any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
  • Any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness, or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
• Injuries where an employee is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 7 consecutive days (not including the day of the incident)
• Where an accident leads to someone being taken to hospital
• Near-miss events that do not result in an injury, but could have done. Examples of near-miss events relevant to school based settings include, but are not limited to:
  • The collapse or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
  • The accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
  • The accidental release or escape of any substance that may cause a serious injury or damage to health
  • An electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion

Information on how to make a RIDDOR report is available here:

How to make a RIDDOR report, HSE

The DSL is responsible for reporting any serious incidents to the Charity Commission at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/report-a-serious-incident inline with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy available at www.beingthecure.org/policies

Section 7Training

All BTC staff are able to undertake first aid training if they would like to.

All first aiders must have completed a training course, and must hold a valid certificate of competence to show this. BTC will keep a register of all trained first aiders, what training they have received and when this is valid until.

BTC will arrange for first aiders to retrain before their first aid certificates expire. In cases where a certificate expires, BTC will arrange for staff to retake the full first aid course before being reinstated as a first aider.

Section 8Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed by the CEO and DSL annually. At every review, the policy will be approved by the board of trustees for BTC.

Section 9Administering medication

9.1Rationale

Many children will need to take medication or be given it at BTC’s settings at some time in their life while they are with us. For most, this will be for a short period to (for example) allow them to finish a course of antibiotics or apply a lotion. In some cases, there may be a long-term need for children to take medication. To allow children to take or be given medication at our settings minimises the disruption that could be caused by illness and allows their learning to proceed at a steady rate alongside their peers.

9.2Parent partnership

In common with good practice, we will aim to work in partnership with parents and (as appropriate) children to meet their individual needs. The following guidance aims to ensure a smooth-running partnership that minimises the impact of medical requirements on the day-to-day school life of children. Parents are encouraged to contact the session lead if they feel that procedures require adjustment or alteration to suit their specific case.

9.3Administering procedures

Staff that provide support for children with medical needs which may include the administration of medication will be given support by the management, access to necessary information, and receive appropriate training and guidance where necessary.

It is important that children who need to take medication at our settings are involved as closely as possible in the arrangements made for them. When making arrangements for medical care at our settings, the following should be considered:

• Independent management of needs
• Supervised administration of medication
• Staff administration of medication

Staff will assist children with their medical needs after consultation with the management. Agreements for administering medication will normally fall to the DSL after adequate consultation with parents and children. No staff member should enter into individual agreements with parent or child.

Information about an individual child's medical condition and related needs will only be disseminated to relevant staff in order to ensure the child's well-being. Information can only be passed on with the consent of parents.

Where there is concern about whether BTC can meet either a child's needs or the expectation of parents, the DSL will seek advice from the Local Authority and/or a suitable health professional.

Advice on the storage of medicines should be sought from a qualified pharmacist when required.

Medicines may be potentially harmful to anyone for whom they are not prescribed. We will try to ensure that risks to the health of others are properly controlled and, for any long-term medication needs, this will be covered in an appropriate risk assessment. A secure location is provided by BTC at all of their sites.

Medicine must only be brought to our sites in a suitable container. The container should be clearly labelled with the following information:

• Name of the child
• Name of the drug
• Dosage
• Frequency of administration.

Medicines should always be kept in their original containers.

When a medicine requires refrigeration, it can be kept in a refrigerator, in an air-tight container. To avoid confusion medicines should be kept on a separate shelf used only for the storage of medication. The container should be clearly labelled as described above. If a refrigerator contains medicines, access to it should be carefully monitored. Members of staff who use the refrigerator are made aware of the importance of keeping the medicine safe and secure.

In an emergency children should have prompt access to their medicine through a recognised procedure. It is the duty of the DSL to ensure that all staff are familiar with the emergency procedure.

BTC staff will NOT dispose of medicines. Out of date medicines will be returned to parents/carers for disposal.

A child who is taken to hospital by ambulance should be accompanied by a member of staff who will remain until the child's parent/carer arrives at the hospital or the child is returned to our site or when the child has to be transported home by BTC staff. If a child is taken to hospital, it is essential that the BTC staff make every effort to inform parents immediately; failing this the emergency contact person will be informed.

In an emergency it may be necessary for a member of staff to take a child to hospital in their own car. When a child is taken to hospital by a member of staff they should also take with them all medication the child is currently taking together with the children medical record showing what medication has been taken, when it was taken and the dosage.

See section 4.2 for further information.

9.4Working with parents

We will work together with parents to ensure that all relevant information with regard to a medical condition which may affect a child during their time with us is passed on to all concerned. Information will only be requested from parents when it is necessary to ensure the health and safety of the individual child and/or their peers at our site. The confidentiality of a child's medical records will be respected. Information is gathered at induction meetings and regular reviews. Separate information is requested when a child is going off-site.

All parents/carers will be informed of BTC policy and procedures for addressing the medical needs of children.

Parents should provide BTC staff with adequate information about their child's medical condition, treatment, or any special care needed when they are with us. They should, in partnership with the charity, reach an agreement on BTC’s role in helping to address their child's medical needs. Any details will be passed on to those who need to know.

The cultural and religious views of families should always be respected.

Parents will be asked for the following information about medication:

• name of medicine
• dose
• method of administration
• time and frequency of administration
• other treatment which may involve BTC staff or affect the child's performance during their learning
• side effects which may have a bearing on the child's behaviour

Child medical conditions will be established at the interview/induction. Parents should advise BTC of any changes in the medication administered to their child and/or changes of their condition at the earliest opportunity.

9.5Administration of medicines

With the exception of emergency medications, all scheduled medications should be administered in an appropriate location at the site, and witnessed by an additional member of staff. If a child refuses to take medication, BTC will record this and inform the child's parents. If the medication is essential to the child's continued well-being, BTC will call the emergency services and inform the parents. If the medication is essential to the child being educated, BTC will contact the parents to discuss actions to be taken.

Medication should be brought to the site only when it is needed. Often medication can be prescribed in dose/frequencies which enable it to be taken outside of hours of engagement with BTC. Parents should be consulted about this.

9.6Non-prescribed medicines

Children sometimes ask for pain killers (analgesics) at school, including aspirin and paracetamol. BTC staff should not give non-prescribed medication to children without the consent of parents/carers.

With the prior agreement of parents, BTC staff may administer mild analgesics.

e.g., either one or two paracetamol tablets (according to parental/carer advice/consent) to a child who asks for it, if they suffer pain or a headache on-site. A record must be kept of the medication and dose given.

9.7Prescribed medicines

Any member of staff authorised by the DSL to administer prescribed medicines to a child should observe the following procedure in cooperation with a colleague:

• confirm the child's name agrees with that on the medication
• check the written instructions provided by the parents or doctor
• confirm the prescribed dose
• check the expiry date

9.8Functional medication

This type of medication includes Insulin (diabetes), Ventolin (asthma), Diazepam/Valium (Epilepsy), Adrenaline (anaphylaxis). Where this type of medication is needed staff will be given specific training.

9.9Sharps/needles

Where children require medication which is supplied with a syringe or epi-pen, or where blood needs to be tested, the staff must dispose of the needles appropriately. A bona-fide sharps box will be used for this purpose.