Developing a Critical Incident Response Plan: Workshop for Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools

A Critical Incident is any incident or sequence of events which overwhelms the normal coping mechanism of the school, such as the deaths of members of the school community. Most school communities experience some level of critical incident from time to time. The key is to plan and prepare in order to reduce the impact on all.

Aim of the workshop:

• To consider what constitutes a critical incident in various school settings.
• To share ideas on the promotion of a caring ethos of physical and psychological safety in a school which can lessen the impact of a critical incident, should it arise.
• To outline the purpose of the school’s Critical Incident Management Team
• To outline four steps in developing a critical incident response plan
• To consider appropriate responses in sample cases which have occurred in Irish schools and to share learnings and good practice from experiences of previous incidents.
• To identify key actions to be taken in the event of a CI
• To share resources to support students and staff following a CI

It is hoped that school staff who attend training will leave the workshop with a clear plan of the steps they need to take in order that their school will be in a strong position to deal with the significant challenges which a critical incident may bring in both the short- and long-term.

This workshop is aimed at school principals/deputy principals and/or members of the Schools Critical Incident Management Team or Student Support Team and will be delivered by psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), Joan Heduan (Mullingar) and Orlaith Griffin (Tralee).  

If possible, please have a copy of ‘Responding to Critical Incidents – NEPS Guidelines and Resource Materials for Schools’ at hand during the presentation (available at the following link:  https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-Educational-Psychological-Service-NEPS-/Responding%20to%20Critical%20Incidents.pdf  )