What should a nursery do when a child is injured on play equipment?

Start with the child and the children still at play

A child falls from a nursery climbing frame and appears to have injured an arm. Another practitioner calls the room lead. At this point, the nursery's first task is care. A trained practitioner should use the setting's first-aid and emergency procedures, seek clinical help when needed and follow the advice of emergency services. This page cannot diagnose a fracture or prescribe treatment. The manager should ensure that the other children remain supervised and cannot enter the immediate hazard area.

Do not wait to decide whether the accident is reportable before arranging help. Ask one person to lead the child's care and another to manage the scene and remaining children. If staff move the child for safety or treatment, note the reason and who advised it. If an ambulance is needed, make the call promptly. If a parent will take the child to hospital, communicate clearly what happened and what staff observed. Staff should not promise a medical outcome or state that the child is uninjured because they can speak or move.

The current EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers requires a written record of accidents or injuries and first-aid treatment, and requires parents to be informed on the same day or as soon as reasonably practicable. Its serious-incident provisions add regulatory notification duties. These are different steps. Every injury record should be accurate; not every injury requires a report to Ofsted or under RIDDOR.

Tell the child's parent or carer the known sequence, the child's observed condition, the care given and where the child is now. Give the parent's account its own place in the record if they saw the event or provide new medical information. If the child was taken to hospital, arrange a named person to follow up. The setting may not know the diagnosis at handover. Record the uncertainty rather than guessing. Ask the parent to share relevant clinical outcome information so the setting can support the child and assess any reporting duty. Respect medical privacy when briefing other families or staff.

This guide owns the response after an injury on play equipment. The Complys EYFS overview covers broad framework awareness. A future equipment inspection owner should address a failed check before use. Neither should repeat this incident workflow as another indexable page.

Stop repeat exposure while preserving the facts

Close the affected item and the area needed to keep children away. A loose bolt, broken barrier, unstable surface or sharp edge may still threaten the next child. Do not rely on a small paper sign if children can reach the equipment. Use a physical boundary and change the play plan. Check that the diversion does not create a staffing or supervision gap. If the entire outdoor space is unavailable, make a workable indoor provision and revisit staff deployment.

Preserve what can be safely preserved. Note the equipment identifier, precise location, weather, surface condition, visible defects and configuration at the time. Take photographs under the setting's privacy procedure without exposing unrelated children's identities. Save the current inspection log, maintenance requests, supplier instructions, repair history, risk assessment, staffing rota and any camera footage lawfully held. Record who handled the equipment after the event. Do not reset a loose fitting to make the area look tidy before the cause is understood. A safe barrier may be essential, but record the original position first if it is safe to do so.

Interview witnesses individually when the immediate response is stable. Ask what they saw and heard, where they stood and which children they were supervising. Avoid turning one worker's first recollection into an agreed account for everyone. A child may offer information in age-appropriate language. Follow safeguarding practice for listening and recording. Do not coach the child or invite repeated detailed retelling to solve an engineering question. Keep raw notes and distinguish observed facts from later interpretation.

Find out whether other equipment shares the same component, installation method or maintenance contractor. A defect on one frame may justify checking similar items before use. Conversely, one accident is not proof that every outdoor item is unsafe. A proportionate check records which items were considered and why. If a contractor installed or recently repaired the equipment, preserve the work order and contact details. Do not let the contractor dispose of a failed component until evidence needs have been reviewed.

The setting should decide who can release the area back to use. A repair invoice alone is insufficient if the equipment has not been examined after the repair. The manager should require a practical check against the identified failure, any manufacturer instructions and the age range of children who use it. Where specialist inspection is needed, arrange it. Record the release decision, who made it and what restrictions remain.

Build a reliable event timeline

Create a timeline from the last known safe check to the child's handover and later clinical update. Include when play began, the children and staff present, the activity underway, the moment of injury, first aid, parent contact, ambulance or hospital journey, equipment isolation and manager notification. If the exact time is unknown, say so. A clock time reconstructed later from messages should be marked as reconstructed.

Do not use the accident form as a place to assign blame. It should capture what happened and what was done. A separate review can assess whether supervision, equipment condition, surface design, age suitability, crowding or another factor contributed. The EYFS record and parent notification duties do not depend on proving negligence. Nor does an accident at nursery automatically demonstrate that the setting failed to supervise. HSE's RIDDOR explanation makes clear that work-relatedness is a distinct question from blame.

Ask whether the child was using the equipment as intended. Was the activity child-led within the expected age group? Was a practitioner leading a game or directing a particular movement? Were several children on a platform beyond the intended capacity? Did a handrail move? Was there a known concern from an earlier inspection? Was the impact surface appropriate and maintained? Did a change in staff cover affect sight lines? The answers guide prevention and the RIDDOR assessment. They should be evidenced, not inferred from the severity of the child's injury.

Keep hospital information precise. There is a material difference between a precautionary assessment, treatment for an injury, a confirmed fracture and admission for more than 24 hours. A parent may initially say that the child has been admitted when the child is in an emergency department awaiting review. A later discharge letter may clarify the position. Record the first report, the source and the update, without overwriting history. Seek the minimum detail needed for care, reporting and the return plan.

Example: the frame appears sound but the child has a fracture

Suppose the child falls during ordinary play, the equipment is in good working order and the hospital confirms a fracture. The setting should complete the EYFS record, tell the parent and assess Ofsted's serious-injury criteria. A fracture appears on Ofsted's list of serious injuries, so the regulator notification decision is clear for an Ofsted-registered setting. The RIDDOR question still needs its separate work-related analysis. A broken bone alone does not establish that staff organisation or equipment caused the accident.

Example: a failed step injures a child

Suppose a step breaks beneath a child, and the child is taken directly to hospital for treatment of a physical injury. Preserve the failed item and inspection history. Consider whether the workplace equipment condition made the accident work-related and whether the non-worker treatment threshold is met. HSE's RIDDOR criteria identify direct hospital treatment after a work-related accident for a person not at work as a reporting category. Ofsted still requires an independent serious-injury assessment. Both notifications may be needed, one may be needed or neither may be needed, depending on the verified facts.

Decide the Ofsted route from the child's condition

The EYFS framework requires providers to notify Ofsted or their childminder agency of a child's serious accident, illness or injury, or death, while in their care, as soon as reasonably practicable and within 14 days. It also requires notification to local child protection agencies of a serious accident or injury, or death, while in their care. Confirm the exact framework paragraph and route for the provider type at publication review. Safeguarding concerns may need a faster separate referral under local arrangements. Do not wait for the 14-day limit to make an urgent safeguarding decision.

For Ofsted-registered nurseries, Ofsted's accident guidance lists injuries it treats as serious. Examples include a fracture, loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulties and hospital admission for more than 24 hours. It also describes minor injuries that usually do not require notification. A hospital visit for a check does not automatically meet the Ofsted serious-injury threshold. Conversely, a confirmed fracture can meet it even if the child returns home quickly. The regulator's serious-incident reporting service, updated on 1 September 2026, says reportable significant events should be submitted as soon as possible and always within 14 days.

The manager should record the Ofsted decision even when the answer is no. Note which criteria were considered, what was known at the time, who checked the guidance and when the decision will be reviewed. If the hospital later confirms a fracture, revisit an earlier no-report decision promptly. If a report is made before all details are known, be accurate about uncertainty and update the regulator as advised. Do not delay a report solely because an internal investigation is incomplete. This is a reporting decision, not a finding of fault.

Keep the local child protection agency decision visible. A serious accident or injury may activate the EYFS notification requirement alongside any safeguarding referral. The nursery's designated safeguarding lead should apply local arrangements and document advice. A potential allegation of harm or neglect has its own route and must not be buried in an equipment maintenance file. An equipment failure alone is not an allegation against a practitioner. Equally, an allegation should not be dismissed simply because the frame has a defect. Investigate the distinct issues through appropriate channels.

Assess RIDDOR separately from Ofsted

RIDDOR is a work-related accident reporting regime. HSE explains that an injury to a person who is not at work can be reportable where a work-related accident results in that person being taken directly to hospital for treatment of the injury. The person with RIDDOR duties, such as the person in control of the work premises, should assess and submit any required report. The parent does not submit the employer's RIDDOR report. Hospital attendance for a precautionary check without an identified injury does not by itself meet this category.

Ask two questions in order. First, did the accident arise out of or in connection with work? Consider maintenance of the frame, the surface and the organisation or supervision of play. Second, was the child taken directly to hospital for treatment of the injury? HSE's play-equipment examples distinguish a fall from sound equipment during ordinary play from an accident attributable to inadequate supervision or a failure of health and safety management. The examples are not a shortcut for the evidence in this setting.

The child's injury may be serious for Ofsted even when the RIDDOR work-related element is not present. An injury may be work-related for RIDDOR even where Ofsted's serious-injury list needs further clinical information. Record the two decisions in separate fields with separate sources. Do not use “hospital” as a single automatic trigger for both. Do not use a no-RIDDOR decision to avoid the child accident record or parent communication.

If the information changes, revisit the decision. An initially sound-looking step may later reveal a failed fitting. A child initially taken for assessment may receive treatment after imaging. Seek competent advice where the route or threshold is genuinely uncertain. Document the advice and action. Do not invent a universal reporting deadline in this page; use the current HSE reporting instructions for the specific category at the time of submission.

Investigate without losing the operational lesson

Use a short cause review that can change practice. Separate the immediate mechanism from underlying controls. “Child fell” describes the outcome, not why the setting could not prevent a similar event. A failed fastener, unsuitable age access, inadequate inspection, unsafe spacing, poor supervision coverage or a normal residual play risk lead to different actions. A generic instruction for staff to be more vigilant cannot repair a failed anchor. Replacing the anchor cannot resolve a persistent blind spot in supervision.

Compare the written risk assessment with the equipment and activity actually offered. Was the item installed for this age group? Were children encouraged to climb from a side that lacked a fall surface? Did recent landscaping change the ground level? Were checks recorded but not performed, or were they performed but unable to detect the defect? Was a previous concern closed without verification? Avoid assuming that a signed checklist proves the equipment was safe at the moment of injury. Also avoid judging a sensible pre-use check by information no one could have seen before the incident.

Discuss the event with staff in a way that supports honest reporting. Preserve individual accounts before a group debrief. Use the debrief to test the revised controls after facts are gathered. If supervision was a factor, review staffing placement during the actual session, including breaks, handovers and transitions. The live ratio-gap response draft owns the separate task of restoring required staffing when ratios fail. A ratio that was numerically compliant may still leave an unsuitable sight line, so the incident review needs to assess supervision quality as well as numbers.

Check whether another child had a near miss on the same item. Search maintenance requests, parent comments and staff handover notes. Review only information relevant to the hazard and protect children's privacy. A pattern of slips at one point may justify a different design even when no component is broken. If the child who was injured has additional needs, ask whether access, supervision and the play offer were appropriate for that child without turning disability into an explanation for a defective space.

Set actions with owners and evidence. “Inspect all frames” needs a defined scope, competent checker, date and result. “Brief staff” needs the exact change and an observation of practice. “Repair equipment” needs a repair record and safe release check. If the cause remains uncertain, maintain a restriction and decide what specialist assessment can resolve it. The manager should know whether the area is closed, partially open or fully released at each handover.

Plan the child's return and the parent relationship

The child may return before the internal review is complete. Ask the parent what the clinician advised about activity, comfort and follow-up, and what information the nursery needs to support care. Do not demand more medical detail than necessary. Where the child needs temporary activity changes, agree who will brief practitioners and how the plan will be reviewed. A cast, pain medicine or anxiety about outdoor play may alter what is safe for that child. Follow the setting's medication policy and any individual care plan rather than improvising treatment from this article.

Give the parent a clear account of the immediate response, reporting decision where it concerns their child and practical prevention measures. State what is still being checked. If the nursery finds a defect after an earlier account, update the parent. Do not promise that the same activity can never cause injury. A credible explanation states what changed, how it was tested and who will monitor it. Record questions the parent raises and the response. Offer an appropriate route for concerns and safeguarding issues.

Other families may need notice if equipment is closed or an outdoor session changes. Tell them enough to explain the operational change without identifying the injured child or disclosing clinical detail. If a widespread product defect is suspected, the provider should seek manufacturer and competent safety advice and assess whether other users need warning. Do not publish a speculative causal claim in a general parent message. Prioritise protecting children while the facts are established.

Reopen play only after a verified control

A safe restart can be staged. First confirm that the immediate hazard is removed or contained. Then check the equipment, surface, age suitability, access route and supervision plan. Review any repair documentation and witness the completed condition. A manager or competent delegate should sign the release with a date, equipment ID and limits on use. Staff need to know what is open at the start of each session. A barrier left in place after an item is declared open can create confusion or a new trip hazard.

Observe a real play period after reopening. Does the changed supervision position work when several children move between activities? Does the repaired component stay secure? Are younger children prevented from accessing an item intended for older users? Does the incident prompt a revised inspection method that staff can actually perform? Schedule a short follow-up review rather than assuming the first quiet session proves the control will hold. If a concern recurs, stop use again and reopen the investigation.

Do not let the wish to restore the usual outdoor timetable force premature release. Alternative play can be offered while a component is assessed. At the same time, a permanent closure should be a reasoned decision, since children benefit from suitable physical play. The aim is an appropriate, maintained and supervised play environment. Record the residual risk and the reason it is acceptable under the provider's policy and current framework.

A practical evidence and decision record

The record should show versions of the facts over time. If the hospital later changes the diagnosis, retain the original account and add the update. If a contractor replaces the frame, retain evidence of the removed part where lawful and appropriate. Store child records with appropriate access controls. Only people who need the clinical details for care or a reporting decision should see them. A shared incident tracker can hold the task status without exposing sensitive medical information to every staff member.

Questions a manager can ask before closing the incident

Can a practitioner explain exactly which equipment is out of use today? Does the parent know what the nursery observed and what it remains uncertain about? Have the Ofsted and RIDDOR decisions each been recorded against their own test? Was the local child protection agency duty considered? Are the maintenance and supervision actions complete, or merely assigned? Did the child return with any activity needs that staff must follow? What evidence shows the revised play arrangement worked during a normal busy session?

If the answers depend on one manager's memory, the incident is not yet operationally closed. Assign owners and a review date. Closure means that the child has been supported, applicable reports have been made, the area is safe for its intended use and the corrective action has been observed. It does not mean that all uncertainty about the exact second of the fall has disappeared.

Where Complys may fit and where it does not

Complys should only be described against confirmed product capabilities. The live EYFS compliance guide supports broad compliance planning. A provider may need a controlled action register for inspection findings, repair tasks, owners, evidence and review dates, but the product team must verify the available workflow before making a feature claim. This draft does not assert that Complys captures clinical records, sends Ofsted or RIDDOR notifications, interprets X-rays, monitors play equipment or makes safeguarding decisions.

A useful related tool would be a nursery incident decision worksheet with separate Ofsted, local child protection agency and RIDDOR fields, evidence prompts and a timed review when the hospital outcome is unknown. It should link to the current official sources and require a human decision. It should not output a definitive legal or clinical result from a few tick boxes. A separate pre-use equipment check tool might serve the future failed-inspection owner, with a link into this incident workflow only when a child has been hurt.

CTA: Review your nursery's incident record and equipment isolation process. Give a manager a recent anonymised scenario and ask them to identify the child-care lead, parent contact, separate reporting decisions and safe-release evidence. Seek specialist advice before using this draft as a published policy or product promise.