Ensure there is a clear crisis team
It helps when agreements about roles and responsibilities have already been made before the school closes for the summer. Many schools work with a crisis team for this purpose. Preferably, this team includes staff from different disciplines, such as school management, care coordination, communications and administration.
Coordinate within the crisis team
Important questions to discuss with the crisis team:
- Who can be reached during the holidays?
- How will communication take place among team members?
- Who will maintain contact with parents, students and staff?
- Who will handle external communications? Contact with the police, the press, the municipality, etc.
Make sure there are practical tools, such as a group chat and an up-to-date call list with contact and availability arrangements. This ensures that action can be taken quickly when necessary.
Prepare for different scenarios
Although no one hopes to face an emergency, it is extremely helpful to think about possible scenarios in advance. Having protocols and sample communications ready beforehand creates more calm and clarity in a crisis situation. For example:
- sample letters to parents and students in the event of an incident
- internal communication to staff
- agreements about care and aftercare
- guidelines for communication via social media
Good preparation helps schools act carefully, compassionately and professionally when it matters most.
School & Safety Emergency Response Team
Did you know that the School & Safety Emergency Response Team is available 24/7 and provides free support to schools? When you call the regular Advice Centre outside opening hours, the menu will tell you which crisis advisers are available at that time. This means support is always available when a school needs to act immediately.