What counts as a Critical Incident
What is a Critical Incident?
A Critical Incident is an event that causes significant personal distress and has the potential to overwhelm usual coping strategies, procedures and responses within a school or early years setting.
Such incidents are likely to have emotional, psychological and organisational impacts on pupils, staff and the wider school community. They may affect individuals or groups and can require additional support to help the setting remain safe, calm and functional.
When can we help?
The Critical Incident Support Service offers guidance and support following a wide range of serious and distressing events. Support may be available when an incident involves:
- The death of a child or a member of staff
- The expected death of a child or member of staff due to illness
- Serious injury to pupils or staff, resulting in temporary or long‑term disability
- Road traffic accidents, including those linked to school trips or school transport
- Fires or other major incidents affecting a setting
- Incidents involving assault on a member of staff
- Some incidents where the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is involved
This list is not exhaustive. If an event feels traumatic, destabilising, or difficult to manage using usual school systems, we encourage you to get in touch to discuss whether support may be appropriate.
Support beyond immediate incidents
In addition to responding to critical incidents, local authority schools and subscribing settings can also access:
- Consultation and advice relating to bereavement
- Guidance following recent traumatic events affecting individual pupils, staff members or groups
- Professional discussion to help schools consider proportionate and trauma‑informed responses
Our aim is to help settings make sense of complex situations, provide reassurance, and support decision‑making during challenging times.
Unsure whether your situation counts?
Critical incidents are, by their nature, rare and unpredictable. It is common for school leaders to feel uncertain about whether an event meets the threshold for support.
If you are unsure, we strongly encourage you to contact the Critical Incident Support Service for advice. Early discussion can help ensure the right level of support is offered at the right time.
Information about how to access support and what happens when you make contact can be found on the next page.
