Help in an emergency | Complete Guide
Emergencies don’t book appointments or wait for your readiness.
In schools and childcare environments trust and protection are at the heart of every service. So, our response & support system during emergencies matters more than anything.
One of the most important safety nets during these situations is the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) period of emergency. This government support help schools and childcare services to continue operate or recover after serious events. So, families and school administration providers aren’t further burdened when disaster strikes.
Let’s find out how we can use this service to help in an emergency situation.And how to use additional security measures, like Wihkum app to strengthen our emergency plan.
What is an Emergency in Schools?
An emergency is any unexpected event that threatens the health, safety, or wellbeing of students, staff, or visitors. Recognising ithelps schools create better procedures and respond effectively to it. Common examples include:
- Acts of violence or aggression
- Students running away from supervision
- Fires, floods, or severe weather events
- Medical incidents requiring urgent attention
- Intruders or suspicious individuals on school grounds
Understanding these scenarios is the first step to prepare swift & appropriate emergency help for school.
How to Respond to State of the Emergency
Once you recognised an emergency, the next step is its handling. There are well-defined procedures for each type emergency scenarios. You need to be highly specific in your strategies and follow well-defined procedures to maintain safety in schools.
| Type of Emergency | Recommended Action |
| Fire or gas leak | Evacuate immediately to safe zones |
| Intruder on grounds | Lockdown procedures activated |
| Medical emergencies | Notify first aid and medical staff |
| Missing students | Initiate search and notify authorities |
All these strategies need to pair with a clear emergency evacuation plan for schools to protect the students. Plus, government intervention is also required in some cases. Schools should know when & how additional support, like CCS period of emergency is required.
Child Care Subsidy: Ultimate Emergency Help for School
Australian government offers CCS period of emergency to support schools and students during and immediately after an emergency. You can avail them for an emergency scenario that:
- Impact a large area.
- Seriously disrupt the lives of many people in that area.
- Prevent children from attending school or make attendance unsafe
This declare of emergency ease the difficult times for students. So, emergencies can’t disturb the school activities & ultimately the future of students.
What Events Do Not Qualify for CSS?
As the service is designed for major disruptions which affect the overall community. They don’t cover the localised emergencies like:
- Break-ins
- Minor flooding or storm damage
- Plumbing issues or burst pipes
- Temporary power outages
- Mould or maintenance concerns
Such issues should be handled through insurance, not through emergency funding programs. Authorities should have customised plans to handle these incidents on school-level.
How the CCS Can Help in an Emergency?
When a CCS period of emergency is declared, the following supports help ease the burden for schools and families.
1. Waiving Gap Fees
If your school or childcare service is forced to close, or children cannot attend due to the emergency, you can waive the gap fee for families. So, there will be no financial stress on families when they’re already managing a crisis.
2. Extra Absences Without Penalty
Families in affected areas will also receive additional allowable absences. So, the annual entitlements of students aren’t reduced due to circumstances beyond their control. However, standard rules still apply, like enrolments ending after 14 weeks of consecutive absents.
3. Continued Payments for Closed Services
Normally, services don’t receive payments when closed. But during a CCS period of emergency, payments will even during closure. The goal is to maintain staffing and operational costs even while physical attendance is paused.
How to Get Emergency Help for School?
Any support system is only effective if you use it right. Here are some tips from our side to get the maximum benefit from CCS services.
Keep Your Details Updated
Keep your contact details current within the emergency childcare system. So, you can receive the alerts promptly & stay updated. These notifications will tell you:
- Which regions are affected
- Timeframe of the state of the emergency
- Guidance on next steps for your service
You can check your details through your Provider Entry Point (PEP) or third-party software.
Inform Timely about Closures
If you need to close, notify both the government via PEP and your state regulator. It is the most crucial requirement, and failing to do so can affect your payments. Record even the short closures on time.
Additional Support After the Emergency Ends
The support system doesn’t abruptly vanish, once the CCS period of emergency ends. Instead, there are flexible arrangements to help schools and families transition back to normal safely and gradually.
1. Extra Absences
After the CSS period, families will continue to receive extra absences for a short period. i.e.
- 28 days if unable to attend
- 7 days if choosing not to attend
However, if your school stays closed beyond the emergency period without valid reasons, CCS payments will stop.
2. Funding and Financial Support
If your service struggles to stay open after an emergency, extra help is available through:
- Special Circumstances Child Care Fund (CCCF) Grants: To keep services operating post-disaster.
- Additional Child Care Subsidy for Financial Hardship: For families facing temporary financial hardship.
These funds help in keeping children’s care accessible, even after devastating events.
3. Mental Health Support
Emergencies don’t just impact operations, but affect people emotionally. There are mental health resources available to support both children and adults through recovery. Knowing how to access these resources is part of good emergency planning.
4. Other Government Assistance
Various other financial supports are there depending on the type and scale of the emergency. School authorities should explore these avenues to aid recovery.
Supporting Displaced Children through CSS
During emergencies, your school can also temporarily care for children displaced from other closed services. CCS applies as usual for these new enrolments, provided you stay within your licensed capacity. If you need to increase numbers, consult your state authority.
Families can also search for emergency vacancies through government platforms if needed.
How to Prepare Your School for Future Emergencies
Emergencies can happen anytime, so preparation is key. We recommend both planning and technology for the best protection in a case of emergency. Let’s see how to do it.
1. Preparation Checklist:
- Keep your insurance up to date.
- Backup and protect essential data.
- Familiarise yourself with CCS emergency supports.
- Keep contact information accurate in government systems.
- Regularly update and practice your emergency procedures in school.
2. Building Strong Emergency Plans
Schools must develop comprehensive strategies for their specific risks & stay compliant with health and safety regulations. Use the following strategies:
- Risk assessments covering all potential threats
- Clear evacuation routes and assembly points
- Procedures for lockdowns and medical emergencies
- Communication strategies for staff, students, and families
- Regular drills and staff training to reinforce procedures
Digital tools enhance these plans by making communication faster and more reliable.
3. Use of Technology for Better Emergency Responses
Technology plays a critical role in improving emergency response times and outcomes in schools. Traditional methods, like phone trees or physical alarms, waste precious minutes. A digital solution designed for education environments can offer immediate alerts, accurate location tracking, and tailored responses.
Our Wihkum app offers:
- Real-time GPS tracking of incidents
- Alerts sent to the nearest trained responders
- Customisable help tones for different types of emergencies
- Live updates to show staff the location of responders
- Incident documentation for compliance and review purposes
These tools streamline communication and keep help in an emergency accessible to those who need it the most.
Ready to Improve Your Emergency Procedures in School?
Choose Wihkum for Reliable Emergency Protection
Wihkum is built to keep school communities safe.
Our app provides instant communication during emergencies, connects staff quickly to the right responders, and uses GPS to improve accuracy and speed.
With easy installation and immediate functionality, Wihkum helps schools meet their duty of care while providing peace of mind. Protect your students and staff with confidence.