Ms Anne Tansey:

We define critical incidents as a time when the coping mechanism of the school is overwhelmed by a particular event or incident. The role of NEPS in that is to support the school and to return it to normal functioning. We support teachers to manage the critical incident within the school setting. Best practice indicates that when children are traumatised, the best people who can support them initially are those who know them best, their teachers and their parents. We support the teachers to support them. We also have a signposting system in place. As time goes on after an incident, if children do not settle or are presenting with continuing difficulties, we have an onward referral system to other services.