EYFS framework accident reporting criteria to Ofsted

The 2025 EYFS framework continues the requirement for providers to report any ‘serious accident, illness, or injury, or the death of a child’ to Ofsted (and if relevant a CMA – Child Minding Agency) as well as potentially to the HSE under RIDDOR. These two things are separate and different, although can both be required following a similar incident at times.

What is 'Serious'?

The question then is what constitutes ‘serious’ as no further guidance is given in the Framework? Certainly any incident which proved itself to be RIDDOR reportable would constitute a serious accident or incident and should be reported as such. For diseases, while there are some which are RIDDOR reportable and so would fall under the same category, any evidence of an ‘outbreak’ should also be reported to the relevant agency (Ofsted or CMA). The NHS define an ‘outbreak’ as 2 or more cases of the same infectious disease occurring simultaneously – e.g. measles or chicken pox.

As there is no other formal criteria to go on, Handsam’s advice is that should any incident occur which feels to the staff as if it is ‘serious’ but does not meet either the RIDDOR or disease outbreak criteria then we would urge you to report it anyway.

Additional Resources

To learn more about RIDDOR, consult the Handsam Quick Guides by using the Topic Tag RIDDOR.

You can reach out to us at 03332 07037 or email info@handsam.co.uk for further details or pricing.

For clarity, the EYFS framework states:

Accident or Injury

3.77

Providers must ensure a first aid box with appropriate items for use on children is always accessible. Providers must keep a written record of accidents or injuries and first aid treatment. Providers must inform parents and/or carers of any accident or injury sustained by the child on the same day as, or as soon as reasonably practicable after, and of any first aid treatment given.

3.78

Registered providers must notify Ofsted, or the CMA with which a provider of CoDP is registered, of any serious accident, illness, or injury to, or death of, any child while in their care, and of the action taken. This must be done as soon as is reasonably practicable, but in any event, within 14 days of the incident occurring. A registered provider who, without reasonable excuse, does not meet this requirement commits an offence. Providers must notify local child protection agencies of any serious accident or injury to, or the death of, any child while in their care, and must act on any advice from those agencies.