Rainbow DJ LabRas Tafari Inc. · Rainbow Beach Park, Chicago
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Rainbow DJ Lab › Safety › Incident Reporting

Incident Reporting

What counts as an incident at Rainbow DJ Lab, who is told and how fast, what goes to the authorities, and how every incident is reviewed and logged.

Status

This policy was adopted by the Ras Tafari Inc. board on October 17, 2026.

The timeline at a glance

When What Who
At once 911 for any immediate danger or medical emergency; DCFS Hotline, 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873), for suspected abuse or neglect Any adult
At once Parent called for serious injury, 911 call, epinephrine use, lost child, or refused pickup Lead coach
Same day Any concern about an adult (staff, volunteer, officer or vendor crew) reported to the Chicago Park District: Rainbow Beach Park office, (312) 745-1479, or any Park District staff member Lab lead
Same day Parent or guardian told by phone about any incident involving their child Lead coach or Lab lead
Same day Incident written in the log (coaches use the class app's incident log, which emails Stephen Henry: kind, child, what happened, action taken, whether the parent was called, whether 911 was called); Stephen Henry (Lab lead) told Lead coach
Within 24 hours Written incident report sent to the parent or guardian Lab lead
Within 7 days Internal review completed and written up (for a concern about an adult, the Park District handles it and our review covers only what the Lab should change) Lab lead plus a Ras Tafari Inc. officer not involved
As required Report to the Chicago Park District and the insurance carrier, under the terms of the park agreement and insurance policy once they are in place Lab lead
Kept Incident log retained (see "Records" below) Lab lead

What counts as an incident

Anything that hurt, could have hurt, or broke a safety rule:

  • Injury or illness: any injury beyond a tiny scrape, any head bump, any first aid beyond a bandage, any use of rescue medicine, any 911 call.
  • Safeguarding: any concern about abuse, neglect or grooming; any breach of the Youth protection policy (for example, an adult alone with a child out of sight, a private message).
  • Pickup: a child not released (no ID, not on the list, impaired adult, custody order), a late pickup over 30 minutes, a child who left without being signed out.
  • Lost child: any Code Adam, even if resolved in a minute. See Lost child plan.
  • Behavior: a child hurting another child, serious threats, a child sent to the cool-down space more than once, a pause from the program. See When one child harms another and Discipline ladder.
  • Substances: any breach of the Substance-free policy.
  • Emergencies: evacuation, shelter, lockdown, weather move (other than planned drills, which are logged separately).
  • Ratio or staffing: any time the two-adult rule or the 6-to-1 ratio was not met, even briefly.
  • Near misses: something that almost went wrong, like gear falling near a child.

Serious incidents go to the authorities

Situation Who is called Timing
Suspected abuse or neglect DCFS Hotline, 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873), by the adult with the concern Immediately (see Mandated reporter training)
Any concern about an adult's conduct Chicago Park District, Rainbow Beach Park office, (312) 745-1479 Same day. Ras Tafari Inc. cooperates fully and doesn't investigate in place of the Park District
Immediate danger, crime, serious injury, missing child after 10 minutes, epinephrine use 911 At once
Possible poisoning Illinois Poison Center, 1-800-222-1222 (or 911) At once

Calling the authorities never waits for the Lab lead's approval.

Step by step after an incident

  1. Make it safe. Care for the child, keep the group supervised by two adults, call 911 or DCFS if needed.
  2. Call the parent. Same day, by phone, before the child goes home if possible. If the parent cannot be reached, keep trying and leave a message asking for a call back (no sensitive details on voicemail).
  3. Write it down the same day. What happened, when, where, who was there, what the child said (in their words), what was done, who was called and when. Facts, not opinions.
  4. Tell the Lab lead the same day. If the incident involves the Lab lead, tell another Ras Tafari Inc. officer instead. If it involves an adult's conduct, it also goes to the Chicago Park District the same day. See Enforcement and self-accountability.
  5. Send the written report within 24 hours to the parent or guardian, by email (or on paper, if the family prefers).
  6. Review within 7 days. What happened, why, and what changes. The reviewers are people who were not involved. If the Park District, DCFS or police are looking into it, our review does not interview children or interfere; it waits for their direction.
  7. Fix and follow up. Changes are made before the next class where possible. The family is told what changed.

What the written report includes

  • Date, time and place.
  • What happened, in plain words.
  • Any injury and first aid given, and any medicine used.
  • Who was called (parent, 911, DCFS, Poison Center) and when.
  • Names of adults present (by role if staff names cannot be shared).
  • What happens next and who to contact: Stephen Henry, 872-255-9333, stephen@selassiefest.com.

Another child's name or details are never shared in your child's report. If your child was hurt by another child, you will be told what happened and what we are doing, but not the other child's private information.

Records

  • Every incident goes in the incident log, which only the Lab lead and Ras Tafari Inc. officers can see.
  • The log is kept for at least as long as registration records (3 years), and longer when an investigation, claim or legal requirement calls for it.
  • You may ask for a copy of any incident report about your child.
  • The Lab lead reviews the log weekly during each season to spot patterns. A summary (no names) is shared with the board each season.

What you'll be told

  • The same day, by phone, about any incident involving your child.
  • Within 24 hours, in writing, the full report.
  • After the 7-day review, what we found and what we changed.
  • If the Park District, DCFS or police are involved, we follow their direction about what can be shared and when.

If you have a concern about how an incident was handled

See Report a concern and the Grievance procedure. For a concern about an adult, contact the Chicago Park District at the Rainbow Beach Park office, (312) 745-1479. You may also contact DCFS or 911 directly at any time.

Sources

  • Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, 325 ILCS 5: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1460&ChapterID=32
  • Illinois DCFS: https://dcfs.illinois.gov/
  • Illinois Poison Center: https://www.illinoispoisoncenter.org/
  • U.S. Center for SafeSport, MAAPP: https://maapp.uscenterforsafesport.org/