Regulation 5 - Engaging with the Wider System to Ensure Each Child's Needs are Met
The Protection of Children Standard
This chapter was added in November 2022.
We will do all we reasonably can to encourage contact with parents, relatives and friends but we have a duty to protect children's rights and interests. Therefore contact with parents, relatives and friends must be planned/agreed with social workers in consultation with children, and clearly set out in Placement Plans.
If parents. relatives and friends arrive without prior agreement and this is not included in the Placement Plan / Contact Agreement, staff should politely and sensitively explain that they can not allow contact until the manager/social worker has been consulted; and then consult the manager. If there appear to be any immediate risks to the child or others, staff should seek guidance and support from a manager or, in exceptional circumstances, the Police.
In relation to planned contacts, before or upon arrival parents and relatives will need a fuller briefing including information on how to react if there are problems or if children make offensive suggestions. If they are staying for longer periods particularly overnight they will need a full fire precautions briefing.
Staff will take precautions to prove the identity of parents, relatives or friends before entering the home, this will include visibly checking their ID and verifying this. If the person is unable to do so or there is any doubt or concerns on the part of staff, they may not come into the home and should be politely referred to a manager.
People dropping off deliveries at the door for short periods such as delivery drivers, post office staff etc. will not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with children and will not normally be expected to note their arrival or departure in the Daily Log and Visitors Book. However when circumstances are required for delivery persons to come into the home the staff will ask for their ID prior to entry to the home and the delivery will be logged in the log book with a record that ID has been checked.
Before Contractors are permitted to undertake work in the home, the manager must ensure that they are properly briefed on the purpose and function of the home, and that any parameters are agreed, preferably in writing e.g. which parts of the home they may access, safe management of tools/equipment.
Staff must ask any contractors to prove their identity before entering the home. If the person is unable to do so or there is any doubt or concerns on the part of staff, they may not come into the home and should be politely referred to a manager.
Under no circumstances may contractors have unsupervised contact with children, even if they have obtained DBS checks.
All arrivals and departures must be recorded in the Daily Log and Visitors Book, any concerns raised by the workers or by staff within the home must immediately be brought to the attention of the manager.
All Official Visitors to the home must provide ID before being allowed entry to the home. They are then to be logged into the visitors book and log book with a record of ID seen and verified.
Independent Visitors or Advocates who are likely to require unsupervised contact with children must firstly satisfy the manager of the home that they have up to date Enhanced DBS Checks.
Social workers, police officers and representatives of Regulatory Authority will not be required to provide details of DBS Checks.
Should such visitors require unsupervised contact with children, this is acceptable but they should not be alone with children in their bedrooms.
Staff and children not working/living at the home must be treated as visitors; their arrival and departure must be recorded in the Daily Log and Visitors Book.
ID must be checked and verified prior to entry to the home. They are then to be logged into the visitors book and log book with a record of ID seen and verified.
Visits from children who reside at other homes must be planned and agreed with the manager prior to them coming to the home.
Should family members of employees visit the home, they must not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with children.
Neighbours may not have unsupervised contact with children.
We are keen to establish good relationships with people in the community, maintaining an open and honest dialogue.
A children's home no matter how well run is likely to have some degree of negative impact on its neighbours.
Once the visitors ID has been seen and verified by a Benecare staff member they are to be welcomed into the home and signed into the visitors’ book.
This should include a record of;
All ID should be checked and the person verified prior to entry to the home. It is not permitted to put N/A for Not applicable in this box.
All visitors must receive information about the fire evacuation and if there are any planned fire drills. It is not permitted to put N/A for Not applicable in this box.
Once the visitors ID has been seen and verified by a Benecare staff member they are to be welcomed into the home and signed into the visitors’ book. Once this has been done the visitor is to be recorded in the log book. This should include a record of;
Inform the visitor you will need to take their temperature at the door, if this is above 37.8 degrees Celsius, they will not be permitted entry to the home.
If the visitor is clear of the above they can be allowed access to the home.
Please remind the visitor that should they test positive for Covid-19 within two weeks of visiting the home then they are to contact us and let us know. If there is a positive case within the home environment the home is to contact all visitors present in the home over the past two weekly period.
Please inform the visitor to wash or sanitise their hands and inform them of social distancing requirements in the home environment.