2.7.1 Barricading and Forced Entry

Contents

1. Planning and Prevention
2. General Principles
3. Notifications and Management Review
4. Recording

1. Planning and Prevention

If there is any risk that children may lock or barricade themselves in a room in a way which prevents access to those caring for them, a Risk Assessment must be undertaken and a suitable strategy adopted to reduce or prevent it.

If the risk applies to the home, generally, the Strategies adopted should be outlined in the Statement of Purpose and Staff/Service Handbook.

If the risks apply to individual children, the Strategies should be outlined in relevant Behaviour Management Plans.

2. General Principles

If children lock or barricade themselves in a room in order to prevent access by staff/carers, the actions that are necessary will depend on the risks posed.

2.1 Low Risk

If the risks are low, which means that there is no perceived risk of injury, damage to property or of any offence being committed, the situation should be monitored and efforts made to obtain the children's co-operation to resolve it satisfactorily.

The strategies that should be adopted will depend on the age, level of understanding of the child(ren) and other circumstances on the day. However, staff/carers should do what they can to maintain a low risk, and not to escalate the situation. 

2.2 Increased Risk

If there is a risk of Injury, Damage to Property or of an offence being committed, the actions which should take depend on the immediacy and seriousness of those risks.

The Strategies that should be adopted will depend on the age, level of understanding of the child(ren) and other circumstances on the day.  However, staff/carers should monitor the situation, doing what they can to reduce the risks. All decisions and actions taken must be recorded.

If possible, other colleagues/carers as well as Manager or supervisor and the relevant social worker should be consulted before actions are taken.  However, it is for those staff, on the spot, to decide what actions are necessary, having considered all the risks and strategies that are available to them.

If at all possible, staff/carers must act in a way which reduces or prevents the need to act with force but, if the risks escalate to an extent that Physical Intervention, including force entry is necessary, staff/carers may only act in keeping with relevant procedures in this manual.

For further information see;

The Police Procedure

Physical Intervention Procedure

3. Notifications and Management Review

There are different notifications procedures depending on whether matters are concluded with or without the co-operation of children.

3.1 With Co-operation: No Incident occurs

If concluded with the co-operation of the child(ren), in that no Incident occurred, the Manager should be notified at the first opportunity; the manager will then decide whether to notify the relevant social worker. 

3.2 Without Co-operation: An Incident occurred

Where entry is forced it is deemed to be an Incident. The Manager and child's Social Worker must be notified within 24 hours or as soon as practicable thereafter.

The social worker should decide whether to inform the child's parent(s) and, if so, who should do so.

Depending on the seriousness of the Incident, other people/agencies may have to be notified, see Notifiable Events Procedure.

The manager must conduct a Management Review as set out in Incidents General Guidance

4. Recording

There are different recording procedures depending on whether matters are concluded with or without the co-operation of children.

4.1 With Co-operation

If concluded with the co-operation of the child(ren), in that no Incident occurred, it should be noted in the home's Daily Log, child's Daily Record with detail in a Detail Record.

4.2 Without Co-operation

If an Incident occurred, the records that should be completed will depend on the actions taken by staff/carers.

Please refer to Incidents - General Guidance, for a summary of the records that must be completed.

End