1.10.2 Sleeping in/Night Time Security |
This chapter should be read in conjunction with the following:
REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
Children's Homes Regulations and Standards (England) 2001: Standard 29: Adequacy of Staffing and Standard 26: Health, Safety and Security
Children's Homes Regulations and Standards (Wales) 2002: Standard 23: Adequacy of Staffing and Standard 36: Health, Safety and Security
OUTCOME STATEMENT
Children have their needs met by the provision of sufficient numbers of staff who
take all reasonable steps to promote and protect their rights.
RELEVANT GUIDANCE/DOCUMENTS
Read in conjunction with Chapter Bedrooms
Contents
1. Sleeping-in, Bedtime and Night-time Supervision
It has long been recognised that bedtime can be a time of great vulnerability for young people experiencing emotional turmoil. Fears and experiences all flood back.
Therefore, as workers we need to be sensitive to the needs of our young people at this time, a period spent with a young person around bedtime can often be most productive. However, one needs to balance this with managing a quite relaxed house. Equally, the way in which a young person is woken up is vitally important, it can often set the tone for the rest of the day. Getting to know each young person is vital in ensuring each worker understands this individual process.
DON'T FORGET - BE SENSITIVE
If you do engage in any work with a young person at bedtime or during the night make sure that you fully record all aspects of the interaction i.e. fact, opinion, time, venue etc. Staff members should not place themselves in vulnerable positions. If necessary wait until other staff members are available.
2. Sleeping-in Duties
All staff are required as part of their contract to participate in a sleeping-in duty. All staff are paid for an actual sleep-in and must sleep-in in the allocated staff sleeping-in room.
Sleep-in duties start and are paid for from 11.30pm - 8.30am with a half hour handover period from 8.00am - 8.30am before going off duty.
Sleep-in duties consist off:
- Ensuring residents are quiet and settled in their own rooms before staff retire.
- Ensure that the resource is secure
- All fire exits are clear.
- All electrical appliances are disconnected.
- To be on call throughout the night to attend to any needs of the residents.
- No entry of outside persons between the hours of 11.00pm and 8.00am (unless by appointment or in relation to an Absent/Absconded Child. Identification should be checked at all times).
- To assist in the evacuation of the building in the case of fire.
- To call residents for school, work or other appointments.
- The 'Sleeping in' person must not retire to bed until all young people are settled in their bedroom and all house duties have been completed.
End