Quick Guide |
Manual Version 5, January 2011
ALL USERS PLEASE NOTE:
This is the latest 'web based' version of the Clifford House Procedures Manual.
All staff/carers must read this guide before proceeding to the body of the Manual
This manual was significantly updated in September 2010 and in January 2011 was updated to include information from Powys Forum Children Living Away from Home. For further details see Section 4: Amendments.
Contents
- Display and Browser Options
- What is Included
- Planning Updates to this Manual
- Amendments (Updated)
- How to find a Chapter
- Terminology
- Keywords
- Recording and Forms
- Contact Us
- Compliance
- Copyright
- Printing and Retaining Copies
1. Display and Browser Options
People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual.
To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons
which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.
2. What is Included
This manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for Clifford House Children's Homes, Fostering Services and Health and Safety; it does not include Clifford House Human Resource Procedures.
2.1 Policies and Values
All Clifford House's policies and values are located in one chapter, called 'Values', which contains our Policies, Values and Principles.
All procedures should be read in the context of these policies, values and principles, therefore all staff and carers must familiarise themselves with this Chapter before going to the body of the Manual.
The 'Values' Chapter is available from the 'Home' screen - click on 'Home' on the left hand side of the screen.
2.2 The difference between Procedures and Guidance
'Procedures' summarise how Managers and Staff must act in given circumstances, 'Guidance' provides direction or advice about the best way to proceed.
This manual primarily contains procedures, but some guidance is also provided, some procedures refer to separate guidance, with links taking readers to separate pages/chapters.
2.3 Division/Separation of Procedures
Users will see that we have divided or categorised the procedures as follows:
- Children's Homes: containing all relevant procedures for our Children's Homes
- Fostering Services: containing all relevant procedures for our Fostering Service
We have also created separate contents lists for the following:
- Regulations and Guidance: e.g. links to government regulations and standards
- Guidance: e.g. links to guidance about the Integrated Children's System
- Appendices: e.g. Contact details
2.4 Missing Chapters
Some chapters are missing/shown as 'To Follow'. Work is progressing on to bring the manual up to date.
2.5 Safeguarding (LSCB or Child Protection) Procedures
We have provided links to the relevant LSCB/Child Protection Procedures e.g. West Mercia SCB Procedures, the All Wales Child Protection Procedures, Lincolnshire SCB and Nottingham(shire) SCB Procedures, Links to these procedures can be found in the Child Protection Referrals Procedures for Children's Homes and Fostering.
If you aren't sure which service or section to look in, try 'Search' which will help you identify specific Chapters and sub headings within Chapters
3. Planning Updates to this Manual
We plan to update this Manual at least twice in the next year, the first planned update is March 2011
4. Amendments
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Change |
| Company Car Guidance | This is a new chapter for all staff with regards to safely operating a company vehicle. |
| Company Car Policy | This is a new chapter which informs staff of the company car scheme |
| Gardening Work Instructions | This is a new chapter which includes 4 new forms and checklists |
| Statement of Purpose | This is a new Statement of Purpose for the Fostering Service |
| Forms | Two new forms for Building Inspections |
| Children's Homes Standards and Regulations : England and Wales | The relevant Standard and Regulations where possible has been noted in the scope box of each chapter. |
This chapter was included into the Manual in January 2011 |
|
Powys Local Safeguarding Children Board: Anti Bullying Strategy |
This chapter was included into the Manual in January 2011 |
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Change |
| Absent and Young People | This chapter has been significantly amended and includes new forms and risk assessment. |
| Referral, Matching and Placements | This chapter was slightly amended to include the need to consider a Pathway Plan for 14+ years. |
| Transfer between Resource and Discharges | This chapter was amended regarding compatibility |
| Medication | This chapter was substantially amended and should be reread |
| Building, Electricity, Gas Supplies and Appliances | This chapter includes two new forms |
| Self Harming | This chapter was updated in January 2011 to include information regarding the Draft Suicide/Self Harm Traffic Lights Charts: For Residential Care Homes I Powys and Management of Self Harm for Residential Care Homes in Powys. |
This chapter was updated in January 2011 to include information from Powys Local Safeguarding Children Board: Anti Bullying Strategy and leaflets relating to keeping children safe. |
|
| This chapter was updated in January 2011 to include information from Powys Local Safeguarding Children Board: Anti Bullying Strategy and leaflets relating to keeping children safe. | |
5. How to find a Chapter
Procedures and guidance are located in individual 'Chapters' which are available from the 'home screen' which can be accessed from the buttons on the left hand side of the screen.
5.1 Using Contents Lists
Chapters are categorised or grouped together as follows:
PARTS: The manual contains procedures categorised under a number of Service Sectors, like 'Children's Homes', each part can be accessed via the 'home screen'.
SECTIONS: Within each Service Sector e.g. 'Children's Homes', you will find a Section (group of procedures) like 'Meetings and Reviews'.
CHAPTERS: Under each Section, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. 1.2.1 'Emergency Reviews' or you can search for a Chapter
If you aren't sure which service or section to look in, try 'Search' which will help you identify specific Chapters and sub headings within Chapters
5.2 Search Feature
If you aren't sure where to find a Chapter/Procedure, you can use the 'Search' feature located on the left hand side of any screen.
This feature may help you locate the right Chapter, or sub section of a Chapter, that you require.
Tips when using Search: The Search function is designed to help you find Chapters (Procedures) or sub sections of Chapters in this manual. It will provide the best results if you know the title of the chapter or sub section, or you have a good idea what the title is. You may have to try different or alternative spellings/terms before you get the result you are looking for. For example:
If you can't find the procedure you require or you are frustrated, ask your manager/supervisor or contact us (see 'Contact Us' on the left hand side of the screen) and we'll advice/direct you to the relevant procedure if we can. NB: We'll reply within 2 working days. |
6
. Terminology
The following terms are used in this Manual:
| Term | Definition |
| 'Home' and 'Resource' | this is a generic term which means Children's Home |
| 'Child' or 'Young Person' | both these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18 |
| 'Staff' or 'Carer' | means all staff/carers whether employed or not, including foster carer(s) |
| 'Manager' | means Home Manager |
| 'Line Manager' | means the first Line Manager of a Home or the Operations Manager |
| 'Parent' | means person with Parental Responsibility |
| 'Regulatory Authority' | Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Ofsted or CSSIW |
| 'Social Worker' | This means the worker allocated to the child/family. If there is no allocated worker, the Duty Social Worker or Team Manager is responsible. |
| 'Placing Authority' | Placing Authority means the local authority/agency responsible for placing the child or commissioning the service (usually Children's Services - see below). |
| Children's Services', Children's Social Care Services' | All these terms are used in this manual. In effect they mean the same thing. In some areas, Children's Services still exist but, in most areas they have been replaced Children's Services or Children's Social Care Services - which normally provide children's social care and education services within the local authority. |
| Placement Plan and Placement Agreement | These terms are used in this Manual to mean: Placement Plan - used in our Children's Homes, meaning the internal plan outlining the arrangements for caring for and managing the child. Placement Agreement - used in our Foster Placements, meaning the internal plan outlining the arrangements for caring for and managing the child. Children may also have a Placement Plan or a Placement Information Record provided by the Social Worker/Placing Authority (see the next table re ICS) |
| ICS | In the last 2 or 3 years the Government has implemented the Integrated Children's System (ICS), one of the key implications for Clifford House is that forms and records provided by the Placing Authority/Social Worker have changed. For example, the Essential Information Record has been replaced by the Chronology. If you are not familiar with the Integrated Children's System, this manual contains guidance that you may find useful, see Integrated Children's System Guidance. |
7. Keywords
The manual is accessed by practitioners from varying agencies, who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, a large glossary (Keywords) of terms such as Notifiable Disease (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'. Once clicked, the definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.
Many Keywords are highlighted in the body of procedures, but you can search for the Keyword you need: Go to the Keywords Index, on the left hand side of the screen. Or, use 'Search'.
8. Recording and Forms
8.1 Internal Forms/Recording
Procedures in this manual may not include references to individual service daily/routine records, it is assumed that Staff understand what day to day records to complete. If in doubt, Staff should consult their managers.
The term Placement Plan is the generic term which means the internal plan or agreement used by homes or resources to set out the day to day arrangements for delivery of services.
In some chapters, specific forms/records are referred to e.g. in the Sanctions Procedures. These records/forms are additional to the day to day records kept by individual services.
8.2 The Integrated Children's System (ICS)
In the last 2 or 3 years the government has implemented the Integrated Children's System (ICS), one of the key implications for Clifford House is that forms and records provided by the Placing Authority/Social Worker have changed. For example, the Essential Information Record has been replaced by the Chronology.
If you are not familiar with the Integrated Children's System, this manual contains guidance that you may find useful, see Integrated Children's System Guidance.
9. Contact Us
We welcome feedback and suggestions for improving this Manual and it's contents.
If you have any feedback or suggestions, please go to 'Contact Us', available from the left hand side of all screens.
10. Compliance
10.1 Regulatory Compliance
Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager or notify us, from the 'Contact Us' button on the left hand side of the screen.
10.2 W3C Compliance
This manual meets the double A Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for example, it can be accessed by people with high levels of visual impairment. To find out more, click on 'Display Options' on the left hand side of the screen.
11. Copyright
The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Tri-X-Childcare Ltd and Clifford House.
12. Printing and Retaining Copies
The Manual should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only.
To print a chapter, click on the 
icon which is in the top right hand corner of the relevant procedure
Please note, the Manual will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.
End