Using the Procedures


Contents

  1. Display and Browser Options
  2. About this Site
  3. Amendments
  4. Children’s Homes Regulations (including Quality Standards)
  5. Glossary and National Contacts
  6. Terminology
  7. Printing and Retaining Copies
  8. Register for Updates
  9. Copyright


1. Display and Browser Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing these procedures.

To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons which are on the menu bar at the bottom of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.

They look like this:

View this website with small text View this website with medium text View this website with large text View this website with high visibility


2. About this Site

This site contains all of our key policies and procedures, listed in ‘Contents’ on the top of the screen.

You will see that our key policy statements are in Residential Child Care – Key Principles; the other sections primarily contain procedures and/or guidance.

If you are unable to find a Procedure you require, consult your manager or use the search function on the top of the screen.


3. Amendments

The procedures will be updated on a regular basis and a summary of the new and updated chapters will be located here.

The next scheduled update will go live in March 2024.

Click here to view details of updates made to this manual.


4. Children’s Homes Regulations (including Quality Standards)

Most chapters contain a link to the relevant Regulations (including Quality Standards).


5. Glossary and National Contacts

A glossary of definitions is available from the button on the procedures home page.

This is a live online glossary, containing key definitions for social care practitioners. It's a free resource powered and kept up to date by tri.x.

There is also a National Contacts resource populated with details of key national agencies and organisations likely to be relevant to procedures users.

Some procedures will have these key definitions highlighted in blue, this link will take you to the index of the online glossary.

The intention of the key definitions is twofold:

  • To ensure that definitions remain accurate and consistent throughout the procedures;
  • To avoid cluttering the content of the chapters up with repetitive definitions.

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.


6. Terminology

Key Terms 

We have tried to use consistent terminology throughout the procedures, as follows:

Home

This is a generic term which means Children's Home.

'Child' or 'Young Person'

Both of these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18.

Home’s or Registered Manager

This is the registered manager for the home, sometimes the term ‘Manager’ is used.

Line Manager

This is used to denote the first line manager for the home; the person who supervises the Home’s Manager.

Staff or Carer

Means all Staff and Carers whether employed or not.

Key Worker

Members of staff that have special responsibility for children in the home.

Parent

Means person with parent or person with Parental Responsibility.

Regulatory Authority

Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in the procedure to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Ofsted.

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).

Placement Plan

The term 'Placement Plan' is the generic term meaning the home’s own plan for the child/young person. The term ‘Placement Information Record’ is an Integrated Children’s Service (ICS) record, generated by the Placing Authority.


7. Printing and Retaining Copies

The procedures should normally be viewed online but can be printed, for reference only, via the printing options of your internet browser (usually by clicking File from the top menu, and then selecting Print, or using the keyboard shortcut 'ctrl + p').

Please note, the procedures will be updated from time to time, so you should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.


8. Register for Updates

We recommend that you register with us to automatically receive notification when the procedures are updated, and be informed about the briefing papers we regularly publish. Click on the ‘Register for Updates’ tab at the top of the page to complete and send your details to us.

We will manage your data respectfully and in accordance with your preferences and we will never share your data with other organisations for marketing or other purposes.


9. Copyright

These procedures 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 and Derby City Children’s Homes.