Log Book and Diary Recording


Contents

  1. Policy
  2. Key Points
  3. Log Book and Diary Keeping Procedure


1. Policy

East Riding Children’s Homes maintain an annual diary to record planned visits, appointments and events, and a daily logbook to record events that reflect the daily life of the home, as well as specific issues relevant to individual young people. Such records will be confidential, but open to formal inspection, and kept safe and secure.


2. Key Points


2.1 Schedule 4 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2010 has removed the requirement to keep daily log of events occurring in the home. However, East Riding have decided to continue to record such details.
2.2 A daily diary forms part of that daily log and it should be maintained up-to-date by all staff.


3. Log Book and Diary Keeping Procedure

The following should apply to the daily diary/daily log;

  1. The unit will maintain a confidential hardbound daily logbook;
  2. All logbooks will be held in safe keeping;
  3. Recordings must be legible, clearly signed, dated and the full name of the person making the entry clearly given. Staff confirming that they have noted any significant recordings must also sign the logbook;
  4. The logbook/daily diaries will record events that reflect the daily life of the home as well as specific issues relevant to individual young people. Managers should decide what information they want to be recorded by staff, but it may include:
    • The names of the staff on duty;
    • Staff to individually sign in and out for their shift;
    • The whereabouts of the resident young people;
    • The times young people leave or return to the unit;
    • Staff to ensure they sign in and out whenever they leave or return to the home;
    • Any visitors to resident young people, contractors or other visitors;
    • Any work undertaken by visiting contractors;
    • Phone calls to or from Social Workers, parents etc.
    • Any incidents and confirmation that the relevant incident forms have been completed;
    • Brief details of discussions at Looked After Child Reviews or Planning Meetings;
    • Any issues concerning individual young people;
    • Issues that reflect the atmosphere of the unit i.e. positive as well as negative behaviours;
    • Any missing persons and confirmation of the action taken;
    • Any issue relevant to the staff team.
  5. The logbook/daily diaries should be seen as a means of communication for staff hand-over, a reflection of the day’s events and life of the unit as a whole;
  6. The annual diary should reflect the following:
    1. Any appointments or special days concerning resident young people i.e. Birthdays, Religious festivals, Looked After Child reviews, health appointments etc;
    2. The time and location of the appointment;
    3. Any staff member accompanying the young person;
    4. Who made the appointment;
    5. The date the appointment was made;
    6. Any planned visitors to the unit;
    7. Any meetings concerning staff members;
    8. Dates of school terms etc.
  7. The diary should be kept in the unit office, be easily accessible and used at the commencement of each shift as an informative source as to the day’s events and arrangements.