Sleeping In and Night Security

The design of the home should be such that staff who sleep in the home overnight have appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so.

In the Children's Homes, apart from the short stay service, two staff sleep in every night. The short stay service has waking night staff.

The sleep- in staff have their own bedrooms which are equipped with a mains telephone. One of the sleep -in rooms will also contain the locked medical cabinet. The staff bedrooms lock and each member of staff sleeping in will have a key. Some of the homes also have staff bathrooms. Individual bedding is provided but staff are asked to provide their own towels. The rooms also have individual storage for staff to keep any personal items safe. Staff are advised to take any valuable items home with them after sleeping in.

The lead person must take responsibility to answer the phone during the night and to record any calls, messages or actions taken. The lead person must make a decision about whether to wake the other member of staff sleeping in should they need to consult regarding making a decision or to support a young person who is ill or is returning to the home following a period of absence. This will be based on risk assessments in place.

Sleep in staff should prepare as much as possible for the following morning, before they go to bed.

Security at night – Staff must:

• Check all children are in their own bedrooms;
• Ensure that all windows are shut and locked and that curtains and blinds are drawn;
• Ensure that unnecessary internal lights are turned off i.e. non-emergency lighting;
• Ensure all electrical switches are off other than the telephone, fridge, and freezer;
• Ensure that the house alarm is switched on (to full setting) and activated;
• Ensure that all external doors are securely closed and locked;
• Check the building if the house alarm sounds to identify the reason;
• Ensure they have a mobile phone and torch in the bedroom in case of a power cut;
• Ensure children's records and any other confidential records are locked in a metal cabinet in the office;
• Ensure all cupboards and filing cabinets etc that can be locked in the office are locked.

 

Children's bedroom door alarms

When in use, bedroom door alarms activate when a child opens his/her door. On a Risk Assessment basis these can be used as an additional means of security e.g. if there were concerns regarding a child's health or about children trying to access someone else's bedroom.

Permission to use bedroom door alarms must be sought at the time of admission from the child's Social Worker. Staff must record in the daily log when they have activated bedroom door alarms stating the reason unless it is written into the child's placement plan as a measure taken to reduce risk of harm to the child.

Morning Routine

Sleep in staff need to agree a starting time for their shift depending on needs on the young people and possible diary commitments.

Staff should disarm alarms and go downstairs together. Curtains and blinds must be opened and electrical goods switched on and the kitchen and dining area made ready for children to have breakfast.

Sleep in staff should agree their roles in preparation for the children getting up (may be necessary for one member of staff to supervise upstairs and one downstairs or a child may need individual attention/help).

See Lone Working Procedure and Bedrooms Procedure.