Children's Homes Standards Summary

Contents
Introduction Care and Control
Aim of this guide Relationship with young people
Regulations Behaviour management
Standards Environment
Common principles and threads which Location, design and size of the home
run through all the Standards and Accommodation
Regulations
Bathrooms and washing facilities
Health, safety and security
The Standards
Staffing
Planning for Care Vetting of staff and visitors
The Statement of Purpose Staff support
Placement plans Adequacy of staffing
Reviews Management and administration
Contact Monitoring of the operation of the home
Moving in and leaving the home Business management
Preparation for leaving care Young people’s individual case files
Quality of Care Specific settings
Consultation
Privacy and confidentiality Checklists
Provision and preparation of meals
Checklist 1: Staff qualifications / experience
Personal appearances, clothing, requisites
Checklist 2: Monthly monitoring by the
and pocket money
registered person
Good health and well-being
Checklist 3: Statutory notifications
Treatment and administration of
Checklist 4: Prohibited sanctions
medicines within the home
Education
Guidance and training
Leisure and activities
Checklist 5: Staff guidance
Complaints and Protection
Checklist 6: Staff training
Complaints and representation
Checklist 7: The Statement of Purpose
Child protection procedures and training
Countering bullying Glossary
Absence of the young person without
authority Contact organisations for children
Notification of significant events and young people

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Introduction

The children’s homes’
Regulations and
Standards have been
established to clarify
and to set the
expectations concerning
the standards of care
provided to all children
placed in children’s
homes and also in
schools where children
are resident for more
than 295 days per year.
These schools must be
registered as a
children’s home.

In the 1990s, attention was drawn to the variable This guide is for front line staff employed in:
quality of care received by young people in residential
● children’s homes;
care. Child protection investigations led to considerable
concern. At the same time, there were homes that were ● residential special schools which accommodate at
providing high quality services. least one child in any one year for more than 295
days;
The Care Standards Act 2000 established the National
Care Standards Commission (NCSC). One of its roles is ● most secure settings where young people are
to register, approve and inspect all children’s homes. It accommodated (see page 00);
will be inspecting your home against these Standards ● refuges where young people are accommodated
and Regulations. (see page 00).
(The term ‘home’ is used throughout the guide to
Aim of this guide include these other settings. Where there are separate
This is a guide for staff to the Department of Health Standards or differences, these are described.)
(2002) Children’s Homes: National Minimum Standards The guide serves as an introduction to the Standards
and Children’s Homes Regulations, available from The and helps to explain individual staff’s responsibilities to
Stationery Office; Norwich or from the website provide services to the expected and regulated
www.doh.gov.uk/ncsc. standards. The guide follows the structure and order of
the Standards. Readers can look to the published

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Standards to provide more detail.
The term “young people” is used to include children and
young people under 18 years.

Regulations
The Regulations replace all other children’s homes
Regulations. Homes must follow them.

Standards
These are national minimum standards for you and the
home to work to. It is recognised that some homes’
practice will exceed these standards but also that some
standards for some homes will present a challenge. They
are qualitative and measurable. The Standards form the
basis for judgements made by the NCSC when it inspects
and registers the home. They will be kept under review.
The Standards and Regulations link together.
Common principles and threads which run through all the
Standards and Regulations
The Standards particularly emphasise the importance of
responding to the young people’s individual needs in
relation to religious, racial, cultural and linguistic
backgrounds. Gender, disability and sexual orientation
also necessitate individualised assessment, planning and
review and determination of how care and support
services are delivered. Different methods of
communication will need to be used to ensure all the
relevant people can contribute to decision making.
Consultation and the involvement of the young person in
his or her individual care and plans as well as the running
of the home is another theme which runs through many
of the individual Standards. It will be important for staff
and the systems in the home to demonstrate active
involvement of the young people and to provide evidence
of this in recordings of meetings, agendas and plans. This
principle of involvement also extends to family, friends
and significant people from the young person’s own
community.

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The Standards

Planning for Care

The Statement of Purpose
This is an important document which should
describe the home, what it sets out to do and
how care is provided. Any changes made to it
need to be sent to the NCSC immediately. Its
content is detailed in Checklist 7 (page 00).
The process of drawing it up and reviewing it is
equally important and staff and young people should
be involved. Staff, placing social workers and parents
should have a copy.
There must also be a young people’s guide to the
home.

Good practice will include:
● regular re-appraisal of the Statement of
Purpose, within a process which includes staff
and young people;
● a young person’s guide in a format or formats
that they can use and understand easily;
● regular work with the young people to ensure
that they do understand the guide and the
ways in which staff should and should not be
caring for them.

Placement plans
All young people must have a placement plan which
identifies his or her needs and details how these are
to be met and evaluated.
The plan must cover:
● health and health promotion;
● care including safeguarding and promoting
welfare;

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The Staff guide to the Children’s Homes Standards and Regulations

● physical and emotional needs; after a review, within what timescales;
● educational needs and attainment targets; ● staff preparing for reviews and being able to
contribute to them, describing the young
● cultural, religious, language and racial needs;
person’s achievements and difficulties;
● leisure;
● copies of the review being available to young
● contact arrangements. people, in a form that they can understand,
and they are assisted in keeping these safely.
● the young person knowing about his or her
plan and how to contribute to it;
Contact
The work and practices of the home supports the
● the plan regularly being discussed with the
young people to have constructive, safe contact with
young person by his or her key worker or
members of their family, friends and their community.
equivalent;
There is written guidance available for staff which
● the young person being supported in being helps them to:
able to make his or her views known about the
● understand the importance of contact and the
plan, and to influence decision making;
rights of children and parents;
● all staff being aware of the plan for the young
● ensure that contact is safe for the child and others
person;
in the home;
● the plan fitting with other plans for the care,
● encourage parents, relatives and friends to take
education and health of the young person and
part in activities in and around the life of the
parents able to contribute;
home.
● young people being able to have a say in who
is their key worker, or equivalent, and whether Good practice will include:
he or she should be changed. ● demonstrating understanding of the
importance of contact for the young person
Reviews and enabling this (in accordance with his or her
placement plan) through all the different forms
Reviews are held within the statutory timescales, at
of contact available to the home and the young
least every six months.
person;
The young person is enabled to contribute and
● understanding when contact is not possible
participate.
and supporting the young person through this.
Decisions and all agreed actions are followed through.

Good practice will include: Moving in and
● preparation and follow-up work taking place leaving the home
with the young person for his or her review; A home can only take young people in emergencies if
● young people’s progress and achievements this is part of their function and is specified in the
recorded and noted; Statement of Purpose.

● the young person being provided with an Wherever possible, young people should be prepared
advocate should they want one; for coming to live in the home and understand what
to expect.
● staff requesting a review when one has not
been arranged; There should be opportunities for these expectations
to be repeated to them so that they are able to
● staff knowing what action they are to take
understand them.

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There are clear procedures for entering and leaving the ● Pathway Plan;
home in both planned and unplanned ways.
● transition plan (for children with disabilities and
Reviews are held within 72 hours after an emergency special educational needs).
admission.
The plan must specify their need for support and
Staff contribute to a Pathway Plan for young people assistance and how they will receive this.
leaving the home for independent or semi-independent
The staff at the home must work with the young
living.
person’s personal adviser in implementing the plan. (A
personal adviser is the young person’s adviser appointed
when he or she is 16 to carry out the responsibilities and
● enabling a young person to bring treasured duties of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000).
possessions with them and helping them to keep
Young people are helped to contribute to the
these safely;
assessment of their needs and the plan and have a copy.
● guides for young people about the home which
Work with the young person must include all aspects of
are clear, factual and easy to understand;
his or her identity and development of self esteem,
● young people being helped to express their making and keeping relationships.
emotions, and to cope with their feelings about
living away from home; Good practice will include:
● staff carefully considering whether the home will ● ensuring a comprehensive assessment and the
be able to meet the needs of the young person development of a plan which covers all of the
as well as evaluating the impact of his or her young person’s needs including:
admission on the existing group of residents.
◆ education, training and employment
◆ safe and affordable housing
Preparation for leaving care
◆ support for disabled young people
◆ financial assistance
◆ claiming welfare benefits, where this is relevant
◆ access to health education and health care
including specialist services, for example,
counselling
◆ maintaining contact with important people for
the young person, including the children’s
home
◆ creating and accessing new forms of support
and advice
◆ leisure
The care young people receive while they are living in ◆ support to individual young people
the home prepares them for leaving care and supports
● any specialist treatment programmes provided
them into adulthood.
within the home being approved by the
The plan for the young person must be consistent with management of the home and the placing
his or her: authority for the individual young person, and
● placement plan; being supervised by appropriately qualified and
accredited staff;
● care plan;
● having individually directed programmes of

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personal, health, social and sex education for all
young people; Quality of Care
● specialist services being provided where
appropriate, and young people supported in
attending appointments;
● supporting young people who have been
involved in abuse, or prostitution, and involving
them in putting together their support and
protection plans;
● supporting young people when English is not
their first language and those who use other
means of communication;
● each young person having someone outside the
home they are able to talk to about their
personal problems, or worries in the home;
● young people being helped to understand and
develop their own sense of identity, their history
and ensuring they have access to specialist
services where necessary;
Consultation
● having activities within the home which
All young people, and their families or other significant
promote inclusion and involvement, and help
people, irrespective of their means of communication
young people make friendships;
are be encouraged and supported to take part in the
● young people being supported in taking life of the home and in decisions about their lives.
controlled risks, which help them to develop
However, where consultation with family or others is
and achieve independence;
not in the interests of the young person, this must be
● risk assessments being carried out and recorded; explained to him or her. Young people must be given
● agreed information being passed on to an opportunity to have an advocate or independent
subsequent placements to ensure continuity of visitor in place of the family.
care and support.
● having transparent systems and opportunities
for young people to contribute to decisions
about the home, as well as individual sessions
with young people to ensure that they are
consulted about their individual plans;
● including parents and other people who are
important for the young person, within these
processes;
● parents being asked for their views about the
care the young person is receiving and how the
home is run, the staffing of the home, space
and furnishings, including privacy and personal
space and arrangements for contact;
● records being kept of all such meetings which

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accurately record views, wishes and opinions, healthy, nutritious food and drink which offer variety
and feedback to be given; and choice and /or guidance for providing these for
themselves. The variety and choice must include food
● young people being helped to make individual
which reflects the racial, religious and cultural diversity
choices;
of the residents.
● developments or changes to the home being
Staff and children need to know about safe food
discussed with all these people, including the
handling and hygiene.
placing authorities.
Dining rooms and their furnishings must meet the
needs of the home, staff and young people with
Privacy and confidentiality reasonable, set meal times, but if young people miss
The practices of the home must promote the young these, food is made available for them.
person’s privacy insofar as this is consistent with their
welfare. Good practice will include:

Information should be shared on a need-to-know ● young people being able to plan menus, shop
basis, and there must be procedures covering: for food and prepare their own and the home’s
meals;
● confidentiality;
● young people being able to prepare their own
● access to records by staff and others; snacks and drinks, at reasonable times;
● the disclosure of illegal activities; ● seeking advice when young people have
● the circumstances and ways in which young problems with eating;
people’s rooms are entered, for example, ● ensuring some communal meals and that these
emergencies or when young people are deemed to are positive, orderly experiences.
be at risk;
● personal and intimate care matters; Personal appearances, clothing,
● the circumstances under which searches of a
young person’s possessions can occur and;
requisites and pocket money
Young people are able to
● the recording of these and;
choose, buy, and keep their own
● the passing on of information relating to child clothes and other necessities,
protection concerns. with guidance and support as
appropriate to their development
Placing authorities or, if none, the young person’s
and wishes.
parents must agree any restrictions on communication.
● opportunities for the young person to express
● the provision of an accessible, private and
and develop their individual identity, so long as
convenient telephone for young people;
this is in accordance with their welfare, safety
● ensuring young people have choices and and protection;
opportunities to consider consent concerning
● clarity concerning the young people’s personal
provision of intimate care, invasive procedures
allowances, and the arrangements for these;
and levels of supervision.
● young people being helped to keep their money
safely and assisted with budgeting;
Provision and preparation of
● young people being able to keep their own
meals stock of personal toiletries, and staff offering
Young people must be provided with sufficient, advice and support.

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Good Health and Well-Being Good practice will include:
● the home offering individual and communal
The home promotes good health through its practices
opportunities for young people to learn about
in general and also through the individual support for
and discuss how to promote their own health
each young person.
which includes information, advice and support
The home has policies and written guidance concerning:
concerning:
◆ alcohol and illegal, or other, substance abuse;
● immunisation and screening;
◆ smoking;
● nutrition and diet;
◆ solvents;
● exercise and rest;
◆ sex and relationships;
● personal hygiene;
◆ HIV infection;
● sexual health;
◆ hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases;
● the effects of alcohol, smoking and other
◆ protection from prejudice, bullying and
substances;
abuse, within and outside the home;
● HIV and AIDS and other blood borne diseases.
● choice of doctor being offered wherever
Young people are encouraged to take responsibility for possible and the young person being able to
their own health care as appropriate to their age and choose (subject to their age and understanding)
development, and clear records are kept of illnesses, whether to be accompanied when seeing the
accidents and injuries. doctor;
Each young person has his or her own health plan ● the practices of the home emphasising the
which also provides a history and record of his or her importance of preserving the young person’s
health care. It must include: dignity and privacy.
● medical history;
● details of any specific medical or other health Treatment and administration
interventions required;
of medicines within the home
● any necessary preventive measures;
First aid and minor treatment and administration of
● allergies or known adverse reactions to medication; medicines are only carried out by competent and
● dental health needs; designated staff while more complex and skilled health
tasks are carried out by staff with written authorisation
● any hearing needs;
of the doctor or nurse responsible for the young
● any optical needs; person.
● records of developmental checks; There are first aid boxes in the home.
● specific treatment therapies or remedial The person with parental responsibility must have given
programmes needed in relation to physical, written prior permission for the administration of first
emotional or mental health; aid and appropriate non-prescribed medication.
● health monitoring required of staff; Records are kept of all tasks, and these records are
● the involvement of a child’s parents or significant monitored by the manager of the home (see Checklist
others in health issues. 2, page 00)

Treatment which is prescribed or detailed in the The term “nurse” is only used for a staff member who
placement plan or care plan must be implemented, is registered as a nurse and he or she must have access
subject to taking the young person’s wishes into to a named senior nurse or doctor for professional
account. guidance and consultation.

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Where children refuse to take medication prescribed of the young person;
for them, this must be recorded and referred to the
● dates of national examinations and any other
prescribing practitioner.
examinations the young person may be taking;
Medicines are kept securely and there is a written
● details of the staff responsible for liaising with
policy on the storage, disposal and administering of
schools, connexions/careers service, job centre,
medication including non-prescribed, “household”
employment agencies and local employers as
medication.
appropriate;
Good practice will include: ● arrangements for travelling to and from school.
● young people being assessed as responsible to
keep safely and administer their own
medication, before they are allowed to do so; ● staff demonstrating their interest and concern
for a young person and emphasising the
● qualified, medical practitioners contributing to
importance of his or her education;
and checking the policies concerning the
administration of medication. ● giving support and assistance with homework
and out of school interests and activities which
promote learning;
Education
● books, computer equipment and access to
libraries being promoted in the home;
● staff attending parents’ meetings and other
school events in consultation with parents;
● young people having access to an educational
programme during normal school hours, if he or
she is out of school;
● staff actively working with the placing authority
to secure appropriate full-time education
provision for young people not in school.
Each home has an educational policy which details
how they will promote and support each young
person’s education. Leisure and activities
Each young person has a Personal Education Plan (PEP)
to which the staff of the home have contributed, and
which they understand and support.
The PEP and other educational records must include:
● the young person’s educational attainments and
records of achievement;
● the young person’s educational history and any
statement of special educational needs and how
his or her needs will be met;
Young people must be provided with opportunities to
● whether he or she should attend a particular
pursue their interests and to develop new ones.
establishment;
Leisure activities provide an opportunity for young
● the level of monitoring of a young person’s school
people to develop skills which can enhance their self-
attendance;
esteem and help them to develop a stronger sense of
● parental/social work involvement in the education their own identity.

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Homes should be able to provide a range of activities
so that individual, as well as group, interests and Complaints and
activities can be promoted.
Staff should support young people in their interests Protection
and activities, and this should include cultural and
religious festivals.
Interests and activities should be part of the placement
and care plan and be included in reviews.
While the young person’s day should have structure to
it, they should also be able to have some time when
they are able to do nothing in particular.
Staff supervising or leading activities must be suitably
qualified.
Risk assessments are carried out and recorded.
Transport used should be suitable and safe for the
purpose and minibuses should not be marked to
distinguish them from an ordinary car or bus (but it
may carry the name of a charity which has donated it,
and a school, which is a home, can put the name of
the school on the transport).

● young people and staff planning activities,
events and holidays together;
● young people’s views being taken into account
when planning these; Complaints and representation
● support being provided for young people, Young people must know how they can make
particularly disabled young people, to enable representations and complaints.
them to participate;
These must be responded to promptly (within 28 days)
● having access to a range of suitable resources and the young person must be kept informed of the
within the home, to extend the young people’s progress of his or her complaint.
interests, including music, toys, books, games,
They or their family, significant other, or independent
newspapers and magazines;
visitor (where appropriate) should be supported
● careful consideration being given to the young through the process and given information concerning
people’s access to computer games and the access to an advocate.
Internet and watching videos so that they are
The advocate must be able to communicate through
suitable for the age group of the young people
the complainant’s primary method of communication
living in and visiting the home;
or language.
● young people participating in activities and
The home’s complaints policy and procedure must:
events in the community, encouraged to have
friends and for these friends to visit them and ● enable complaints to be pursued, whether they are
for them to make reciprocal visits to friends’ major or minor;
homes. ● be investigated independently of the subject of the
complaint;

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● forbid reprisals against the complainant; are aware of the complaints procedure and
know how to use it;
● allow for informal attempts to resolve the
complaint, but that the complainant can choose to ● managers and staff being alert to patterns of
proceed to formal stages if he or she remains complaints and taking appropriate action;
dissatisfied;
● having a regular programme of training and
● allow for complaints against the manager and support for staff in operating the procedure;
registered person of the home to be investigated;
● having a separate procedure for addressing
● provide for the complaint and its progress to be complaints from outside the home, from the
accurately recorded; community, shopkeepers, neighbours, etc.
● not restrict the issues that can be complained
about; Child protection procedures
● provide for relevant complaints to be referred to and training
other procedures, for example child protection,
The safety and welfare of the young people are
and provide a link between the complaints and
promoted through the practices of the home.
child protection procedures of the home;
Staff are aware of and understand their responsibilities
● be accessible for disabled children;
under child protection policies, practices and
● contain details concerning how to get in touch procedures and these are available in the home.
with the NCSC;
Staff know how to respond to allegations or suspicions
● also be in a summary format for young people and of abuse however these are presented or referred and
their parents and placing authorities, and staff and whoever they may involve.
others working in the home (they can also have
Staff report to the police any evidence of young people
the full policy and procedure).
becoming involved in prostitution or of unauthorised
Complaints are monitored and reviewed by the people making contact with the young people or
registered person. picking them up.

Good practice will include: Child protection policies and procedures are consistent
with Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) policy
● staff ensuring at regular intervals, and not only
and procedures for the area in which the home is
when they have a complaint, that young people

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situated, and there are good links with other agencies.
There is guidance concerning access to support and
information when allegations of abuse are made
against staff.
Guidance must be available to staff covering:
● the importance of an initial full assessment of
young people’s histories and any experiences of
abuse so that children are not repeatedly asked;
● observing contacts between young people;
● supervision of young people;
● supervision and support of staff;
● recognition of possible involvement of young
people in prostitution;
● confidentiality;
● physical contact between staff and young people;
● one-to-one time alone by staff with young people; Good practice will include:
● intimate care and invasive procedures; ● support for young people being bullied and
● administering medication. guidance for those who may be bullying others;
● risk assessments being undertaken to reduce the
incidents and opportunities for bullying.
● staff being aware that they must not give
inappropriate guarantees of confidentiality nor
ask leading questions;
Absence of the young person
● staff discussing with young people protection without authority
and safety issues and their response when there There are adequate safeguards in place for reporting
are allegations or suspicions of abuse; and responding to a young person’s unauthorised
● advice being available to the registered manager absence from the home.
and the staff concerning child protection Policy, guidance and procedures are available to staff,
practice within the home, from the local Child and cover:
Protection Co-ordinator or equivalent.
● the measures staff can and cannot take to prevent
a young person running away;
Countering bullying ● searching for the young person;
Young people are protected from bullying and the
● reporting the young person as missing to police,
home promotes an atmosphere where bullying is
placing authority and others including parents
known to be unacceptable.
where appropriate and agreed with the placing
There is a clear and understood definition of bullying authority;
with measures to respond to and prevent it.
● carrying out a risk assessment concerning the likely
The policy is known to all working and living in the risks to the young person;
home, and it is monitored to ensure it is effective, and
● seeking information of his or her whereabouts;
measures taken to revise the policy and practice where
necessary. ● collection and return;

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● follow-up action to be taken when the young
person returns; Care and Control
● implications for the placement plan and care plan;

● recording incidents of unauthorised absence.

Relationship with young people
● ensuring the young person is seen by his or her
Staff know how to set safe, consistent and
social worker or an independent person to
understandable boundaries for the young people.
ascertain his or her reason for running away;
Expectations of behaviour for staff and young people
● ensuring that appropriate action is taken, for
are understood and negotiated with staff and young
example referring any child protection people.
suspicions, allegations or concerns through the
The acceptable measures of control used in the home
child protection procedures;
are understood as relating to the welfare of the young
● monitoring the attendance of vulnerable young person and the protection of others.
people at school.
Staff are able to balance the individual needs of the
young person, and his or her wishes and preferences
Notification of significant events with the needs of the group of young people and the
protection of others from harm.
All staff know about, understand and carry out their
responsibilities for referring significant events to the Young people are treated fairly, without preference.
relevant authorities (see Checklist 3, page 00). Staff provide continuity and stability for individual
There are also systems in place to inform parents young people.
where it is appropriate to do so of any other incidents
or welfare concerns.
● staff setting clear personal and professional
Written records are kept. boundaries which work for the individual and
Placing authorities need to be notified of any the group;
emotional and mental health concerns for a young ● relationships and work with the young people
person. This could involve a mental health assessment based on honesty and respect;
being requested.
● staff being consistent in the care and control
The home must request a meeting to review the care they provide for the young people;
and placement plans following the notification of any
● young people able to exercise choices over
significant events, unless the placing authority has which staff help them with their personal care.
agreed it is not necessary to hold a meeting.

Good practice will include: Behaviour Management
● staff being aware of the home’s responsibilities In Checklist 4 (page 00), there is a list of sanctions
to report serious incidents and requesting which cannot be used under any circumstances.
managers to do so; Control, disciplinary and restraint measures used within
● staff working with parents to ensure they are the home must be agreed with the manager or
provider. They must be understood by staff and young
aware, where appropriate and agreed with the
people and consistently used.
placing agency, of concerns about their child
and the actions taken to address the concern. There is a clear written code of conduct/behaviour
management policy setting these out.

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Young people should receive praise and positive proportionate, and taking into consideration the
responses for acceptable behaviour. young person’s circumstances;
Unacceptable behaviour is responded to constructively ● staff discussing with young people their rights
and consistently. and responsibilities in relation to sanctions and
the rules within the home, and with an
Reparation and restitution can be used.
emphasis on everyone’s responsibilities to those
Restraint is only used to prevent injury to the young who live and work in the home and to the
person or others, or likely serious damage to property, community;
never to enforce compliance to an instruction or as a
● holding forums or house meetings as well as
punishment.
individual meetings where young people are
The home has a policy on the use of restraint and encouraged to discuss the rules and sanctions,
other forms of physical intervention, and how, and and express their views;
under what circumstances these can be carried out.
● staff being able to raise in their own meetings
This is available and explained to the young person, his
concerns about behaviour and methods of
or her parent/carer and the placing authority at the
responding to behaviour, and agree actions as a
time of admission to the home.
staff group which; support the young person,
Staff must have signed a copy of the policy, to are included within his or her placement plan,
demonstrate that they have seen and understood it. and are consistently applied across the staff
Detailed records are kept concerning the use of all group.
sanctions and restraint and these are available in a
separate “log book” and these records are monitored
by the registered person/manager (see definition in
Checklist 1, page 00). Young people are encouraged to
sign this record and to record their views about the
intervention.
The young person understands that following a
physical intervention they have the right to be
examined by a nurse or doctor within 24 hours.
There should be clear procedures agreed with the
police concerning their involvement with the home.
Staff need to know about these.

● having measures of control for each young
person set within:
◆ the development of a positive relationship
◆ responding positively to acceptable behaviour
◆ each young person’s placement plan as well
as
◆ the general rules which apply within the
home
● sanctions and other responses to unacceptable
behaviour following, as quickly as possible, the
incident, these being reasonable and

17

Environment

Location, Design and Size Young people should feel safe and protected and staff
should carefully consider the characteristics and
of the home experiences of young people who share rooms to
The home must be designed so that it meets the guard against the potential for abusive behaviour.
individual needs of the young people and its Disabled young people should be able to call for help
statement of purpose. and must be provided with all necessary equipment
The home must be safe for the young people it and space to maximise their independence and enable
accommodates and all health and safety and assistance.
protective measures taken to ensure this. Young people must have access to a quiet space for
It should be accessible for all those who live there and study and homework and pursuit of their own
enable them to participate in and have access to individual interests, as well as safe storage of their
essential services, as well as those people they have personal items.
contact with. There are also rooms for young people to meet with
The young people’s privacy should be protected, and their friends, family or significant people in private
if the premises are used for other functions, young without disruption to the other young people.
people’s welfare is not compromised.
Positive links with the local community are promoted. Bathrooms and
Washing Facilities
These are designed to ensure maximum privacy and
● staff working with young people to ensure that
where young people require assistance, this can be
they understand the need to protect the
given in a way that preserves the young person’s
privacy of the home and guard against
dignity.
unwelcome visitors;
Staff, but not young people, should be able to open
● staff and young people working together:
the doors to bathrooms, showers and toilets from the
looking after the fabric of the building,
outside, in an emergency.
preventing and making good damage, deciding
about décor and furnishings. Where homes accommodate more than five children,
staff must use separate shower, bathroom and toilet
facilities to those used by young people.
Accommodation
Young people should have their own bedroom or
own personal space within a shared room, with
Health, Safety and Security
sufficient room to accommodate them. Young people must be looked after within a home
which meets all the health and safety requirements.
In a school which is a home, as far as possible, young
people should be given the option of a single room. Careful consideration is given to the risks each young
Young people’s views should be ascertained before person may pose, and risk assessments and plans
decisions are made about sharing a room. From April followed through. These plans should be monitored
2003 there must be no more than four young people and reviewed by the registered person.
in a room, nor an odd number of young people
sharing.

18


Staffing Staff Support
All staff must receive regular supervision.
In children’s homes:
● new staff should have one-to-one supervision at
least fortnightly during the first six months of their
employment;
● agency staff or those employed infrequently should
have one-to-one supervision at least every eight
shifts worked in the home;
● all other staff should have at least one and a half
hours of one-to-one supervision each month.
In schools which are also homes:
● new staff should have one-to-one supervision at
least fortnightly during the first two terms of their
employment;
● agency staff or those employed infrequently should
have one-to-one supervision at least every half
term when they work ten shifts or days at the
school;
Vetting of Staff and Visitors ● all other staff should have at least one and a half
All staff must be carefully recruited following approved hours of one to one supervision every half-term.
procedures, ensuring that all the necessary checks are
Supervision must be recorded.
carried out. This must include agency staff.
Supervision must address:
If in agreed circumstances, all the checks have not
been carried out, staff must be closely supervised and ● responses to and methods of working with young
not left alone with young people. people;

Visitors to the home should also be subject to the ● work with any young person for whom the staff
necessary checks, or not allowed unsupervised access member is key worker;
to the home. ● the staff member’s role, including his or her
There must be systems in place to monitor and record accountability, in fulfilling the home’s Statement of
visits to the home. Purpose;

Where young people are carried in taxis they are either ● the staff member’s work in fulfilling the placement
accompanied or their welfare is safeguarded. plan for individual children;
● degree of personal involvement, feelings, concern
Good practice will include: and stress;
● staff and young people meeting shortlisted ● staff development and training;
applicants prior to the decision about the
appointment, and their views taken into ● feedback on performance;
account. ● guidance on current and new tasks, including the
● all staff, including contract and agency, should setting and maintenance of standards;
have a Criminal Records Bureau check on ● personal issues which may impinge on the member
appointment, or gain one immediately after. of staff’s ability to carry out his or her duties
effectively.

19

All staff must have annual appraisals which cover the Young people must not be given responsibility for other
level of performance achieved, targets for the coming young people and where they are asked to carry out
year and the agreed training needs to be met within the specific tasks, this does not place them in a position
following year as part of the individual’s Personal from which they can bully other young people.
Development Plan.
Staff disciplinary procedures are clear and separate from
All staff should have written job descriptions. child protection and criminal proceedings.
Staff have access to sources of advice and counselling. Staff do not smoke with or in the presence of young
people in the home, nor use or take into the home any
Staff meetings occur at least monthly and include:
illegal drug or other substance.
● discussion of the home’s work in caring for
Staff may only have a small alcoholic drink with the
individual young people;
permission of the registered person, in exceptional
● management of the current child group; circumstances, for example, with Christmas lunch.
● review of the home’s practices.
Meetings have an agenda and are minuted.

Adequacy of Staffing
The numbers, experience and competency of the staff as
a group and on individual shifts must be sufficient to
meet the needs of the young people in the home and
fulfil the expectations of the Statement of Purpose. (See
Checklists 1 and 6, pages 00 and 00).
The home must be able to increase the numbers of staff
on duty where the needs of the young people or other
circumstances indicate this is necessary in order to
safeguard and promote the welfare of any individual
young person.
Risk assessments must be carried out if a member of
staff is on duty on his or her own and adequate
arrangements should be in place to ensure that extra
support can be called on.
Young people must know at all times who is responsible
for them and the arrangements for calling them.
Staff should understand the arrangements for
deputising.
Staff rotas have time scheduled for:
● handovers;
● work with individual young people;
● completion of records;
● planning and carrying out of care programmes;
and these can be carried out without compromising the
overall care of the young people.
Records of rotas are kept.

20


Management and Monitoring of the operation of
administration the home
The registered person monitors the home in relation to
those areas specified within Checklist 2 (page 00).
He or she is looking in particular for patterns of
behaviour, concerns which require action and ensuring
that incidents and concerns have been reported to the
appropriate authority.
He or she is also responsible for ensuring that the
home continues to meet the Statement of Purpose.
He or she is responsible for ensuring there is a written
development plan, reviewed annually.
Copies of inspection reports should be available and
accessible to all those entitled to see them.

Business Management
The home must be run on a sound financial basis to
ensure that services for the young people are reliable
and provide continuity.

Monitoring by the Person The registered manager must have a job description
stating their responsibilities and duties and their line of
Carrying on the Home accountability.
There must be monthly monitoring visits to the home
carried out by the registered person where they do not
manage the home on a day-to-day basis.
Children’s Individual Case Files
Each young person has a private, secure case file to
These visits must be recorded and action taken
which he or she, and their parents, as appropriate,
addressing the issues raised in his or her report.
have access, in compliance with legal requirements.
They are normally unannounced but announced visits
can be made in order to ensure that the people the Good practice will include:
visitor wishes to meet are present. ● staff sharing records and reports with young
They must cover: people at the time of recording.

● checks on the daily log;
● records of complaints;
Specific settings
Young people in secure settings should also receive
● disciplinary measures and the use of restraint;
care which meets these Standards, excepting those
● assessment of the physical condition of the which relate to their need for security.
building, furniture and equipment of the home;
This also applies to young people in refuges, and the
and provide an opportunity for the visitor to meet with Standards should only be adapted to fit with the status
a young person and/or member of staff should any of and ethos of a refuge.
them wish to do so. These meetings can occur in
private.

21

Checklists

management or its equivalent. If, between now and
January 2005 a manager is appointed without the
required qualification he or she must begin a relevant
course of study within 3 months of his or her
appointment.

Experience
He or she must have at least 2 years’ experience
working with children during the past 5 years
and
at least a further 1 year’s experience at a senior level in
a residential establishment.

Care Staff
By January 2004, all care staff must be aged over 18,
Both the Regulations and the Standards contain a
and within this they must be at least 4 years older than
number of very useful checklists Some of them
the oldest child.
set out things you must or must not do by law.
They cannot be in a management role nor in sole
They are summarised below, with explanations where
charge of children unless they are over 21.
necessary.
They must have induction training within six weeks of
arriving at the home, and foundation training within
Checklist 1 six months. (These are to the Training Organisation for
Staff Qualifications / Social Services [TOPSS] specification -
www.topss.org.uk.)
Experience By January 2005, at least 8 out of 10 care staff in any
home must have a relevant NVQ Level 3 qualification,
The Standards set out the required qualifications and
for example, Caring for children and young People or
experience for different categories of staff.
other qualification with similar competencies.
The Manager of a Home
In addition, the Deputy Manager
This is the registered person who directly manages the
(or similar post)
home and its staff. It may or may not be same person
as the provider or proprietor. must have at least 1 year’s relevant supervisory
experience
For a school registered as a children’s home this must
be the Head of Care although the registered person
will be the Head of the School – they cannot be the
same person.

Qualifications
He or she must (by January 2005) have a relevant
qualification – DipSW or NVQ Level 4 in a relevant
area.
Again by January 2005 he or she must have Level 4 in

22


Checklist 2 11 Unauthorised absences of children (that is,
absconding)
Monthly monitoring by the 12 Use of punishments and disciplinary measures
registered person 13 Use of restraint

The Regulations require those registered by the 14 Risk assessments that have been carried out,
National Care Standards Commission as the provider and the action taken to reduce risks
and manager of the home to ensure that the 15 Giving of medication, first aid and treatments
following aspects of the running of the home are for children
monitored every month. Because this is in the
16 Staff rotas - as planned, and as actually
Regulations, this monitoring must be done, by law.
worked
In practice, this requires the Manager of the home to:
17 What is recorded in the home’s Daily Log
● check the records of each of the items on the list
18 Fire drills and alarm tests carried out, any
following;
problems and any action taken
● carry out any appropriate further checks on each
19 Staff appraisals
of these (for example, discussing them with staff or
children concerned); 20 Minutes of staff meetings

● take any action this shows is needed to improve … and for homes that are also schools,
how the home is looking after children; 21 The school’s standards of educational
● keep a record that they have made these checks provision.
and are taking this action.
1 How well the home is complying with each
child’s:
● care plan
● placement plan
2 The safe-keeping, depositing and withdrawal
of any children’s money or valuables looked
after by the home
3 Menus (as actually served)
4 Accidents or injuries at the home
5 Illnesses of children
6 Complaints and their outcomes
7 Any allegations or suspicions of abuse and
their outcomes
8 Staff recruitment - and whether all necessary
records and checks have been carried out
9 Visitors to the home and to individual children
10 Whether notifications of major events have
been made to the right people as required in
the Regulations (what these are, and where
they go, are listed below)

23

Checklist 3 As well as these notifications to organisations, the
Regulations require you, by law, to tell a child’s
Statutory Notifications parent(s) of anything significant that happens that
affects their child’s welfare – unless it is not
The Regulations require that the following events must “reasonably practicable” to notify them (for example
be notified to the organisations. neither you nor the child’s placing authority has any
means of contacting them), OR to tell them would put
These notifications have to be made “without delay”.
the child’s welfare at risk.
If any of these notifications are given verbally (e.g. on
The legally required events, and who must be told
the telephone), they must then be confirmed in
about them, are as follows:
writing.

Event To be notified to
Commission Placing Secretary Local Police Health
authority of State authority authority
Death of a child Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
accommodated in the home
Referral to the Secretary of Yes Yes
State pursuant to
section 2(1)(a) of the Protection
of Children Act 1999(a) of an
individual working at the home
Serious illness or serious Yes Yes
accident sustained by a child
accommodated in the home
Outbreak of any infectious Yes Yes Yes
disease which in the opinion
of a registered medical
practitioner attending children
at the home is sufficiently
serious to be so notified
Allegation that a child Yes Yes
accommodated at the home
has committed a
serious offence
Involvement or suspected Yes Yes Yes Yes
involvement of a child
in prostitution
Serious incident necessitating Yes Yes
calling the police to the home
Absconding by a child Yes
Any serious complaint about Yes Yes
the home or persons
working there
Instigation and outcome of Yes Yes
any child protection enquiry
involving a child

24


Checklist 4
Prohibited Sanctions 13 Keeping any usual aids or equipment from a
disabled child.
The Regulations prohibit certain forms of punishment
14 Letting or asking another child to punish a child in
in children’s homes. Those listed below are therefore, any way. (You have therefore to be very careful
quite literally, outlawed, and must not be used inside that punishments are only given or carried out by
or outside any home. staff, and that if older children are given some
1 Physical restraint of a child must not be used: responsibilities towards younger children, this does
not involve any giving of punishments of any sort.
● as punishment;
If your home is also a school, and there is a prefect
● simply to make the child do what he or she is system, this means that prefects cannot be allowed
told; to give punishments.)

● if there is no likely injury to someone, or likely 15 Punishing a group of children for something not all
SERIOUS damage to property. of them did. (You cannot therefore use
punishments on the lines of “unless the person
2 Any form of corporal punishment (e.g. hitting,
who did this owns up, none of you will watch TV
slapping, pushing, throwing something at a child).
tonight”.)
3 Making a child eat or drink something as a
It is important that these actions cannot be used as
punishment.
punishments – but some of them may happen without
4 Depriving a child of usual access to food and drink being punishments. For example, a child may end up
as a punishment. deprived of sleep because of the night time behaviour
of others. That does not mean that he or she has been
5 Stopping a child having contact, visits or
illegally punished.
communicating with people he or she would
otherwise be allowed. The fact that the Regulations include this list does not
mean that any form of punishment not on the
6 Stopping a child from phoning a welfare helpline,
prohibited list is OK. There is a general Regulation as
his or her solicitor, adviser, advocate, social worker,
well, that any punishment used must not be excessive
or other personnel from the Commission or local
or unreasonable.
authority.
As well as this, the Regulations only let you use
7 Making a child wear distinctive or inappropriate punishments that are listed in the home’s “Behaviour
clothes as a punishment (note this means as a Management Policy”.
punishment, not that a young person can claim it
lets them off wearing their usual school uniform To keep inside the law, you therefore need to know
what punishments are allowed at the home, and stick
for school!).
to those, as well as avoiding anything on the
8 Giving a child medicine as a punishment. prohibited list above.
9 Stopping a child from having medication, medical and a final word on physical restraint …
treatment or dental treatment they would
Remember that physical restraint is not to be
otherwise have, as a punishment.
used as a punishment, but only to prevent
10 Deliberately depriving a child of sleep as a someone getting injured or property being
punishment. seriously damaged. Restraint itself must never
cause undue pain or injury.
11 Making a child pay a fine, unless this is a
reasonable amount and is towards putting right
something they have done or damaged. Guidance and Training
12 Making a child undergo any sort of intimate The Standards include two important lists of the
physical examination as a punishment. (Children information you should be given by the home you are
have the right to refuse any physical examination.) working in.

25

The first list is what should be covered in the guidance Checklist 5
the home gives to its staff – so it contains all the things
on which the home must tell you its policies and Staff Guidance
practices. This may be in the form of a Staff Handbook
or something similar, a staff reference file, or a set of You should be given staff guidance about:
separate policies and practice documents.
1 Admitting and receiving children to the home
The second list is what the home should make sure is
2 Care and control methods approved for use in the
covered in the staff training it gives you over the time
home
you are working in the home.
3 The health and education policies of the home
4 The approved punishments or sanctions you are
able to use with children
5 The home’s policy and practice on the use of
restraint
6 What records you are expected to keep or make
entries in – and how
7 Who has access to what records
8 Children’s care plans
9 Children’s placement plans
10 How staff should implement individual children’s
placement plans
11 Preventing and responding to bullying between
children
12 Making entries in and using, the home’s Log Book
13 Keeping confidentiality
14 Administering money in the home, and its security
15 How repairs and maintenance happen
16 Fire precautions and emergency procedures
17 Doing and using risk assessments
18 Locking doors, windows, filing and medication
cabinets, garden gates etc
19 Health and safety policy – this includes food
hygiene
20 How, and under what circumstances room
searches can occur
21 Child protection
22 Checking and supervising visitors to the home and
to individual children
23 Dealing with HIV/AIDS
24 Responding to allegations or your own suspicions
of abuse of any child

26


25 How to deal with children who have experienced Checklist 6
abuse
26 The home’s staffing policy detailing who /how
Staff Training
many people are on duty at any one point in time
Your staff training should cover:
27 Staff rotas
1 Child development – both normal and abnormal
28 Shift handovers
2 Basic residential skills
29 Sleeping-in duties
3 Teamworking
30 Supervising children at bedtimes and at night
4 Any special child care techniques at the home, and
31 Issues to do with physical contact with children the skills you need for these
32 Issues to do with one-to-one time with individual 5 Keeping control
children
6 Recording skills*
33 Care practice with children of the opposite sex to
7 Permitted and prohibited punishments and other
yourself
disciplinary measures
34 The needs of children from minority ethnic groups
8 Using restraint
35 How to combat racism in the home and for
9 Child protection procedures and practice*
children from the home
10 Issues about race, ethnic background, religion and
36 The staff disciplinary and grievance procedures
cultural background
37 What authority is delegated to who to make
11 Dealing with sexuality
decisions
12 Health education, including diet and nutrition
38 Who you are required to notify of any particular
decisions or events 13 Dealing with HIV and AIDS
39 Reviews of children’s care plans and placement 14 Communicating with young people
plans, and your own input
15 Ways of communicating with disabled young
40 Dealing with aggression and violence people
41 Dealing with sexuality and personal relationships in 16 Lifting and handling techniques where the home is
the home accommodating disabled young people who need
to be lifted and handled
42 Working with parents and carers
17 Health and safety at work**
43 First aid
18 Food hygiene skills
44 Giving, recording and storing medicines
19 Safety with medicines
45 The children’s complaints (or “representations”)
procedure 20 Fire precautions*
46 Smoking policy 21 First aid and medical procedures*
47 Alcohol policy 22 The Children Act 1989, the Human rights Act
1998, and other relevant legislation
48 Drugs and misuse of substances policy
23 Encouraging young people’s hobbies and activities
49 Policy on giving and receiving gifts
24 Supervising other staff (if you are expected to do
50 Whistleblowing if you have concerns about
this)
children’s welfare.
25 Interviewing skills (if you are expected to help in
recruiting new staff)

27

Children's Homes Standards Summary

Children's Homes Standards Summary

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