Sleeping In and Night Security

It is recognised that the care of young people is a 24 hour and 365 day activity. Bedtimes are an important transition point and it is often a time that creates anxiety for young people as they contemplate being alone with their thoughts, memories and feelings and these can significantly impact on them. As such, issues likely to cause disturbance will be identified in each child’s Risk Assessment and Care Plans and an individual routine developed and identified within their Placement Plan, which will enable them to settle most effectively. This will include an understanding of the culture of the house regarding the bedtime routine so that every young person knows as exactly as possible what each bedtime will be like. This needs to include a clear time for bed which all staff adhere strongly to.

Suitability of Staffing

Prior to any staff carrying out waking night duties; as part of staff induction, all education and care workers must receive induction in the following policies and procedures:

• Fire and Emergency Procedures;
• Statement of Purpose and Function;
• Safeguarding and Child Protection;
• Recording and reporting in day notes/daily observations;
• On Call Arrangements.

In addition the home manager must ensure that:

1. Staff carrying out such duties are fully aware of each young person's particular care arrangements as detailed in the Child's Placement Plan;
2. That via a completed individual Risk Assessment such duties are commensurate with the needs and safety of both the young people and staff carrying out such duties;
3. That staff have been inducted by the manager and or senior staff in respect to duties involved in such tasks;
4. That staff always have access to "on call" support from a manger or senior;
5. That the manager and or senior staff debrief staff after carrying out such duties for the first time to clarify any outstanding matters and to be assured that it is safe for such staff to undertake such responsibilities and that such discussions are recorded in the staff's supervision notes.

Staff undertaking such duties do have a primary role for the care and protection of young people. Staff must maintain the same professional standards as are expected during the day for young people. In order to support the staff in carrying out their duties, the home manager will ensure that there are effective 'on-call' arrangements.

Home Managers should also ensure that:

• Staff members are familiar with Procedures and Guidelines;
• Staff members are familiar with individual young people's needs, as identified within their Placement Plans;
• Staff know where important telephone numbers are, for example Police, Careline, GP, Hospital etc.;
• Staff record all events as guidelines, report any concerns for example bullying, exploitation, suspected Physical Abuse and Sexual Abuse;
• Staff ensure that the building is secure (see below night time security).

In addition staff:

• Must not go into bedrooms of young people, and close the door behind them;
• When dealing with personal issues should seek staff of same sex as the young person to avoid the young person being uncomfortable and or embarrassed;
• Must avoid at all times their behaviour being interpreted as having any sexual connotation;
• Must maintain proper level of supervision of young people at all times;
• Undertaking waking night duties must not sleep on duty;

Waking night staff have a specific role within the care task. They ensure safe keeping and general well being of the young people throughout the night.

This would include:

• Carrying out a series of regular checks of the house throughout the night and record significant occurrences in the young person’s day notes and handover log;
• Attend to the needs of any young people who experience distress or difficulty sleeping etc during the course of the night.
• Dispense medication in line with set procedures and guidelines as required;
• Undertake relevant training and supervision as directed;
• Attend specific meetings as required.

Bedrooms must be respected. Staff should be aware that they represent the young person’s own personal space and integrity. Therefore they should not be intruded into or burst in upon. Staff members must always knock before they enter a young person's bedroom. Young people must never be locked in bedrooms (or indeed in any other room). Staff must respect the young person's possessions and come to know where they belong and which items it is alright to put away and which should be left as they are found. On the whole, people who do not know the young person should not be invited into bedrooms and young people should be supervised when they choose to show their bedrooms to people they do not know well. The only exception to this would be where there is a need to search a child’s room – see Searching Children/Bedrooms Procedure.

The household security measures that any member of staff would expect to take at home, therefore, also applies at work. These might typically include:

• All external windows and doors are to be locked and secure;
• All fire exits should be clear from obstruction;
• All house vehicles should be locked and secure;
• All car keys must be locked safely away;
• All toys and bikes should have been brought in from outside;
• All external buildings should be locked and secure;
• All sockets turned off;
• Internal fire doors shut;
• All offices should be locked;
• The laundry room should be locked;
• All knives and cleaning material should be locked away in appropriate cupboards;
• Bins to be emptied last thing at night;
• Door alarms to be set once all children are settled;

See: Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention Procedure.

The following security arrangements can be used to promote safety and security:

• Additional catches are fitted to bedroom windows as agreed in line with identified areas of risk;
• Young people are not to open the door to visitors or leave the building without the permission of a responsible adult;

Homes should adopt normal domestic approaches to security, including, for example, the locking of all external doors at night with the specific exception of the front door in some circumstances. The reasonable application of these practices would not constitute restriction of liberty.