Key Worker Guidance

1. Management of Key Workers

The home's registered manager is responsible for ensuring that each child and young person has a dedicated Key Worker who will build a positive and constructive relationship with the them (preferably the key worker should be appointed prior to admission for pre-admission visits, or certainly upon admission for the child or young person's introduction to the home). Some of our homes will operate a model where an individual child or young person will have two keyworkers.

The registered manager should ensure that all Key Workers are suitably trained and fully competent to carry out the duties required of them. They may hold champion roles and will receive specialist training to understand and meet the individual needs of the child or young person who they support.

Ideally, the Key Worker should remain consistent throughout the child or young person's time at the home; however, the registered manager may decide that the Key Worker for a child or young person should change if:

1. The child or young person complains that the relationship is not working;
2. The member of staff leaves the employment of the home or is likely to be on a long term absence;
3. The member of staff is unable to establish a positive relationship;
4. The registered manager believes that the relationship is not in the best interests of the child, young person or member of staff.

The registered manager should ensure that Key Workers are properly supervised and offered support and guidance for this role.

2. The Role of the Key Worker - General

All staff have a duty to each child and young person living in the home regardless of their role.

A Key Worker is a named member of staff who has a central role in respect of a particular child or young person.

A Key Worker's areas of responsibility are broad, and involve getting to know the child or young person well, developing a close and trusting relationship, including a detailed knowledge of their history and the details of their lives. It is also important to get to know other individuals and service providers involved with the wider care of the child or young person.

Responsibilities of the Key Worker include:

• Acting as a positive role model;
• Continual assessment of the needs of the child or young person;
• Supporting the important links and relationships that our children and young people have with their families and local community, and promoting positive family time where permitted;
• Establishing guidelines for behaviour so that the child or young person understands their ground and so that both child or young person and staff understand the expectations of their relationship;
• Providing emotional and relational support;
• Creating a safe and happy environment in which to live, so that the child or young person feels cared for, nurtured, and can enjoy their childhood;
• Helping children and young people to access education, health, and leisure services;
• Providing advice on independent living to young people who are about to move on from our care;
• Overseeing the placement planning and recording systems for the child or young person, contributing to their meetings, and advocating on their behalf when required;
• Collating information required for the child or young person's statutory meetings.

The Key Worker should be the main co-ordinator of multi-agency services for the child or young person. They should help other staff follow the agreed approaches and care strategies set out in the Placement Plan. They should also help to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of each of the services.

Wherever possible, the Key Worker should be involved in visits prior to the child or young person moving in, so as to become a familiar face who will be present when they do.

During the early stages following the child or young person moving in to the home, the Key Worker should help them settle in and make sure they have a copy of the Children's Guide and understand the house rules and expectations.

The Key Worker should ensure that all the child or young person's records and recording systems are adequately set up and that recording is regularly taking place.

The Key Worker, supported by the rest of the staff team, should assist the child to maintain social, recreational, cultural and religious links through daily living activities inside and outside the home.

3. Key Worker Guidance

3.1 Being there for the child or young person

Being there each morning (or making sure someone is doing it for you); checking that their bedroom is tidy, that there are clean and properly ironed clothes to wear, that s/he has had a wash, brushes their hair and teeth, and are fully ready for the day ahead.

Talking to the child or young person to make sure that s/he understands what is planned for the day.

If there are meetings, appointments or court appearances planned, talk through how these will go, possible issues etc. Raise any risks or concerns with your Line Manager or supervisor.

Being there during the day by taking a regular interest in the child or young person's health needs, including appointments with the dentist, doctors, and opticians, or any specialist appointments or sessions.

Make sure the child or young person has adequate clothing - bought, cleaned, dried and ironed. Ensure that they are supported to maintain personal hygiene and that you model aspirations for their positive self-image and confidence.

Bedrooms should be kept clean, personalised (the child or young person should have demonstrable input into the personalisation of their room), in a good state of repair and be well equipped; there should be adequate facilities for personal belongings and clothes to be stored away and kept safe. They should have a secure safe, or similar, in which to keep personal items. Any items that staff may have removed, due to a crisis or perhaps purposeful damage, should be returned or replaced as soon as it is practical and safe to do so.

Children and young people in our care can sometimes feel vulnerable and frightened. Some have experience of feeling bullied, and some will have experienced abuse and neglect. The role of the Key Worker is to be there for them, to champion their views, wishes and feelings, and to care, provide reassurance and to listen to their worries. You will work with them to help them find comfort or solutions.

The Key Worker must build a highly developed and specialist understanding of the child or young person, including their file, background and family details; know their interests and hobbies; encourage them to take part, join clubs etc; find out what makes them happy, sad and angry; what frightens or worries them. Try to ease or reduce their concerns by offering advice, guidance or direction.

The Key Worker/s will plan at least one individual session with the child or young person each week, (see Section 4, Planning and Recording a Key Worker Session) and use this as an opportunity to talk about how s/he is doing, address any issues, talk through possible ways to behave differently and plan for the short and medium term etc.

Being there at night:

Bed or night times can be a difficult time for all children and some young people, not just those in our care, as it is a time when children and young people will reflect, be alone and may show anxiety about what has happened that day or in the past. Children and young people may show anxiety about what lies ahead in the morning or regarding plans for their future. The Key Worker should spend time with the child or young person, helping them to identify and come to terms with their feelings and emotions. You must do what you can to ease or reduce fears or worries by talking to them in a positive and supportive way, and also by alerting colleagues to the child or young person's feelings, identifying how this might affect their behaviours and giving advice about how to deal with potential problems.

When settling down for bed it is also useful to complete practical tasks, like making sure s/he has clean clothes for the next day, toiletries and a clean towel, that s/he knows what is going on the next day, that they feel involved, and that any plans have been discussed that may be in place for the short term.

Being there day-to-day:

Plan for the future by remembering birthdays and anniversaries or special occasions and make them special for the child or young person. Some anniversaries may be a cause of sadness or reflection.

Help them to maintain positive links with their family, significant people in their lives and friends by planning ahead for important dates that may have a relevance, such as birthdays, anniversaries and other significant events in their lives.

Keep all the other staff informed and up to speed about what is happening in their life.

The Key Worker must be an effective advocate for the child or young person, working to ensure that fellow team and wider care team members are regularly updated on their views, wishes and feelings. On occasion, you will speak up for the child or young person, but this should only be once you have ascertained their own views, wishes and feelings. You will empower them through this process, and they will feel an element of control and influence of their own care planning as a result. They will feel listened to, heard and valued.

The Key Worker will develop a professional relationship with the Independent Reviewing Officer who is allocated to the child or young person.

The Key Worker will make sure the child or young person is regularly involved with any proposed changes which are happening in their lives, both at the home, in education, in their overall plan, with the social worker and at home with their family.

You are responsible for the child even when you aren't there. If issues need to be dealt with when you are off duty make sure you inform the registered manager or colleagues. If you are likely to be away on leave, then please plan; the child or young person should have no doubts or anxieties regarding who will be there to support them and direct their care in your absence.

3.2 Health Care

The Key Worker must actively promote the health and wellbeing of the child or young person and enable them to learn about healthy living.

In doing so they should liaise with key health professionals, including the Named Nurse for Looked After Children, the child's GP, optician, and dental practitioner. The child or young person may also receive services from our Full Circle therapeutic team or, for example, Forensic Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS).

The Key Worker should ensure that the physical, emotional and health needs of the child or young person are identified, and appropriate action is taken to ensure the medical, dental, and other health services needed to meet them are in place.

Children and young people should be provided with guidance, advice and support on health and personal care issues which are appropriate to their age, needs and wishes.

The Key Worker must ensure that relevant health care procedures in this manual are adhered to, in particular, that the child or young person is registered with a GP and has access to a Dentist and Optician, and that they have a Health Care Plan that is within review. See the following procedures:

• Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedure;
• Health and Wellbeing, Health Notifications and Access to Services Procedure.

3.3 Education Achievement

The Key Worker is responsible for promoting the educational achievement of the child or young person and liaising with education professionals. See the Education Procedure.

This may include ensuring that the child or young person is:

• Provided with facilities within the home that support study and the completion of homework;
• Given help and encouragement with homework and provided with specialist tuition where necessary;
• Provided with reading support where needed;
• Encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities, clubs and hobbies;
• Encouraged to discuss any problems they may have at school, with the necessary privacy to do so;
• Encouraged to regularly attend.

Key Workers may be required to attend parent evenings and other school events with or without the child or young person. The Key Worker should ensure that they are receiving all the necessary information and literature regarding events that effect the child or young person's education. These duties should be carried out with the purpose of strengthening home/school links and improving the child's educational outcomes. This will be helped by the developing of positive professional relationships with the child or young person's teacher and the pastoral lead at the school or college.

3.4 External Contacts

Key Workers need to keep themselves and their child or young person in touch with interested parties outside the home. Weekly updates for social worker, for example, and reports for statutory meetings will be a key responsibility.

Family contact - are there any court-imposed responsibilities or restrictions on family time? Is the child or young person able to call or write to their family? Build a relationship with the family where this is appropriate and permitted.

Family home visits - are there any restrictions? Should they be supervised or otherwise accompanied in line with the agreed safety plan and any directions from the court regarding 'contact'?

Social workers – the Key Worker must keep them regularly (weekly) informed of the progress of the child or young person, and any significant events, milestones or achievements, building up a strong working relationship. Key Workers may also occasionally be required to ensure that social workers visit the child or young person as frequently as is necessary (see Social Worker Visits Procedure).

Education - even when this is provided 'on-site' it should be seen as an external relationship needing your attention. The child or young person's school need to be informed and aware of issues, and you should be equally aware of how the child is getting on at school (also see Section 3.3, Educational Achievement). The Key Worker should therefore develop a keen knowledge of the child or young person's cognitive and educational needs, including those detailed in their PEP or EHCP, and should work closely with key educational staff, including the virtual school where necessary, to ensure the child or young person's attendance is assured.

Specialist/expert support and guidance: If the child or young person needs additional support or guidance from specialists or experts (for example, regarding substance misuse, budgeting, sexual health etc.), talk to your manager or the social worker about how it can be obtained. When support has been identified the Key Worker needs to ensure that arrangements are made for the child or young person to access this support. It is the Key Worker's role where necessary to ensure a review takes place and to ensure any changes to the child or young person's care are agreed with relevant others and to make the necessary amendments to the records.

3.5 Complaints

The Key Worker must ensure the child or young person understands how the Complaints Procedures work, that s/he has a copy of the authority's complaints procedure and is confident enough to use the procedures if necessary. The Key Worker should check to ensure that sufficient, age-appropriate detail is provided in the Children's Guide to support the child or young person to be heard, and that how to complain or raise issues is covered in regular young people's meetings. They should also ensure that their child or young person has age-appropriate information regarding the independent advocacy service and the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England.

It is the Key Worker's responsibility to ensure the child or young person has a current copy of the Children's Guide and other information produced by the home for children and young people, and to ensure that the child or young person is fully conversant with the Fire Precautions and is aware of fire exits.

If there are particular requirements or needs emanating from the child or young person's Care Plan, Health Care record or Placement Plan (e.g., information on substance misuse, budgeting, sexual health), make sure this is obtained and provided in a form which is accessible and understandable to the child or young person.

3.6 Paperwork, Files, Placement Plans and Daily Records

The Key Worker must ensure that records and the child or young person's files / electronic records are up to date and well organised. The Key Worker must ensure that any risk assessments or safety plans remain commensurate with identified need, and that they are regularly reviewed so that they are relevant and do not become restrictive or punitive.

The child or young person's Placement Plan must also be regularly reviewed and kept up to date, ensuring it is relevant to the child or young person's interests and needs. Wherever possible, the child or young person should have a copy of this placement plan, relevant to their age and understanding, so that they can agree with and understand the goals and milestones during their journey in our care.

The Key Worker must ensure that the child or young person's file is kept up to date; in particular, that relevant/current copies of the following records are contained within it:

• Care Plan and, where relevant, a Pathway Plan;
• The home's internal Placement Plan;
• Chronology;
• Health Care Assessment/Health Care Plan;
• Education, Health and Care Plan, Personal Education Plan;
• Risk Assessments and Safety Plans;
• Any other specialist health care or educational reports or plans;
• Detail regarding any court orders, including any agreed plan for family time.

4. Planning and Recording a Key Worker Session

Key working sessions provide you with a chance to observe the child or young person, assess their progress, develop your relationship and identify and resolve any problems etc.

You must arrange a Key Worker session with your child or young person as soon as possible after s/he is placed and then at minimum weekly intervals thereafter.

The overall purpose of Key Worker sessions is to discuss progress, resolve and concerns or problems and note positive achievements.

There are various ways to do this, either formally in a meeting or informally whilst undertaking an activity. Subsequent Key Worker reports should be child-centred, relational and provide the child or young person with a positive and reflective account of their time in our care.

PLAN AHEAD: It is not exhaustive, but this is a list of things you should do in planning a Key Worker session:

• Plan ahead, talk to the child or young person and build time into your week when it will be suitable to conduct a Key Worker session;
• It is important that the child or young person feels comfortable, so consider which they might prefer: a formal meeting or informal, for example during a journey or an activity;
• Plan the meeting or activity in advance, arrange for petty cash etc.
• Inform the child or young person of the date, time and where you will be having the meeting;
• Ask the child or young person to think about any issues s/he wants to talk about;
• What is the purpose of the session? Dealing with specific issues, behaviours or problems, planning for a review or court appearance, developing ideas for the future, talking about the past;
• Think through (with your manager or senior residential worker as required) what you need to deal with and talk about and how you can make it work;
• If planning a first session, as soon as possible after the child or young person moving into their home, make sure all the basics are in place:
  • That the child or young person understands why they have moved, and the proposed timescales (if any or relevant) for their stay in our care;
  • That a Placement Plan has been completed or a date for completion is set (go through the Placement Plan with the child or young person wherever possible, identify any areas of concern or subsequent actions or queries for the wider care team);
  • That the child or young person has a copy of the home's Children's Guide or other relevant information;
  • That the child or young person is fully aware of the Fire Precautions;
  • That s/he has necessary toiletries, clothing, bedding, towels etc.
  • That the child or young person is supported to share any concerns or questions, in creative ways if need be, so that they can be reassured and feel safe.
• At the first meeting or soon after, agree or set some boundaries or rules about how you will conduct your sessions. For example, that you will meet once a week, that you can't always offer confidentiality, but you will keep information safe, that you will be keeping a record, that you will be on time, what sort of meeting would suit: formal or activity based (if so what kinds of activity);
• If you need to support the child or young person to manage behaviours or anxieties which are linked to fear or prior trauma, think carefully about how to provide this support. The child is the expert of their own experience, and their feelings need to be understood and validated;
• Relationships take time and change is always difficult, so don't try to do too much too soon. It will be important to move at the pace of the child or young person, and not at your own;
• The child or young person may try to reject or avoid you. Don't take this personally; talk to your manager if you need support or guidance. The child or young person may not have held a trusting relationship with an adult for some years, and the responsibility is yours to develop and nurture this trust;
• Start small, and always concentrate on the positives. Children and young people in our care can find it very difficult to trust new people, and perhaps adults in general, and the responsibility is ours to find the best way to communicated and to develop this crucial, trusting relationship;
• If you have any concerns about a child or young person's safety or wellbeing, express these concerns to them and then seek guidance from your manager.