Using this Manual

Contents

1. Display and Browser Options
2. About this Manual
3. Amendments
4. Children’s Homes Regulations (including Quality Standards)
5. Keywords and National Contacts
6. Terminology
7. Printing and Retaining Copies
8. Register for Updates
9. Compliance and Copyright

1. Display and Browser Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this manual.

To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons which are on the menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.

They look like this:

2. About this Manual

This manual contains all of our key policies and procedures, listed in ‘Contents’ on the top of the screen.

When you have read this guide, start by familiarising yourself with the Contents List and the Procedures listed under each section.

You will see that our key policy statements are in Residential Child Care – Key Principles; the other sections primarily contain procedures and/or guidance.

All efforts are taken to ensure that the procedures are up to date; if you discover any errors including typing or spelling mistakes, please notify us via the ‘register for updates’ function on the top of the screen.

If you are unable to find a Procedure you require, consult your manager or use the search function on the top of the screen.

3. Amendments

This manual will be updated on a regular basis and a summary of the new and updated chapters will be located here.

This manual will be updated in November 2024.

Click here to view the details of amendments made to this manual.

4. Children’s Homes Regulations (including Quality Standards)

Most chapters contain a summary of the key Regulations (including Quality Standards) that are relevant, together with links to a web enabled version of the Standards.

5. Keywords and National Contacts

A large glossary (Keywords) of terms is available such as Notifiable Disease (try it by clicking on the highlighted text).

The intention of the keywords is twofold:

• To ensure that definitions remain accurate and consistent throughout the manual;
• To avoid cluttering the content of the chapters up with repetitive definitions.

The definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.

Many Keywords are highlighted in the body of procedures however, you can also browse the full keyword resource using the menu bar on the left hand side of the screen.

There is also a National Contacts resource populated with details of key national agencies and organisations likely to be relevant to procedures user.

6. Terminology

Key Terms 

We have tried to use consistent terminology throughout the Manual, as follows:

Home	This is a generic term which means Children's Home.
'Child' or 'Young Person'	Both of these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18.
Home’s or Registered Manager	This is the registered manager for the home, sometimes the term ‘Manager’ is used.
Line Manager	This is used to denote the first line manager for the home; the person who supervises the Home’s Manager.
Staff or Carer	Means all Staff and Carers whether employed or not.
Key Worker	Members of staff that have special responsibility for children in the home.
Parent	Means person with parent or person with Parental Responsibility.
Regulatory Authority	Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Ofsted.
Social Worker	This means the worker allocated to the child/family. If there is no allocated worker, the Duty Social Worker or Team Manager is responsible.
Placing Authority	Placing Authority means the local authority/agency responsible for placing the child or commissioning the service (usually Children's Services - see below).
Children's Services, Children's Social Care Services	All these terms are used in this manual. In effect they mean the same thing. In some areas, Children's Services still exist, but in most areas they have replaced Children's Services with Children's Social Care Services - which normally provide children's social care and education services within the local authority.
Placement Plan	The term 'Placement Plan' is the generic term meaning the home’s own plan for the child/young person. The term ‘Placement Information Record’ is an Integrated Children’s Service (ICS) record, generated by the Placing Authority.

These procedures use the word ‘must’ where the provision is a legal requirement. The word ‘should’ is used where the provision should be complied with but is not a legal requirement, such as where it is taken from non-statutory government guidance or accepted good practice.

7. Printing and Retaining Copies

The Procedures Manual should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only, via the printing options of your internet browser (usually by clicking File from the top menu, and then selecting Print, or using the keyboard shortcut 'ctrl + p').

Please note, the Procedures Manual will be updated from time to time, so you should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.

8. Register for Updates

We recommend that you register with us to automatically receive notification when the manual is updated, and be informed about the briefing papers we regularly publish. Click on the ‘Register for Updates’ button, to complete and send your details to us.

We will manage your data respectfully and in accordance with your preferences and we will never share your data with other organisations for marketing or other purposes.

9. Compliance and Copyright

Regulatory Compliance

Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager.

Copyright

The content of this manual can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of tri.x.