Rostering and Handover Procedure including Sleeping In and Night Security

1. Staffing

At the beginning of the shift the shift leader will ensure that adequate staff are present to ensure the health and safety of the young people living/staying in the Home.

2. Starting the Shift / Handover Meet

Shift leader and staff need to communicate with each of the young people at the earliest opportunity on arrival at the Home.

A documented handover meeting will be held. The shift leader finishing their shift must conduct the meeting. All staff must attend.

A Handover sheet must be completed and is signed by all staff involved within this process.

The current shift leader will allocate a member of staff, preferably ending their shift, to be with young people. If a member  from the oncoming team is asked to be with the young people, they will be briefed immediately after the handover meeting. The following should be included in the handover:

• If a member of staff has been off work, on annual leave or off sick they will be afforded time to catch up on the young person’s files and significant events etc.
• Each young person will be discussed as part of the handover process, dialogue will also be recorded to reflect discussions on their well-being, routine and any significant information that may need to be followed or acted upon.

This will also include:

• If a young person is missing;
• Changes to their care plans, risk assessments;
• Measures, rewards/incentives;
• Health- Medication that young people are taking, including a handover of medication from each shift;
• Education and any appointments;
• Other agencies appointments that may be involved with the young person;
• Serious incidents and outcomes, include notifications to Ofsted.

Any accidents reported on Work tasks to be completed:

• Appointments, contacts and meetings;
• Visitors expected;
• Activities available for the day;
• Jobs that need doing;
• Checking of petty cash.
• Daily jobs.

The shift leader will complete a shift plan for the afternoon, evening and following morning and  deploy staff to individual tasks.

The shift leader to go through the communication book and check the Home’s Diary for the next 24 hours giving consideration to appointments.

3. Handover with Young People

This should be done after the team handover and with both shift leader coming on/off duty.

Firstly, the handover will be conducted by the team member going off duty reflecting on issues which have arisen over last 24 hours: for example sorting out disagreements between two young people.

The second part should be initiated by the team member commencing duty and will involve arranging plans for the remainder of the day. The young people should talk about what they would like to do and team member s should explain if they can facilitate the request taking into consideration, appointments, residential curriculum and events. Everyone should be involved in decision making and not a delegation process.

If the young people are out of the building at the time of the handover, this should be completed with them on their return.

4. Responsibilities During the Shift

• Shift leader to be flexible completing the shift plan;
• Shift leader will consult with all staff and young people to make a decision based on what is feasible at the time and what will best meet the needs of the young people. It would be the shift leader’s responsibility to make the final decision( advice available from on call);
• Staff may need support or assistance with allocated to tasks to ensure completion;
• Shift leader to communicate information calmly to oncoming staff and de-brief;
• Inform young people at the end of the shift you are going and when you will next be on duty.

5. Petty Cash

• Petty cash is checked by the shift leader and another member of staff;
• The shift leader will have sole responsibility for the petty cash during their shift;
• Expenditure must be authorised by the shift leader and recorded.

6. Responsibilities of Waking Night Staff

1. The waking night watch must receive a thorough handover from shift leader. This should include a discussion about every young person who will be staying overnight;
2. The waking night watch would read appropriate reports concerning the previous shift and sign off to acknowledge these;
3. The waking night watch will be familiar with all procedures and arrangements concerning a young person’s diet, personal care, and behaviour, and implement them as required;
4. The waking night watch will ensure they are familiar with all arrangements with regards to each young person’s individual risk assessment, health requirements and medication and implement them as stipulated in the young person’s case files;
5. The waking night watch will treat each young person with dignity and with as much respect for their privacy as possible;
6. In the event of a fire see the Fire Safety procedure;
7. The waking night watch will manage all crisis situations in accordance with procedures. They should utilise the sleep-in staff when required during the night and will be familiar with the on call procedure;
8. The Waking Night Watch will follow the security procedures of each individual setting;
9. The waking night watch will assist to engage young people with bedtime and morning routines;
10. The waking night watch will provide verbal and written reports to the shift leader in the morning and will complete incident/accident forms as necessary.