9.9.1 Accommodation of Children Aged Under Eight |
Contents
1. Context and Scope
The National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes builds on the Children Act 1989, in directing providers for residential child care to pay particular attention to the welfare, safety and needs for younger and therefore, potentially vulnerable, children placed in residential child care.
2. Procedure
| 1.0 | No child under 8 years of age should be Accommodated in residential care without emergency contact numbers being provided. In the event that the child’s parent or usual carers cannot, or should not, be contacted, there should always be a named person who can be contacted and, if necessary and appropriate, be able to collect the child. |
| 1.1 | If children aged 8 years and under are accommodated in residential care, then adequate staffing ratios must be in place, which are risk assessed. This needs to take into account:
A minimum of 2 staff should be on duty during children’s usual sleeping hours. |
| 1.2 | Children under 8 years of age should not share sleeping or toilet accommodation with significantly older young people, other than sibling. Any other shared arrangements are carefully supervised. |
| 1.3 | A risk assessment should be carried out with respect to the premises and any activities undertaken, in order to safeguard and minimise risks to the younger child. |
| 2.0 | There should be suitable facilities for preparation and provision of food. Where applicable, there should be suitable facilities for nappy changing. |
| 3.0 | The privacy of children requiring assistance with dressing, undressing, bathing and toileting should be respected at all times. |
| 3.1 | Whenever possible, guidance from the child’s parents or carers should be sought about the child’s usual daily, nighttime and personal routines |
| 4.0 | There should be appropriate and sensitive responses to a younger child’s personal nighttime needs that might occur due to incontinence, nightmares or wakefulness. |
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