9.5.2 Relationships with Children and Young People |
Contents
1. Context and Scope
The quality of the relationship, within any social care setting has always been and always will be a key factor in determining the outcome of any intervention. The legislation, guidance and regulation under the Children Act 1989, The Care Standards Act 2000 and the Children's Homes Regulations, 2011 all emphasise the need to develop safe, positive and empowering relationships with children and young people cared for in residential child care environments.
The following procedure therefore highlights the need to develop positive relationships with children and young people; in order to help achieve the appropriate balance between the care and control elements involved when they are Looked After in group living environments.
2. Procedure
| 1.0 | Young people should enjoy positive and effective relationships with staff. These should be based on honesty and respect. Staff should communicate and negotiate clear, safe personal and professional boundaries with young people, in which individual and group needs are taken account of. |
| 1.1 | All staff should be able to set and maintain safe, consistent and understandable boundaries for young people in relation to all aspects of their lives and in particular in relation to acceptable behaviour. |
| 1.2 | What constitutes acceptable behaviour should be understood and negotiated within staff supervision and team meetings. Staff should help young people develop acceptable behaviour through communication, negotiation and consistency of approach. |
| 1.3 | All staff will receive training on positive approaches to care and control issues. |
| 1.4 | In day to day decision making, staff should demonstrate an appropriate balance between:
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| 1.5 | All young people within the home should be looked after without favouritism or antipathy. |
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