April2016

Author: Reviewed by RuthFrance / Last updated: 30th April2016
Next update: April2017

POLICYONRELATIONSHIPSBETWEEN:

  • CHILDREN/YOUNGPEOPLEANDSTAFF
  • CHILDREN/YOUNGPEOPLE
  • MEMBERSOFSTAFF

1.0Introduction

1.1Thepurposeofthispolicyistoprovideclarificationandguidanceformembersofstaffwhoworkwithchildrenandyoungpeopleinresidentialchildren’shomeswithregardtosupportingthedevelopmentofappropriaterelationshipswithinthehome.

2.0Aims and principles of policy

2.1AllmembersofstaffworkinginKnowsleyChildrenandYoungPeople’sTargetedServiceswillmaintaina safe,caringandnurturingenvironmentwith a consistentprofessionalapproachtochildrenandyoungpeople’scareatalltimes.

2.2Childrenandyoungpeoplemayhavehistoricallyhadnegativerelationshipswiththosewhotheyloveor,thosewithwhomtheyhavecomeintocontact.Itisthereforeourresponsibilityascorporateparentstoshowchildrenandyoungpeoplethattheyarevaluedandrespectedbythepeoplewhonowcareforthem.

2.3Residentialworkersmustdevelopanunderstandingwiththechildren/youngpeoplethatallrelationshipsarebuiltonrespect,honestyandtrust. Within this they should enable young people to become resilient.

2.4Atalltimesstaffwillensuretheygivethechild/youngpersonrespect,listeningtotheiropinionsandpointsofviewandshowing them a courteous response.

2.5Whencaringforanychild/youngpersonstaffmustremembertorespecttheirprivacyanddignityatalltimes.

2.6Itisexpectedthatallstaffandchildren/youngpeoplewilltreatallthosewholiveorworkwithinthehomewithrespectatalltimesregardlessoftheirrace,religion,sexualorientationoranydisability.

3.0Rightsandresponsibilitiesofchildren/youngpeople

3.1Allchildren/youngpeoplehavetheright:

  • Tobetreatedwithdignityandrespect
  • Tohavetheirprivacyrespected
  • Tohaveopportunitiestomakefriends,toloveandbeloved
  • Toequalrightsandresponsibilitieswithregardtotheirpersonalrelationshipsappropriatetotheir ageandunderstanding
  • Nottobeabusedand/orexploited
  • Tobeprovidedwithprotectionappropriatetotheirage,needsandabilities
  • Nottohaveotherpeople’sattitudes/values imposed upon them
  • Toexpresstheirviewsandtohavetheseviewsheard,valuedandactedupon
  • Tosayno
  • Toenvironmentswhichvaluetheirprivacyanddignity
  • Onacontinualbasis,todevelop,learnandhaveaccesstoinformationaboutthemselves,humandevelopmentandemotionsatalevelandpaceappropriatetotheirneedsandabilities
  • Tothesamebasicrightsasothercitizensofthesameageandcountrywithinthecontextofpeople’sownculturalandreligiousbeliefs
  • Todecidewhotheysharepersonalinformationwith.

3.2Alongsidetheserightschildren/youngpeoplehaveresponsibilityto:

  • Be respectful and considerate of other children/young people and adults withwhom they have contact
  • Considerthe implications andpossibleconsequencesoftheiractionsforthemselvesandothers.

4.0Relationshipsbetweenstaffandchildren/youngpeople

4.1Itistheresponsibilityofallmembersofstaffworkinginthechildren’shometomaintainclearboundariesinalltheirrelationshipswithchildrenandyoungpeople.

4.2Clearexpectationsandboundarieswillbediscussedattheinitialadmissionprocesssothechildren/youngpeopleknowwhatisexpectedofthemandwhattheycanexpectfrom the staff.

4.3Children/youngpeoplewillbeencouragedtotakeintoaccountsthepointsofviewofothers.

4.4Ifitisthoughtthatthechild/youngpersonmayhaveinappropriatefeelingstowardsamemberofstaffitisadvisedthatnophysicalcontacttakesplaceandanyapproachestothestaffmemberarerecorded.

4.5Thechild/youngperson’swishesmustberespectedatalltimeswhenraisingdiscussions about relationships.

4.6Nochild/youngpersonshouldbesingledoutorfavoredbyanystaffmember,andthebuyingofgiftsforthechildren/youngpeoplemustbeinlinewithKnowsleyBoroughCouncilguidanceonbuyingandreceivinggifts.

4.7Children/youngpeoplemustnotbetakento the home of anystaff member, atanytime.

4.8Anydisagreementsbetweenstaffandchildren/youngpeoplewillbedealtwithinaprofessionalmanner,andifrequestedacomplaintformprovidedandthecomplaintsprocedurefollowed.

5.0Personalrelationshipsbetweenstaff

5.1Itisappreciatedthatmeeting a partneratworkmayoccasionallyhappen.

5.2ShouldthisoccurwithintheresidentialsettingtheRegisteredManagerwillneedtobeinformedsoappropriateprecautionscanbetakentoprotectallconcerned.KnowsleyBoroughCouncilChildrenandYoungPeople’sTargetedServicesrequestthisinformationbecause:

  • Whentwopeopleareinvolvedinarelationshiptheymayspendmoretimetogetherthanwiththechildren/youngpeople, however unintentional.
  • Evidencehasshownthatpeopleinarelationshipmayalsobereluctanttoreportinappropriatepracticebytheirpartner,thereforeputtingthechildren/youngpeopleat risk.

5.3Failure to report such relationshipsmay resultin disciplinary action.

5.4SimilarconcernsexistalsowhenmembersofthesamefamilymaybeemployedbyChildrenandYoungPeople’sTargetedServicesandthesamerequirementsandprecautions to protectallconcernedapply.

5.5Friendshipsandcontactbetweenstaffmembersmustremainonaprofessionalbasisduringworkinghours,andtheappropriatenessoftopicsofconversationrelatingtopersonalissuesneedstobeconsidered.

6.0Personalrelationshipsbetweenchildren/youngpeople

6.1Aspartofachild/youngperson’sdevelopment,theymaybecomeattractedtoanotherchild/youngpersonwithinthehome.Itistheresponsibilityofstafftosafeguardandpromotethewelfareofchildren/youngpeopleincare,includingsupportingaccesstoadvice,informationandcontraceptiveservices.Ref:CICProcedures-Promotingthe HealthofChildreninCare.

6.2Ifachild/youngpersonasksquestionswithreferencetorelationshipsandsex,staffwillneedtogiveappropriateanswers,whichwillbedependentonthechild/youngperson’sage,stageofdevelopmentandunderstanding.

6.3Children/youngpeoplewhoareunsureoftheirsexualityshouldbegivenadviceandsupport,andnotbecomethetopicofridiculeorhumour.

6.4Therisksassociatedwithchildren/youngpeoplebeingtogetherinabedroommustbeassessedbeforeitisallowed.Whereitisallowed,thedoorshouldalwaysbekeptopenwhiletheyaretogether.

7.0Sexuality

7.1Itisimportanttobeawareofissuesregardingsexualitywhenworkingwithchildrenandyoungpeopleincare.Thiscanbeaparticularlysensitiveareaforachild/youngpersonandsocareandsensitivityareessentialwhenapproachingthisissue.

7.2Givethechild/youngpersonspaceandtimetoshareinformationabouttheirsexuality.Trynottoputwordsintheirmouthabouthowthey arefeeling.

7.3Beawareofconfidentialityissuesifachild/youngpersontellsyousomething.Itmaybepossiblethattheydonotwanttheirfamilytoknow.Thereforetakecarewhenwritingthemonthlyreport.

7.4Beawareofgroupswithinotherorganisationsthatcanofferhelp,supportandcounsellingtochildren/youngpeoplewhomayneedthis.

7.5Itisimportanttoreassurethechild/youngpersonthatitisusualtohavefeelingsofuncertaintyabouttheirsexualityandemphasise that staff are theretosupportthem.

7.6Theremaybeissuesregardingcross-dressing. This needs to be carefully addressed inthechild/youngperson’splacementplan.Abalanceisneededbetweenenablingthemtocrossdresswhilstalsobeingawareofthepossibleresponseofotherchildren/youngpeoplewholiveinthehome.Thiscouldbeadifficultsubjectforsomechildren/youngpeopletodealwithandseeinganotherchild/youngpersondressedinadifferentwaymaycausetension.Carefulmonitoringisneededtoreducethepotentialforbullying.

7.7Whateverachild/youngpersonshareswithstaffabouttheirsexuality,anon-judgmentalapproachshouldbetakenandanyfurtherdiscussionsanddirectworkshouldbeatthechild/youngperson’space.

8.0Workingwithparentsandcarers

8.1Whenchildren/youngpeopleareadmittedintocareitcanbeaverytraumatictimeforthechild/youngpersonandtheirfamily.Somefamilymemberswillhavefeelingsofguilt,anxiety,fear,andinsomecasesresentmenttowardsChildren’sTargetedServices.Asprofessionals,weneedtoacknowledgeandempathisewithsomeofthedifficultiestheymaybeexperiencingandfeelingstheymayhaveandrespondappropriately to them.

8.2Weneedtoworkinpartnershipwithparentsandcarerstopromotepositiverelationshipsbetweenthechildren/youngpeopleandtheirfamilies.Anyrelevantinformationthereforeneedstobesharedwiththemandtheyshouldbeincludedindecisions affecting their child/children,whenappropriate.

8.3Parents,carersandfamilymembersmustbetreatedwithrespectanddignityatalltimesandvisitorsareexpectedtorespectallchildren/youngpeople,staffandothervisitorsatalltimes.

8.4Iftherearenoissuesrelatingtocontact,allfamilymembersandfriendsarewelcomeinthehome.Visitstothehomearenotrestrictedtovisitinghours,howevervisitorswillbeaskedtogiveadvancenoticebymakingarrangementswithstaffofwhentheyintendtovisit.Residentialstaffhavetherighttorefuseadmissionifavisitorarrivesat aninappropriateorinconvenienttimeorifitisfelttheyareundertheinfluenceofdrugsoralcohol.

8.5Anyformofabuse,verbalorphysical,towardschildren/youngpeopleorstaffwillnotbetolerated.Ifthissituationarisesthevisitorwillbeaskedtoleaveandifnecessarythepolicewillbecalled.

8.6Visitorsareexpectedtorespectproperty andanyintentionaldamagemustbepaidfor.

9.0Relationshipswithparentsandcarers

9.1Relationshipsbetweenstaffandparents/carersmustbeonaprofessionalbasisatalltimes.

9.2Staffshouldnotprovidepersonaldetails,suchasaddressesandhomephonenumberstoparents/carersandshouldnothavecontactwiththemoutsideofthehomeanditsactivitiesoutsideoftheir working hours.

9.3Anystaffmemberestablishingapersonalrelationshipwithaparent/carerwhilstemployedbyChildrenandYoungPeople’sTargetedServicesandwhilstthechild/youngpersonandfamilyarereceivingservicesfromChildrenandYoungPeople’sTargetedServices,maybesubjecttodisciplinaryprocedures.

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