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Contact (SIL)

Contact (SIL)

Scope of this chapter

Generally, young people aged over 16 years will not require ‘contact’ with other adults to be 'supervised' or 'supported' unless they are deemed to lack capacity to safeguard themselves or for other reasons which may deem them to be 'vulnerable'. In the event of a young person requiring 'contact' with significant others, the following policy and procedures will come into effect.

This policy concerning contact between young people being supported by (the company) and 'significant others', including parents, siblings, family, friends - has been devised in accordance with relevant legislation namely the 1989 Children Act.

We are is conscious of standards of good practice outlined by the National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC) and to this end will endeavour to ensure standards of practice relating to contact complies with the principles set out.

We are committed to the principle of promoting and ensuring positive contact between young people and significant others within the context of the paramountcy principle which puts the welfare of the young person first at all times.

We will ensure that all staff receive appropriate training, supervision, and support to enable them to ensure contact is managed in accordance with relevant directions outlined within the young person's care / pathway plan.

1. Contact

  1. Contact arrangements will be part of the contracting process with a local authority in initially planning a placement and should be regularly reviewed by all concerned, including the views of the young person, in accordance with Looked After Children requirements;
  2. Contract arrangements concerning the young person and family and/or significant others will be outlined at the young person's initial PCP Meeting and reviewed at subsequent placement reviews;
  3. Contract agreements, review, and risk assessment forms will be completed during PCP Meetings Where appropriate, we will support and/or facilitate contact arrangements in accordance with the requirements of the Local Authority/Courts. This may be at the young person's residential placement, at their home or at a venue[s] to be determined by the Local Authority and the company;
  4. Where contact is in the Supportive living placement, all steps will be taken to ensure:
    1. That the young person feels safe and comfortable with the arrangement;
    2. That the family member/visitor feels comfortable with the arrangement;
    3. That privacy is provided;
    4. That, where necessary, contact is supervised by the residential care staff, who can also contribute to an assessment of contact if this has been required;
    5. That whenever appropriate and in the interests of the child/young person, families/visitors will be encouraged to join in with the normal activities of the unit, including outings as well as unit-based activity;
    6. Any proposed contact which involves an activity with a parent/significant other will be subject to a risk assessment.
  5. Contact with the family and significant others can form an important part of the assessment process. During such contact staff will encourage the development of parenting skills through role modelling, counselling and the encouragement of participation in the young person’s daily lives and routines;
  6. Supported housing staff will generally assist with the transportation of the young person to and from a contact session within 'the community'. These venues would usually be in the immediate vicinity but if the request is for a venue which is not in the immediate vicinity, staff members should obtain permission to transport young people from their line manager;
  7. In normal circumstances, parents/family members who are scheduled to engage in contact with young people, are expected to organise their own transport to contact appointments. Staff should always consult with their Supervisor if they are directly requested to provide transport for a parent/family member. Young people and those they are having contact with, do not normally travel together for a contact session for example in the 'community' and staff should always check first with a managers before agreeing to transport a young person and their parent/family member together;
  8. Where there are contact restrictions in relation to family members, it is the Local Authority's role to inform family members of the nature and supervision of contact. Arrangements will be made at the planning stage for the strategy to be adopted in the event of a family member/significant other seeking unauthorised contact.  This is also the case if contact arrangements are changed at short notice;
  9. Where it has been deemed that face-to-face (direct) contact with family members and significant others is not appropriate, child/young people will be encouraged to co-operate with any indirect contact in accordance with the requirements within the Care / Pathway Plan. Once again any variance in contact arrangements must be communicated to relevant individuals by the social worker;
  10. Where Supportive living staff observe concerns about contact, this should be reported immediately to their line managers. Any ‘significant issues’ arising from Contact should be reported by a designated senior member of staff to the relevant Local Authority within 24 hours. The definition of 'significant issues' should be discussed with your line managers;
  11. If there are any concerns which indicate that a young person is at risk of significant harm during or as a result of contact, staff must follow procedures outlined within the Safeguarding Policy;
  12. Staff must ensure records relating to contact are completed, signed, and placed in the appropriate location within 24 hours of the session taking place. Staff should be conscious that records can be shared with a young person and others subject to our 'Access to Records' Policy. 

Last Updated: November 25, 2021

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