Additional Measures

The Additional Measures that are approved for this Home are listed below, for a list of Non Approved Additional Measures, see Appendix 1: Non Approved Additional Measures.

The following restrictions, if placed upon a child/young person, are deemed to be an Additional Measure and must be recorded as such:

1. If not part of an agreed strategy in the child/young person’s Placement Plan the confiscation or withdrawal of a telephone or mobile phone in order to protect a child or another person from harm, injury or to protect property from being damaged. See Safe Use of the Internet, Social Media and Photographs Procedure;
2. The requirement for a child to get up or go to bed up to one hour before the normal time;
3. The 'grounding' of a child within the home, or any restriction on a child from leaving the home. Although 'grounded', a child may only be prevented from leaving the home by the use of Physical Intervention in certain circumstances. See Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention Procedure;
4. Preventing a child from being carried in a vehicle; a 'Car Ban'; even if a car ban is in place, staff can take children on essential journey's e.g. to visit parents, with the authority of the Manager;
5. Any restriction on the normal use of or undertaking of Activities or Leisure pursuits, including withdrawal or suspension of the use of a TV;
6. Loss of privileges or any requirement on a child to undertake additional/extra household chores or tasks;
7. The payment of pocket money as reparation for damage to property or theft. NB: Children may only be required to pay a maximum of 2/3 pocket money up to a maximum of six weeks for damage or theft.

Children should be informed about the range of Additional Measures that may be imposed upon them and the possible circumstances which may result in Additional Measures. This information must be provided in a Children's Guide or outlined in the Placement Plan.

We believe that the following, well-evidenced features contribute to a safe environment and in the longer term, to a positive outcome of the care experience:

• A strong sense that the adult group in the placement is stable and able to support the children and young people through their difficulties;
• A well-structured, daily routine that is known by all, coupled with a programme of purposeful activities which address the educational, social and recreational needs of the children and young people in creative and imaginative ways;
• A clear set of expectations about what is, and is not, acceptable behaviour with some idea of the consequences which certain behaviours will carry;
• Regular feedback to children/young people on the impact that their behaviour has on others and the offering of advice on how to behave in more appropriate ways;
• Offering, on a regular basis, the opportunity for young people to contribute to the decision making process and an environment which is receptive to their wishes and suggestions;
• Recognition of the importance of family in the lives of the children and young people even if relationships are painful during their stay.

Only approved Additional Measures may be imposed, as a negative consequence for unacceptable behaviour.

Additional Measures should be imposed as a last resort with the intention of encouraging acceptable behaviour or acting as a disincentive for unacceptable behaviour.

Additional Measures must never be imposed simply as a consequence of unacceptable behaviour.

Caution should be exercised to ensure that Additional Measures do not act as positive re-enforcement of unacceptable behaviour.

Before any Additional Measure is imposed staff must be satisfied of the following:

1. That the child was capable of behaving acceptably and understands what was required of him/her;
2. Other encouraging and rewarding strategies have not worked or would not work in the circumstances;
3. The Additional Measure imposed is relevant, fair and must last no longer than is absolutely necessary;
4. There is a view that the Additional Measure may encourage acceptable behaviour or act as a disincentive.

The use of Additional Measures is an effective approach when dealing with challenging behaviour within an agreed strategy. However, for the use of Additional Measures to be effective they must be issued appropriately, be relevant to the incident, and take into account age and understanding. Staff must adhere to statutory regulations relating to the use of control and discipline and ensure all Additional Measures are recorded in the home’s ‘additional measures book’ as well as the child/young person’s file. It is more effective to use realistic rewards and incentives, where possible to promote positive behaviour rather than punishing negative behaviour.

Further misbehaviour following an Additional Measure should not lead to an escalation of further Additional Measures. Staff should re-visit with the child/young person the purpose of the Additional Measure and seek alternative strategies. Whether the purpose of an Additional Measure is to stop something happening now, or reduce the likelihood of it happening in the future, the rule for additional measures is "as little as you can get away with". In the heat of the moment it is easy to get carried away with Additional Measures, particularly if a child/young person has managed to raise the staff member’s anger. The effectiveness of the Additional Measure is not dependent on its severity, but rather depends on using them appropriately as part of a planned, positive approach which includes clear expectations, boundaries and rewards.

Acceptable Additional Measures should be negotiated and agreed with the children and young people who live in the home through children’s meetings and regularly reviewed and where possible offer choice and reaching agreement on the appropriate Additional Measure. They should be specified in the Children’s Guide to the home and made clear to all children and young people when they are admitted to the home. Agreed staff responses should be documented in each child/young person’s Individual Placement Care Plan.

The Home Manager must monitor and review the use of Additional Measures and be satisfied that they are used appropriately. If an Additional Measure is part of a longer term strategy to respond to a particular aspect of child/young person’s behaviour then this would need to recorded in the child/young person’s Individual Placement Care Plan.

Additional Measures must be noted in the Daily Log, Additional Measures Record and individual child's Daily Record as soon as possible after the incident and no later than 24 hours after the event.

The Additional Measures Record must contain the following:

• The date of the incident;
• The name of the child;
• Details of the inappropriate behaviour;
• The nature of, start date and duration of the Additional Measure;
• Review date of the Additional Measure;
• The name (s) of the staff member(s) applying the Additional Measure, this should be agreed by at least 2 members of staff and ideally by the shift team;
• The record must be signed by the staff member concerned and countersigned by the Home’s Manager. Initialling is not sufficient;
• The record should also include space for the child to record their comments and add their signature and staff should support them to this;
• The record should show the effectiveness of the Additional Measure and what other strategies could have been used as an alternative;
• The record will be examined as part of the Regulation 44 Visit and signed by the person carrying out this visit and monitored by the Home’s Manager.

N.B. All Additional Measures must be overseen by a manager. Additional Measures should be an effective tool, and their use must be reviewed to take into account effectiveness of the Additional Measure imposed. The Manager must ensure that if Additional Measures prove ineffective then other alternative methods are applied.

The following Additional Measures are not approved/prohibited:

1. Any form of corporal punishment;
2. Any punishment relating to the consumption or deprivation of food or drink;
3. Any restriction, other than one imposed by a court, on a young person's contact with or visits to/from their parents, relatives or friends. Young people must be allowed access to a telephone help-line providing counselling for children and restriction may also not be made on communication with:
   • Any solicitor or other adviser or Advocate acting for the child;
   • Any officer of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service appointed for them;
   • Any social worker for the time being assigned to the young person by their Placing Authority;
   • Any person appointed in respect of a Complaints or Child Protection Investigation;
   • Any person appointed as an Independent Visitor for a young person;
   • Any person undertaking an inspection on behalf of the Regulatory Authority or authorised by them to visit/meet the young person;
   • Any person authorised by the local authority in whose area the children's home is situated.
4. Withholding basic items of clothing or requiring that the young person wear distinctive or inappropriate clothes (except when required for educational purposes or special activities);
5. The use or withholding of medication, medical or dental treatment;
6. The intentional deprivation of sleep;
7. The imposition of financial penalty (except by way of reparation);
8. Any intimate physical examination of the young person;
9. The withholding of any aids or equipment needed by a Disabled Child;
10. Any measure which involves another young person in the imposition of any measure against another young person or the punishment of a group of young people for the behaviour of an individual.