Home Visit Policy and Procedure

Approved by: Adele Clark (Headteacher)
Date: 21.10.20
Last review: October 2023
Next review: October 2024         

Home Visit Policy and Procedure

Home Visit Definition:

Aims

Reasons for home visits:

Benefits

Procedures

Community Lone Working Risk Assessment Appendix 1

All home visits conducted must be authorised by the Pastoral Leader or Headteacher.  

In addition, wherever possible parents/carers/guardians (Ps/Cs/Gs) should be informed of the home visit prior to arrival, there will be exceptions to this for example a visit to confirm that an absent child is at home when Ps/Cs/Gs are not responding to telephone calls/text messages or emergency safeguarding visits.  

Home Visit Definition:  

A home visit is a visit that requires member(s) of staff to visit the home of a parent, carer, or guardian in the case of an emergency visit or a procedural visit. It is not a requirement to enter the home.

Aims  

The aim of a home visit is:  

• To establish a partnership between Ps/Cs/Gs and staff so that all parties share their knowledge about the child to enable the individual needs of the child to be met.  
• To develop and strengthen relationships with Ps/Cs/Gs for the best interests of the child.  

Reasons for home visits: 

Home visits are important in helping the school to make contact with new or hard to reach Ps/Cs/Gs. They are particularly useful as they enable the Ps/Cs/Gs to still have contact with the school, but in their own environment. Home visits are to be used when:

• Students are refusing to come into school  
• When there are attendance issues/concerns  
• When students are being educated at home  
• When all other means of contact with a family has failed  
• To meet with Ps/Cs/Gs to discuss an issue regarding their child where it is in the best interest of the child to have that discussion in their own home rather than at school or where it would be difficult for a Ps/Cs/Gs to attend school for a meeting and information needs to be shared in a face to face meeting in a timely manner.  
• To try and establish that a child is safe if they are absent from school and attempts to contact Ps/Cs/Gs have not elicited a response and we have any welfare or safeguarding concerns for the student.  
• To work with and support Ps/Cs/Gs in developing strategies to help their child attend school where attendance is an issue.  
• To collect from or drop a child off at home where there are concerns for a child’s welfare if they travelled by other means.  
• To drop off or collect work for a child when they are completing school work at home e.g. following a fixed term exclusion or medical issue.  
• To visit a child who has been off school for a period of time, for example due to a medical issue, so that they do not feel isolated from school.  
• To investigate situations when there are suspicions that someone may be on holiday contrary to earlier indications (for example when a child is not at school and reported as being ill during the same period for which a request for exceptional leave in term-time had been refused).  

Benefits  

Home visits have many benefits. For parents, carers, guardians and children, a home visit gives the opportunity to meet a key person in a setting that they are familiar and comfortable with. Other opportunities are to:  

• Establish a positive contact with a key member of staff who is supporting the child.  
• Meet family members that are important to the child.  
• Talk about the child and their needs.  

Procedures  

Before the Visit

• The aim of the home visit policy procedure is to ensure good working practice and to provide guidelines in reducing risks to member of staff when undertaking home visits.
• Be familiar with the school’s policy and procedure for home visits.  
• Be clear about the purpose of the visit (If possible and/or practical, arrange for Ps/Cs/Gs to come into the school)
• Make sure you are well informed about the subject of the visit. Collect any necessary documentation.  
• Consider who you need to see, e.g. one or both Ps/Cs/Gss, with or without the child.  
• Make sure you are well informed about the family and are aware of personal circumstances. If it is necessary for some of our more complex families, do the visit in pairs.
• Wherever possible make an appointment to establish a time convenient to the family and to ensure that everyone you want to see will be present. Either make a phone call or send a letter.  
• Refer to the ‘Lone Working & Home Visits Step Analysis of Risk Assessment’ (appendix 1)
• Before leaving, ensure the office and the pastoral lead know that you are going and have an estimated time of how long you will be out on visits.
• Ensure you have your work phone with you

During the Visit  

• If you are driving, park in a well-lit area and in a position where you do not need to reverse on leaving.  
• If you are walking be alert for anything suspicious and out of the ordinary and do not continue if you feel unsafe.  
• Dress appropriately. If you are walking, make sure you are dressed in warm clothes during the winter.
• Ensure that there are no animals before entering the property.
• Before entering the property, observe the state of the property and be alert for any dangers or suspicious activity. If you feel unsafe do not proceed.
• Introduce yourself, have identification available and explain again the purpose of the visit, carry your identification do not use a necklace lanyard.  
• Do not enter the premises unless invited in by a responsible adult. Do not enter the home during COVID and stand 2m+ away from the person opening the door.
• Do not enter the premises if invited to do so by a child that is on the premises unsupervised by a responsible adult.  
• Only speak to an adult with parental responsibility (Ps/Cs/Gs) or another responsible adult whom a P/C/G has delegated to be there in their absence and they have given us permission to speak to about the child for whom we are making the home visit.  
• Do not speak to siblings other than to ask if their P/C/G is available. Do not discuss the purpose of the visit with siblings or any other unknown young person or adult at the premises.  
• Do not go upstairs in a property unless accompanied by a responsible adult and then ONLY if you deem it completely safe to do so and necessary.  
• Do not enter a child’s/young person’s bedroom.  
• If you are concerned that a child/young person is in the home inappropriately alone/unsupervised contact the schools safeguarding team straight away to discuss your observations or to seek immediate advice from them if you are uncertain whether the child is alone/unsupervised. If appropriate the Safeguarding Lead will make a referral to social care.  
• If you feel that a child/young person is in immediate danger contact emergency services 999.  
• Assure P/C/G that you will treat anything they tell you sensitively and will only tell the head teacher or other appropriate staff. Explain that you may need to take notes during the meeting. Do not promise not to relay information to school. Remember that under the child protection procedures you must report disclosures or suspicions to the designated person for child protection.  
• Be sensitive to the culture, religion etc of the home.  
• Be professional; give professional advice and information rather than personal opinions.  
• Be sympathetic, but remain neutral. Don’t get personally involved. Be discreet but assertive about the direction of the conversation; do not gossip about the school or staff.  
• Do not stay too long. Keep to the point.  
• Do not carry large sums of money or other valuables when making a home visit.  

After the visit  

• Report back to the school on your return
• If you are not returning directly to school, telephone the school after the visit to say you have left the home visit.  
• Any Child Protection concerns arising from home visits should be discussed with the Safeguarding team on arrival back to school. This should be reported on CPOMS
• At school do not discuss individual home visits with staff who are not involved with those particular children.  
• All home visits should be reported on CPOMS

Action to take if you are threatened  

• If you are threatened or prevented from leaving stay calm and try to control the situation. Try to appear confident, speak slowly and clearly and not be enticed into an argument. Try to diffuse situation by saying you will seek advice from a senior member of staff or colleague.  
• Keep your distance, never touch or turn your back on someone who is angry.  
• If staff attend as a pair wait outside the property until all staff involved have arrived. Consider whether sending out two members of staff may escalate the difficulties.  
• If working as a pair agree a code word (safe word) or phrase to alert a colleague that you need assistance or should leave.  
• The same code word should be used if you contact school to alert them that you are in danger and need support.  
• Staff must leave the property and reach a place of safety if you have any concerns about personal safety and inform school immediately.  
• After  
• Report back in school.
• If you are not returning directly to school, telephone the school after the visit to say you have left the residence.  If you are concerned about your safety do not visit.  

It is strongly recommended that no one makes an evening home visit.  

Safe word: To be agreed with office- pastoral staff and SLT

Community Lone Working Risk Assessment Appendix 1

WORK ACTIVITY RISK ASSESSMENT  

Task being undertaken: - Lone Working Risk Assessment – out of office  

Occupations:-. All Staff  

Any vulnerable persons particularly at risk:- Safeguarding team aware of named visit  

Date of assessment:- Any