Regulation 44 Visits / Independent Visits
Changing Outcomes Reg 44 Visitor Service
Our Regulation 44 visits are carried out in line with our mission statement. They’re designed to be both inspiring and supportive in nature, enabling our clients to establish and maintain outstanding levels of care. Changing Outcomes’ Reg 44 reports cover all of the quality standards and individual case records are examined in conjunction with the home’s wider documentation. Our visitors will look to triangulate information before arriving at an opinion and strive to be the home’s critical friend.
What is a Reg 44 Visit?
A Regulation 44 Visit is an independent inspection that takes place once per month in all residential children’s homes. The inspector will visit the home in person to check that it is safe and suitable for children and young people to live there. This ensures that children’s homes are providing a healthy and happy environment to live in. This also includes ensuring that children have the ability to have their say and that their feedback is heard.
What is the Role of a Reg 44 Visitor?
The independent visitor must visit the children’s home once a month and should be supported by the registered person and/or other staff to conduct it thoroughly. Assistance may be needed for aspects such as interviewing consenting children, parents, relatives, and employees of the home, as well as for inspecting the premises and the home’s records (excluding child case records without consent). These visits may be unannounced.
After the visit, the independent person must produce a report that sets out their opinion as to whether the children are effectively safeguarded and if the conduct of the home promotes the children’s wellbeing. The report can also recommend actions that the registered person can take in relation to the home and timescales within which they must decide to take these actions.
Once the independent person’s report is complete, the independent person must also provide a copy of the report to:
- HMCI
- Upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located.
- The placing authorities of children.
- The registered provider and manager.
- The responsible individual (if one is nominated).
How is a Regulation 44 Visitor Appointed?
The registered provider must appoint an independent person to visit and report on the children’s home at their own expense. The registered person is responsible for ensuring that the appointment of the independent person does not give rise to a conflict of interest that would, or appear to, compromise the person’s ability to reach a rigorous and impartial judgement of the quality of the home’s care.
The skills, experience, and professional background of the Regulation 44 visitor in undertaking work of a similar nature for example, is an important factor when assessing their ability to effectively make a rigorous and impartial judgement.
Why Choose Changing Outcomes?
We take every effort to ensure our Regulation 44 visitors have the skills and understanding to relate to children within the home, assess all relevant information, and form an impartial judgement about the quality of the home’s care.
Our Reg 44 reports cover all of the quality standards, as well as a monthly theme. The theme is often driven by changes in legislation and/or areas that are being focussed on by Ofsted and is a feature which our children’s home providers find invaluable.
Each of our clients is looked after by our Managing Director who helps to ensure that all of our reports are of the highest quality, that visitors are appropriately matched to the needs of the home, and that cover is provided in emergencies / when a change of visitor is deemed to be beneficial. We strive to have positive relationships and open dialogue with all of our children’s homes, and nothing gives us greater joy than watching them thrive.
For more information on our Reg 44 service, get in touch with a member of our team.
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If you want to work with children’s home consultants who go the extra mile to ensure children receive the best care possible, get in touch with us today.
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