You will see that our key policy statements are in Residential Child Care - Key Principles; the other sections primarily contain procedures and/or guidance.

All efforts are taken to ensure that the procedures are up to date; if you discover any errors, including typing or spelling mistakes, please notify us via the 'register for updates' function at the top of the screen.

If you are unable to find a Procedure you require, consult your manager or use the search function at the top of the screen.

2. Amendments

This manual will be updated regularly, and a summary of the changes can be accessed via the 'Amendments' button on the Home page.

If you would like to suggest a change to the procedures manual, discuss your suggestion with your line manager in the first instance.

3. Local Resources

This manual includes a local resources section, accessible via the navigation bar. This library is populated and maintained locally. If you think there is a resource that should be added, talk to your manager in the first instance.

4. Children's Homes Regulations (including Quality Standards)

Most chapters contain a summary of the key Regulations (including Quality Standards) that are relevant, together with links to a web-enabled version of the Standards.

5. Glossary and National Contacts

The manual is accessed by readers who may encounter unfamiliar terms. Therefore, a glossary of definitions is available via the 'Glossary' button on the Home page.

There is also a National Contacts resource populated with details of key national agencies and organisations likely to be relevant to procedure users.

6. Terminology

6.1 Key Terms

We have tried to use consistent terminology throughout the Manual, as follows:

Home	This is a generic term that means "Children's Home."
'Child' or 'Young Person'	Both these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18
Home's or Registered Manager	This is the registered manager for the home; sometimes the term 'Manager' is used.
Line Manager	This is used to denote the first line manager for the home; the person who supervises the Home's Manager.
Staff or Carer	Means all Staff and Carers, whether employed or not
Key Worker	Members of staff who have special responsibility for children in the home.
Parent	Means a person with a parent or a person with Parental Responsibility
Regulatory Authority	Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services, e.g. Ofsted
Social Worker	This means the worker is allocated to the child/family. If there is no allocated worker, the Duty Social Worker or Team Manager is responsible.
Placing Authority	Placing Authority means the local authority/agency responsible for placing the child or commissioning the service (usually Children's Services - see below).
Children's Services, Children's Social Care Services	All these terms are used in this manual. In effect, they mean the same thing. In some areas, Children's Services still exist, but in most areas they have been replaced by Children's Social Care Services, which normally provide Children's Social Care and education services within the local authority.
Placement Plan	The term 'Placement Plan' is the generic term meaning the home's own plan for the child/young person. The term 'Placement Information Record' refers to an Integrated Children's Service (ICS) record generated by the Placing Authority.

7. Regulatory Compliance

Every effort has been made to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or omissions, please alert your manager.

8. Register for Updates

We recommend that you register with us to receive automatic notifications when this manual is updated. Click on the 'Register for Updates' button on the home screen to complete and send your details to us.

We will manage your data respectfully and in accordance with your preferences, and we will never share your data with other organisations for marketing or other purposes.

9. Copyright

The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, temporarily, for personal study or reference purposes. Content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of tri.x and Cheshire East Council.

10. Accessibility

This website aims to achieve Double-A conformance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in accordance with government guidelines.

11. Printing and Retaining Copies

The Manual is intended to be viewed online to ensure that only the most up-to-date version of the procedures is used. However, there will be times when hard copies of chapters will need to be printed—the printer icon in the top-right corner of every page links to the printer setup page.

12. Translation

This manual has a link to Google Translate at the bottom of the Welcome Page. This allows the manual to be translated into 249 languages and language varieties.

13. Browser Recommendations

It is recommended that this manual be viewed with the latest browsers, with JavaScript and cookies enabled for maximum compatibility and functionality.

Recommended browsers are:

14. Mobile/Tablet Compatibility

This manual has been tested on a variety of mobile devices to ensure that it displays correctly. If you are using an older mobile device, the manual may not display correctly.

If you would like the text to be larger, resize the text under accessibility options. Alternatively, if you would also like the buttons and the rest of the layout enlarged, you can use your browser's zoom function.

The majority of devices have the functionality to download a shortcut to the home screen by loading the site with the 'url', using the upload function, and tapping 'Add to Home Screen'. The functionality may vary between devices; please refer to the manufacturer's instructions.

Last Updated: January 9, 2026

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