Recording policy

It’s for all employees working in children’s services.

• Service user recording or case recording is the written account of Barnardo's work with, or on behalf of, an individual, their family and/or carers.  It is a vital part of our work.
• Recording must be accurate, appropriate and timely with all sources of information identified. Recording should be completed at the same time as case work progresses. 
• Recording will be held electronically in Content Server, on paper files (where appropriate and cross-referenced to the electronic file). It can sometimes be stored on another organisation’s system with agreement.
• This document includes information about how to set up new members of staff and beginning recording, creating case files, recording assessments and detailing third-party information.

• Assistant directors/assistant heads of business are responsible for make sure that operational managers are fully aware of their role and responsibility in relation to recording, quality assuring recording practice through sampling and service quality assessments and driving improvements in recording practice. 
• Operational managers are responsible for making sure that service staff and volunteers are fully aware of their role and responsibility in relation to recording, quality assuring practice through sampling and case file sign offs and driving improvements in recording practice. 
• Service employees and volunteers are responsible for making sure that recording is undertaken within the parameters of the recording policy. 
• Employees working in NHS contracted services should follow specific data quality procedures.

The Recording Policy acknowledges that there are some requirements that are service specific and one size does not fit all. The Service Recording Protocol provides a record of services' specific requirements, which have been agreed by the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS). This must be discussed with all staff so that they can understand what is required of them and will be used as a baseline when monitoring performance and compliance with organisational policy.