Safety is the foundation of everything in a children’s home. It’s not just about physical protection, it’s about emotional security, legal safeguards, and an environment where children feel safe enough to trust, grow, and heal.
At Welcare, safeguarding is embedded into every part of our homes: our people, our systems, our culture.
Safeguarding in Practice
Children in residential care are often some of the most vulnerable in society. That’s why safeguarding protocols must be proactive, responsive, and regularly reviewed. At Welcare, this includes:
- Robust recruitment checks (enhanced DBS, reference checks, probationary periods).
- Ongoing staff training in child protection, emotional wellbeing, and trauma-informed care.
- Individual risk assessments for each child.
- Clear reporting procedures for any concerns or disclosures.
- Open door policy for children to raise concerns anonymously or directly.
We encourage a culture of openness and listening—because children often speak through behaviour, not words.
Legal Safeguards and Regulation
Children’s homes in England must follow a strict legal framework, including:
- Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).
- Individual risk assessments for each child.
- Clear reporting procedures for any concerns or disclosures.
- Open door policy for children to raise concerns anonymously or directly.
Homes are also subject to regular safeguarding audits, serious incident reporting, and oversight from placing local authorities.
Supervision and Monitoring
Safety means never being complacent. Welcare maintains:
- Consistent staff-to-child ratios, including waking night staff
- CCTV in shared areas (where appropriate and ethical)
- Daily handovers and logs, with recorded updates on each child’s wellbeing
- Room checks, where needed, carried out respectfully and in line with the child’s care plan
- Clinical support, ensuring trauma behaviours are understood—not punished
Supervision and Monitoring
Safety means never being complacent. Welcare maintains:
- Consistent staff-to-child ratios, including waking night staff
- CCTV in shared areas (where appropriate and ethical)
- Daily handovers and logs, with recorded updates on each child’s wellbeing
- Room checks, where needed, carried out respectfully and in line with the child’s care plan
- Clinical support, ensuring trauma behaviours are understood—not punished
Weekends and Holidays
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) for Children
In exceptional cases, where a child is at risk of serious harm to themselves or others, restrictive measures may be used. These are only ever applied:
- In line with court orders or Best Interest decisions
- Under close supervision
- With regular review and documentation
- With the aim of reducing restrictions over time
Welcare treats these safeguards with absolute seriousness and transparency, ensuring the child’s rights are never forgotten.
A Culture of Care, Not Control
Safety in children’s homes isn’t about locks and alarms, it’s about relationships. Children who feel heard and valued are less likely to put themselves at risk.
At Welcare, we build homes where children know they are safe, not just from harm, but from being forgotten, ignored, or misunderstood.
Learn more about how we protect and empower children: