Why Daily Recordings Matter: More Than Just Filling in a Box

A summary of our recent guidance session presented by Ann-Marie

We recently came together as a team to revisit something that sits at the heart of our work — daily recordings. It might sound like admin, but as this session made clear, it's so much more than that.

What the Regulations Say

The starting point was the legal and regulatory framework. Regulations 35–39 of the Children's Homes Quality Standards (page 62) and Supported Accommodation guidance (page 58, Regulation 24) set out clearly what's required of us. Case records must be kept up to date, signed, and dated by the author of each entry. They must be stored securely, kept for 75 years from the date of birth of the child, and written in a way that is objective, clear, and non-stigmatising.

Three phrases from that guidance really stood out:

• "Case records must be kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry."
• "Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information."
• "The home's records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history."

That last one is worth sitting with for a moment.

We Are Their Life History

For children and young people living in our homes, we are the people who will hold the memory of their childhood. Unlike children growing up in family settings, they may not have parents or relatives who can remind them of everyday moments, milestones, or changes as they grow. Our daily recordings become that memory.

This reframes the task entirely. It's not about compliance — it's about the child.

There are also very practical reasons why accurate, detailed recordings matter:

• Protection — If something happens, even something that seemed minor at the time, the record of when it occurred could be vital.
• Evidence — If a child goes missing, is injured, or makes an allegation, your recordings will be called upon. What were you doing together? What did they say? Who else was present?
• Acknowledgement — Interactions with children and young people need to be documented. Their day, and your part in it, deserves to be recognised.

What a Good Daily Recording Looks Like

The session walked through the kind of detail that should be captured throughout the day. A well-written daily entry should cover:

• Always log in with your own credentials — never use someone else's login or leave yours open
• The correct date and time
• What time the child woke up and how they were
• Whether they had breakfast, lunch, and their evening meal — and whether they ate with others
• What they did during the day — school, college, family contact, activities, or time at home
• Any key work sessions, contact with family or professionals, incidents, physical interventions, or accidents (with follow-up entries in the appropriate place on Mentor)
• Key skills completed
• If they were missing — what was recorded and what action was taken
• If they were away — where they were and any contact made
• How they were in the evening and at bedtime — settling routines matter, especially for children who find that time difficult
• Whether the house was secure and any alarms set

Does the Recording Tell the Story?

The session ended with a challenge that's worth carrying into every shift:

If your child or young person came back and read their daily recordings as a young adult, would they recognise themselves?

Read your entry back before you press save. Read it out loud if you need to. Ask yourself: whose voice do you hear in it — yours, or theirs? Can you see and hear the child you know?

Good daily recordings aren't just a legal obligation. They are a gift we give to the children in our care — a record that says: you were here, you mattered, and we were paying attention.