Searching Children/Bedrooms
Relevant Regulations
The Quality and Purpose of Care Standard
Regulation 6
Related guidance
Amendment
This chapter was updated in July 2025.
In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to conduct an immediate search of a child or their belongings, including their bedroom, if there is reasonable cause to believe that the child has concealed weapons, illegal drugs, or other items that may place themselves or others at risk of injury or harm. This may include mobile phones if they are being used in a way that places the child or others at risk of significant harm, such as cyberbullying or exploitation.
While the Home is committed to providing compassionate care, the safety and well-being of all individuals must be paramount. In situations where there is an immediate risk of harm, staff may need to take appropriate action to protect themselves and others.
The use of physical restraint should always be a last resort and only employed when all other de-escalation techniques have been exhausted, and the risk of harm is imminent. In our homes we address firm and fair in the following ways:
- Having a clear set of rules which are realistic for our setting;
- Having a restorative approach to managing behaviour and making young people aware of the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others;
- Primary prevention strategies such as Individual Behaviour Management Plans and ABC charting to identify areas of concern and manage them through forward planning.
In all cases, the dignity and rights of the child should be respected, and any actions taken must be in compliance with the Home's policies and procedures, as well as relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. Staff being trained in the Safe Systems Behaviour Management Model will have the have the power to use Safe holding techniques to prevent children looked after from committing a crime, injuring themselves or others or damaging property.
Any room search procedure can cover searching the bedroom, bags, wardrobes and personal belongings of any young person. This must be done only when the search is essential to ensure the health and safety of the young person involved, the health and safety of other young people and/or the health and safety of staff at the Home.
If there is a suspicion that such items are concealed, staff should try to obtain them with the child's co-operation.
If the child does not co-operate, or is unlikely to, it may be appropriate to conduct a search of the child or their belongings/room.
Before conducting such a search, staff should consult their own supervisor/manager and the child's social worker. Two staff should be present during the search, one of which should be the same gender(where possible) as the child, and the child should be present. In exceptional circumstances, where the members of staff concerned reasonably believe that there is a risk that serious harm will be caused to a person if they do not conduct the search immediately and where it is not reasonably practicable to summon a member of staff of the same gender as the child, then the search may be conducted by two members of staff of a different gender to the child. However, where it is practicable to summon a member of staff of the same gender as the child, then the member of staff wishing to conduct the search must do so.
The power to search without consent enables a 'personal search', involving removal of outer garments and searching of pockets, but not an intimate search going further than that; which only a person with more extensive powers e.g. a police officer, can do.
When conducting searches, reasonable precautions must be taken to protect against possible sharp or dangerous objects that may be concealed.
If weapons or any dangerous or offensive items are found, they must be seized and passed to the Manager, see Section 2, Confiscating Items.
If the child does not co-operate, or is likely not to, a search may be undertaken without the child's co-operation or knowledge.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the manager and child's social worker must be consulted and come to a decision about the actions that may be taken. It may be appropriate to consult relevant line managers.
When coming to a decision on the actions that will be taken, the managers/social worker(s) must take account of the following:
- Two staff must be present, one of whom must be the same gender as the child, and the child if possible;
- If there is a risk that the searching of the child may escalate the situation e.g. lead to violence or injury to the child, staff or others, staff should contain the situation as best they can and consult the Home's manager or a supervisor before proceeding; and consideration given to asking for police assistance;
- The power to search without consent enables a 'personal search', involving removal of outer garments and searching of pockets, but not an intimate search going further than that; which only a person with more extensive powers e.g. a police officer, can do;
- When conducting searches, reasonable precautions must be taken to protect against possible sharp or dangerous objects that may be concealed;
- If weapons or any dangerous or offensive items are found, they must be seized and passed to the manager, see Section 2, Confiscating Items.
In situations where there is an immediate risk of injury or damage to property, staff are authorised to take appropriate actions to protect themselves and others. This may include conducting a search of a child or their belongings, and entering a child's bedroom without prior notice, if there is reasonable cause to believe that concealed items may pose a risk.
As a last resort, physical intervention may be employed to facilitate a search or to ensure safety. However, such actions must adhere to the following principles:
- Necessity and Proportionality: Physical intervention should only be used when all other de-escalation strategies have failed, and the risk of harm is imminent. The level of intervention must be the least restrictive and proportionate to the situation;
- Compliance with Procedures: All actions must be in line with the Home's Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention Procedure, ensuring that staff are trained and authorised to implement such measures;
- Safety and Monitoring: During any physical intervention, continuous monitoring of the child's physical and psychological well-being is essential. If signs of distress or medical concerns arise, the intervention must cease immediately, and appropriate care should be provided;
- Documentation and Review: Each incident involving physical intervention must be thoroughly documented, including the rationale for its use, duration, and any outcomes. A post-incident review should be conducted to assess the appropriateness of the intervention and to inform future practice.
However, staff must only take such actions if it is safe to do so and their actions comply with the provisions/procedures set out in Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention Procedure. If there is a risk that an offence may be committed, the police must be called (see Offending and Anti-Social Behaviour – Guidance on when to Involve the Police).
In exceptional circumstances, where the members of staff concerned reasonably believe that there is a risk that serious harm will be caused to a person if they do not conduct the search immediately and where it is not reasonably practicable to summon a member of staff of the same gender as the child, then the search may be conducted by two members of staff of a different gender to the child. However, where it is practicable to summon a member of staff of the same gender as the child, then the member of staff wishing to conduct the search must do so.
Any items that are seized or removed by staff should be passed to the Home's manager, even if they are owned by children. The Home's manager should record the matter and, if items are confiscated, they must be kept securely until the child leaves or the manager considers that they should be returned to the child e.g. where a child demonstrates they are able to use a mobile phone safely. The manager must provide the child with a receipt for the confiscated item(s). This information will be completed on the “Device Removal Form”.
If the items are thought to be a weapon, they should be passed to the police. Where staff find controlled drugs, the Home's manager should consider passing them to the police; other substances not believed to be controlled drugs should be confiscated, passed to the Home's manager, recorded and destroyed. If items are thought to be stolen they must be delivered to the police unless there is a good reason not to do so (see below) – in which case the stolen item should be returned to the owner. These stolen items may be retained or disposed of if returning them to their owner is not practicable.
Home's managers should have a good reason not to pass items to the police and should take account of the following:
- Where the manager is unsure as to the legal status of a substance and has reason to believe it may be a controlled drug they should treat it as such;
- With regard to stolen items, it would not be reasonable or desirable to involve the police in dealing with low value items. However, the manager may judge it appropriate to contact the police if the items are valuable (iPods/laptops) or illegal (alcohol/fireworks);
- Disposing of alcohol does not include returning it to the child. It should be poured down the sink.
There are different notifications procedures for searches concluded with and without children's co-operation.
Searches undertaken with the child's co-operation, where no force is used, must be notified to the manager at the first opportunity; the Manager will decide whether to inform the relevant social worker.
If a search is conducted without a child's cooperation, and physical intervention is employed, this constitutes an incident. The staff member must promptly notify the manager and the child's social worker, ensuring this is done within 24 hours or as soon as practicable thereafter.
The social worker should decide whether to inform the child's parent(s) and, if so, who should do so.
Depending on the seriousness of the Incident, other people/agencies may have to be notified, see Notification of Serious Events Procedure.
All searches must be documented giving the time and date, the reason for the search and noting what, if anything, was found. The Search Protocol Form must be completed and placed within the young person’s file.
The person carrying out the search must be named, and anyone present at the time must be noted on the form.
Both the lead person and the witness must sign the Search Recording Form.
The Search Recording Form must be reviewed and signed by the Registered Manager as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours.
The young person must be asked whether they would like to make any comment following the room search. This should be recorded on the search recording form and signed by the young person. If the young person does not want to add a comment, staff should record this to show that the young person has been asked.
It is necessary to document the search, which must include:
- Time and date of the search;
- Reason or suspicions which led to the need to the search;
- Whether the child/young person cooperated;
- Who did the search and whether the child/young person or others were present?
- What was found, and whether items found were confiscated?
- If items were confiscated, where were they stored?
Searches should also be noted in the home's Daily Log, relevant child's Daily Record, with details as listed below:
- The time and date of the search;
- The reason or suspicions which led to the need to conduct the search;
- Who conducted the search and whether the child or others were present;
- Whether the child cooperated;
- What was found, and whether items found were retained/confiscated;
- If items were retained/confiscated, where they were stored.
Last Updated: July 18, 2025
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