Visiting Guidelines – Residential

Hayfield aims to make its residential settings as home-like as possible, and to allow each service user to feel relaxed and secure.  However, the fact that most resident service users are living in communal settings where they share common facilities, means that there must be a balance between individual freedoms and choices and the need to ensure that other service users are not disturbed or inconvenienced.

Similarly, while service users should feel free to come and go as they please and to invite guests into their home, staff have a duty of care to all the service users which means that they must be aware of what is happening in the residence.  It may appear disrespectful to have to check visitors in and out, but it should be recognised that staff must be aware of who is present in the residence at all times, for the purposes of health and safety.

Service users should be made aware of their rights and responsibilities with regards to receiving visitors, and this should be regularly reinforced through Service User Meetings and key worker sessions.

Staff should be polite with all visitors but may take steps to challenge any strangers or callers who appear unannounced, to ascertain who they are and the purpose of their visit.  Staff have the discretion to restrict entry to callers if they have genuine grounds for concern.

Visitors can use the lounge areas if not in use or at the discretion of the other service users present.  Alternatively, service users can invite guests into the privacy of their own room. 

Lengthy or over-frequent visits may affect access to communal areas for other service users.  In the event of any such difficulty staff or key workers may need to discuss possible changes to future visiting activities with the service user(s) involved.

In the event of visitors causing disruption either in terms of behaviour, attitude or numbers, staff will have the authority to ask them to leave or to seek whatever help they may require in order to halt the disturbance.  Any such instance should be brought to the attention of Senior Staff as soon as possible.

Service users should be encouraged to look after their guests and cater for their requirements.  Staff should be prepared to give assistance where appropriate.

Visitors to staff members who are on duty should be avoided wherever possible, or should be kept as brief as possible.

Any concerns regarding these guidelines may be discussed at House Meetings or can be raised with Senior Staff for clarification or advice.