Children's Home Recording System
A children's home recording system has one job: make it easy for staff to record what actually happened on shift, and make it easy for managers to see the whole picture. ACS gives support workers fast, structured daily logs and gives managers a live view of every record in the home — what's written, what's missing and what needs action.
It is built specifically for children's residential care in the UK, so the records, language and evidence structure match what Ofsted and placing authorities expect to see.
Daily logs staff can complete on shift
If recording is slow, it gets left to the end of shift and detail is lost. ACS daily logs are structured around the things residential workers actually record — mood, sleep, meals, school, activities, family time, health appointments and significant events — so a good entry takes minutes, not half an hour at 10pm.
Every entry is dated, timed and attributed to the member of staff who wrote it, and lands in the young person's chronology automatically. There is no separate filing step and no loose paper to transcribe later.
Incidents linked to what happens next
An incident record on its own is not evidence of a well-run home — the follow-up is. In ACS, incidents, missing episodes, physical interventions and safeguarding concerns are recorded against the child, reviewed by a manager, and linked to the actions that follow: a risk assessment update, a key-work session, a notification, a care plan change.
- Incident types for residential childcare: behaviour, missing from home, physical intervention, medication, allegations and complaints
- Manager review and sign-off with a full audit trail
- Follow-up actions assigned, tracked and visible until closed
- Body maps, witness accounts and notifications attached to the record
One chronology per child
Everything recorded about a young person — daily notes, incidents, appointments, key-work, medication, plans and reviews — builds one dated chronology. When a social worker, Regulation 44 visitor or inspector asks what happened around a particular week, the answer is a scroll, not an afternoon reconstructing events from three folders and a diary.
Handovers that carry the record forward
The recording system feeds shift handover directly: incidents, concerns, medication exceptions and outstanding actions from the shift are compiled into a structured handover for the incoming team. Nothing depends on memory, and the handover itself becomes part of the record.
Managers see gaps before inspectors do
The manager dashboard shows missing daily logs, overdue reviews, unsigned records and open incident actions across the home. That oversight — knowing what is not recorded — is what turns a recording system into a management tool, and it is exactly the leadership evidence inspections look for.
- Missing and overdue record reports by home, child and staff member
- Audit logs showing who wrote, viewed or changed each record
- Role-based access so staff see only what their role needs
- Signed records lock after sign-off, preserving evidential integrity
Moving from paper without losing your team
Most homes move to ACS from paper logs or a shared drive. We onboard the home, set up your children and staff, and train the team — most services start with daily logs and incidents, then phase in care plans, medication and rotas once recording is habit. Training and support are included, and a 30-day trial lets you run it alongside your current system first.
Frequently asked questions
What is a children's home recording system?
It is the software staff use on shift to record daily logs, handovers, incidents, medication and key-work sessions. A good one makes recording fast for support workers, keeps every entry dated and attributable, builds one chronology per child, and shows managers missing or overdue records across the home.
What records should a children's home keep digitally?
Daily logs, shift handovers, incidents and safeguarding concerns, physical interventions, missing episodes, medication administration, care plans and risk assessments, key-work sessions, and management oversight records such as Regulation 44 visits and quality of care reviews. ACS keeps all of these in one linked system.
Does Ofsted require digital records?
No — Ofsted requires good records, not digital ones. But inspectors need to see current plans, timely logs and evidenced follow-up, and a digital system makes that far easier to demonstrate. Managers can also evidence their own oversight, which is difficult with paper.
How long does it take to set up?
Most single homes are recording daily logs within the first week. ACS sets up your home, young people and staff accounts, provides training, and supports a phased rollout so the team is never running two full systems at once. A 30-day free trial is available.
See your home's recording in ACS
Book a demo and we'll walk through a shift — daily logs, an incident, the handover and the manager view — using records like yours.