Why Daily Recording Matters:
Documenting Children’s Stories
At Quality Fostering we understand that foster carers are busy looking after the children in their care, finding time to complete daily recordings can sometimes feel like another task on a long list. But good recording is much more than paperwork, it is a vital part of caring for a child and telling their story.
Why Are Daily Recordings Important?
A detailed daily record helps to paint a picture of a child’s life: how they feel, what they enjoy, what they find difficult, the progress they are making and the support they receive.
Foster carer recordings help social workers and other professionals understand what is happening between LINK visits and reviews. They identify patterns, highlight concerns early and provide evidence of the progress a child is making.
Most importantly, daily logs form a part of a child’s story and will be helpful to them if they wish to access their records in the future.
Recordings should be factual, respectful, non-stigmatising, non-judgemental, and distinguish between fact, opinion and information provided by others.
What Should You Record?
Daily recordings don’t need to be lengthy. Carers should aim to write a few meaningful paragraphs covering the following:
- What the child has done that day (school, activities, hobbies and appointments).
- Their mood, presentation and general wellbeing.
- Positive achievements and progress.
- Any worries, changes in behaviour or incidents.
- Important conversations with the child and their wishes and feelings.
- Contact with family, friends or other significant people.
- Health and medication.
- How you supported the child and what worked well.
- Anything significant that professionals should know.
However, daily recordings are not the only place to log significant incidents. If anything arises that could be a safeguarding issue, carers should inform their Supervising Social Worker or contact the out of hours duty phone number.
Using Jellybaby
We understand that sitting down at a computer to complete records is not always practical. That’s why we provide carers with access to the Jellybaby app, allowing you to complete your recordings directly from your phone.
You can also use the voice-to-text function available on most smartphones. Simply open your recording in the app, select the text field, and use the microphone on your keyboard to speak your recording rather than typing.
Just remember to read through your entry afterwards to check the transcription is accurate, clear and appropriate.
Making It Part of Your Routine
The easiest way to keep on top of recording is to make it part of your daily routine. Taking a few minutes each day means you don’t have to rely on memory later and ensures that important details aren’t missed.
Your recordings matter. They help us to understand the child, recognise their progress, respond to concerns, and build a meaningful record of their time in your care.
If you are unsure, contact your Supervising Social Worker for assistance.
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