Author Topic: Residential Care Home - which guide does one use???  (Read 4589 times)

Offline GAZ1976

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Residential Care Home - which guide does one use???
« on: June 12, 2007, 08:26:11 PM »
After many a trawl through the words of wisdom that lie here-in, I have finally been suckered in....

A friend is opening a care home in a typical 3-bed semi with an open plan stairs/living room. I worked in FP when things were under the workplace regs, and am new to all this RRO malarky. it is to be a domestic premises for 2 teenagers, and will have 2 staff present at all times, including at night (one will be sleeping-in, the other on a wakeful night). Should they be complying with the guide on sleeping accommodation or residential care premises???

I have suggested that they are going to need an FR30 partition wall between the stairs and living room, EL in the hall and landing area, and FR30S doors on to the staircase, and detection across the board. Am I going overboard with this? I know that RRO excludes single private dwellings, but this is hardly the case if it is being used as such..... any takers!!!???

Offline kurnal

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Residential Care Home - which guide does one use???
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2007, 09:06:55 PM »
No you are right its not a single private dwelling - the RRO does apply. But a light touch may be appropriate as usually these small places providing care seek to emulate as far as possible a normal homely, non institutionalised environment as close to a family home as possible.

Do you remember a document called HTM88? It was aimed at this type of care in the community arrangement for up to 5 people. I would point you towards that, but before you embark just consider any special needs of those being cared for. If there are no additional risk factors, mobility problems, behavioural issues then it will be appropriate. The standard is basically a slightly enhanced version of approved document B for dwellings. It is available for download free online via the department of Health website, as is approved document B.

If you need any more specific help come back to us.

Offline GAZ1976

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Residential Care Home - which guide does one use???
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2007, 07:18:04 PM »
Aha!!! Knew I'd come to the right place, many thanks Kurnal