SayPro Individual Logs

An individual log is also completed at set intervals, again usually at the end of a shift, for the same purpose. But, an individual log offers more detailed information about each youth so that staff members may individualize services in accordance with a young person’s particular needs and plans. For example, a youth may have returned from a visit with a parent in which they argued or a youth may have received disappointing news at a court hearing. It is important to communicate that information so that the oncoming staff can appropriately approach and respond to that youth and to the group as a whole. To have a smooth transition, it may be important to attend to the needs and concerns of individual youth. Well-written individual logs inform staff of those needs.

Staff should record what other staff members might anticipate from residents. Consistency means that the staff members who supervise a youth during different shifts over a period of a day or more will respond to problems with uniformity. To ensure that occurs, written communications must describe what has happened and, based on specific observations, what staff members think may happen in the future.

Records are also important to describe what other staff members have done to help youth. Part of the responsibility of recording is to note details of staff behavior. Good records indicate clearly which interactions or interventions have been successful and which have not. Records are the best indicator of program effectiveness.

Facility staff members have a natural tendency to complete paperwork as quickly as possible. They may believe that doing so is efficient and allows them to spend more time with youth. Unfortunately, they may hurry because they want to complete their assigned work and leave their shift or because they simply do not enjoy doing paperwork. When reports are completed too hurriedly, problems arise and quality deteriorates. Without comprehensive information, the reader cannot make competent decisions on behalf of a youth or a group. Completing logs in a superficial manner may indicate a passive resistance to paperwork, or that staff do not view it as relevant or appreciated by administration.

If a line staff member questions the value of his reports, he should bring concerns to administrators. And, administrators should not take quality reports for granted, but should offer positive feedback while consistently monitoring for content and quality. A poorly written log simply makes the writer appear unprofessional. The writer does not want to justify sloppy work that provides insufficient information. Paperwork may be the most important issue in helping staff members protect the rights of detained youth and protect their own careers.

Before each shift ends, the line staff in the unit must make written notations in each youth’s file. One line staff member regularly manages to complete his assigned files expeditiously and punch out on time. His files typically include information for the next shift like “GDNP.” Fortunately, his peers on the following shift know that GDNP means “good day, no problem” but they certainly do not know what a specific youth has done on that shift, and how his behavior has not led to any problems.

They have no detail, and they do not know if there were no problems for the staff or for the youth. They couldn’t tell you what was good about the day. Did that youth participate actively in planned programming and activities? Did he go to court and learn that he is getting released? Did he stay in his room and avoid interacting with staff or other youth? If so, could he be depressed? And, if so, and he attempts to harm himself, does the line staff member who so efficiently wrote “GDNP” want to explain the attempt to administrators, investigators, attorneys, or that youth’s parents?