SayPro Communication

Communication. Working with youth in confinement facilities is a complex job that requires an effective exchange of information among line staff, administrators, treatment providers, legal counsel, family members, and others. Decisions about youth are only as good as the information on which they are based. Therefore, communication is a primary function of documentation.

Staff members that work with youth in facilities usually do not have an opportunity to interact with all of their coworkers on a daily basis. Written communication becomes essential to ensure consistency among staff members and continuity from one shift to the next. Information can also flow to other interested parties, such as therapists, attorneys, probation officers, and judges.

A record of observations also promotes continual improvement in observation. It gives staff members a baseline perspective from which to view resident behavior. It may be used to update new staff on issues and problems that are affecting individual residents. In this manner, documentation serves to promote program consistency, which is key to effective programs.