Digitisation is increasing within the social care environment. More facilities are moving away from paper processes or legacy systems and adopting new technology to improve administrative tasks. 

Digital forms are an example of the software solutions that are transforming operational processes and the way children’s homes capture data about their facility and its residents. 

A digital form is an electronic version of a paper form. Forms are accessible from a smart device and submitted to the cloud-based back-office manager for processing.

Within a social care setting, digital forms can benefit care home managers, carers and even the children in their care. 

How do digital forms benefit care home managers?

Real-time access to information

Digital forms provide care home managers with instant access to child care details, which promotes more effective leadership. The ability to monitor important information in real-time allows managers to quickly detect and react to potential problems within the residence. 

It also ensures that data is more reliable, because the information can be submitted as and when it happens, rather than care workers completing paperwork from memory at the end of their shift. 

Cloud-based software for full visibility 

As a cloud-based software solution, all your digital forms are accessible from a single location. This holistic approach empowered by digital document management enables greater visibility compared to paper-based processes. It provides a full overview of everything that is happening within the home. 

It also saves time for you and your team by removing the tiresome search through filing cabinets to locate the information you need. Digital forms are accessible at the click of a button.

Detailed data capture and enforced compliance

Digital forms enable detailed data capture with better accuracy while enforcing compliance. For example, features such as photograph attachments mean care workers can evidence the work they have done. Mandatory and dynamic fields collect in-depth information and every answer field must be populated before the form can be submitted. This guarantees you capture all the information you need to comply with regulatory requirements.

Digital documentation is much easier to share with third parties e.g. compliance information for Ofsted evaluations. All data collected via digital forms can be exported to PDF format and shared electronically. This speeds up and improves communication between children’s homes and other organisations. 

Track patterns in children’s behaviour

Digital forms provide an effective way of monitoring and identifying patterns in the behaviour of children and young adults. Care workers can record incidents, missing from care episodes and physical interventions via digital forms software. 

Tracking this information electronically means it’s easily accessible to care workers and managers at the point of the incident. But it goes far beyond that. It allows you to continue tracking behaviour after the incident. Export and collate the incident data for a specific child over a given time period to easily identify behaviour trends. 

Documenting incidents in a simple, digital format demonstrates how care homes continue to work with the children in their care to improve their behaviour and wellbeing.

Customisable forms

Further, digital forms are 100% customisable in the back-office manager. Old forms can be deleted and new forms can be created at any time. So your forms can evolve alongside the needs of the children’s home. 

Job scheduling

Adopting digital processes allows care home managers to collect the data they need, exactly when it's needed. The job scheduling feature will deploy paperwork to the necessary care workers on specific days. Forms will be available within the care worker’s app, so they’re prompted to complete the paperwork when it's due.

How do digital forms benefit carers?

More flexibility and improved productivity

Handwritten processes and outdated legacy systems are notoriously slow and time-consuming. As the amount of admin grows, it can leave your employees feeling frustrated because they have less time to spend on the job they’re trained to do - care. Frustrated employees can become unproductive and disengaged from their work.

Digital forms software empowers your care workers with greater flexibility. They don’t need to sit at an office desktop, away from the children, to complete their paperwork. Neither do they have to clock-up overtime to catch up on admin, which supports a better work-life balance. 

With modern software systems, care workers can record information as they go, which helps to boost their productivity. 

“If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen”: A common phrase used by regulators such as Ofsted and Regulation 44 Inspectors. Because care workers can record information on their smart device, as and when it happens, it assures they record every incident and event. Digital form software empowers your care workers to follow regulations effortlessly and keep your care home facility compliant.

How do digital forms benefit the children you care for?

With the time saved by optimised administrative duties, there is more time available for care. Children receive the quality time that they need from their care workers, so they can learn and grow in a safe environment.

Plus, any information the care worker needs to fulfil their responsibilities can be made available from their mobile device. This allows them to deliver the appropriate care for a child’s specific needs.

Digital Forms by Triangle

Triangle has developed a digital forms software solution that is designed to make administration easy while providing multiple benefits to the individuals throughout the facility. 

Visit our blog to read more about the benefits of mobile forms in social care. Or contact us today to find out how we can help your care home with digital forms software.