Activity 4-2:
Record Keeping



Purpose: To improve record-keeping skills.

Preparation: For this activity you will need:

• Handout 3: Recording Staff-Family Interactions
  
  
• Handout 4: Family Scenario: The Reagan Family
  
  
• Handout 5: Family Scenario: Record-Keeping Worksheet
  
  
• Handout 6: Family Scenario: Ongoing and Accurate Records
  
  
• Newsprint/Markers/Tape
  

1. Introduce the activity. Review with participants the professional area of record-keeping as presented in the module's background information. Distribute and review handout 3.
   
   
2. Initiate a small group activity on record-keeping. Divide participants into five or six small groups. Distribute handouts 4 and 5. Tell participants that they will document two months of staff-family interactions as outlined in handout 4. Mention that handout 5 can be used to record the family information.
   
   
3. (a) Debrief the small group activity. After 40 minutes, reconvene the large group and have one or two small groups read their documentation of interactions with the Reagan family. Encourage the large group to discuss whether the family stories, as presented by the small groups, illustrate appropriate documenting procedures.
   
   

   (b) Distribute handout 6 and review the documentation sample. Ask staff to compare and contrast handout 6 with the small group examples.
   
   

4. Close the activity. Close the activity by emphasizing that accurate documentation can aid in the delivery of services to families. Stress that families, too, find it helpful to document family growth. Encourage staff to work with families on creating their own record-keeping systems. Have staff take a moment to brainstorm ways to help families record their stones.
   
   
   
   
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