Once you have established a Safety House Program, the Local Group has the ongoing responsibility to regularly monitor their Safety House zone every month. This is to ensure the highest security for the Program and that all uses of Safety Houses are reported.
All houses in each monitoring area, not just Safety Houses, should be checked. This is an important safeguard to ensure that only authorised Safety Houses display the sign.
Check to see that:
All houseplates and signs, including street and school signs, are in good condition.
All designated Safety Houses are displaying the Safety House sign.
Each Safety House sign is clearly visible.
Signs have not been placed on unauthorised houses.
Put a monitoring slip in each Safety Householder’s letterbox to remind them their house has been monitored and to keep them in touch with their Local Safety House Group.
Record your findings and report to your Monitoring Co-ordinator.
In addition to your monthly monitoring, your Group needs to contact the Safety Householder at least twice a year. This is called “Doorknock” monitoring. The purpose of this monitoring is to:
Remind the Safety Householder you care about their contribution.
Find out if each Safety Householder is still willing to be a part of the Program and carry out the responsibilities of a Safety Householder.
Check that the Safety Householder premises and surroundings remain suitable.
Determine that the householder is still at home during the appropriate times and that the occupancy rate still meets the minimum requirements.
Interview and complete a new application form and ‘consent to check’ form for all members of the household who have turned 17 years of age since the last doorknock monitoring or any other people who are now living there.
As with any new applicants, new residents must be approved by the Local Group and the police.
Ensure that the Householder has an up-to-date Procedure Card and Guidelines Pamphlet.
