The design and layout of the facility can increase the likelihood of abuse/neglect of a child by staff or other residents and the worker should try to determine the location where the alleged abuse/neglect occurred.  By observing the physical structure of the facility, the worker should be able to develop an understanding of how the abuse/neglect may have occurred.

The sleeping quarters of the residents can be some distance from the staff’s room making it difficult to hear a disturbance or a child crying out for help.  Good practice requires staff to make tours of all resident rooms during the night.

Design and layout not only includes an awareness of physical location of rooms, but also includes accessibility to either staff or phones when an emergency exists.  When observing the location where the incident was to have occurred, the worker should look at where telephones are located and should determine how far away was another staff person, who could have been able to assist other staff or children.

The worker should also look at what objects are in the room where the incident took place (i.e., dangerous or sharp objects, or furniture in the room that blocks staff or child’s view of what is going on in the room).