Almost two thirds of voters in a communitycare.co.uk poll
believe social workers should receive self-defence training.
The poll, which attracted 400 votes, was held in response to
Local Government Association research which estimated that 50,000
social care staff are attacked each year.
The issue also prompted opposition from many respondents and the
organisation Violence at Work, which suggested that a major
Health and
Safety Executive report into violence at work had found
self-defence training would not be effective.
Read a selection of your comments below.
Self-defence training would give false
confidence
I'm a manager in Adult Services, with thirty-two years
service in social care and have worked with many violent and
aggressive service users in that time. I'm also a Karate Black Belt
so am qualified to support your view, that self-defence training
for social workers, would be a waste of time. Even worse, basic
skills can give a false sense of confidence and encourage people to
'have a go'.
Effective defence demands more than knowing the right move.
It demands a level of speed and more importantly, a level of
aggression, which is beyond most people.
Tony Metcalf
More important to diffuse
"We should be in the business of pro-social modelling and it
is much more important that we use methods to diffuse the
situation. I strongly believe that training in self-defense would
lead to a more physical response, which would be counter
productive."
Munchin
Self-defence training reduced violence
"Some years back the Director of Rampton Hospital put all
staff through a 9 day self-defence class because of the levels of
violence experienced in the workplace. The effect of this was a
startling reduction in violent incidents - 40-50%. The reason for
this was felt to be that staff actually felt more confident in
being able to protect themselves and therefore more able to
confidently use de-escalation techniques. I would therefore support
a comprehensive self-defence course."
Toye
Even black belts get beaten up
"I think that there is a serious misunderstanding about the
value of self-defence courses. The problem is, as you say, that
they do not actually prepare you to deal with a serious threat and
therefore could make things a lot worse. Even black belts in
martial arts get beaten up by untrained street brawlers!
It is entirely different from containing and physical
restraint in institutional or children's home settings. What are
you going to do once you have your drunken DV candidate in a head
lock in their own home? What level of skill will then be required
to make a phone call to the police (continuing to restrain with one
hand)? Or will the social worker need to deliver a swift punch to
the kidneys to temporarily disable while tapping in that number so
as not to be further interrupted? Absolutely more serious training
in negotiation is needed (something that both authorities I have
worked for have never emphasised)."
Nick Reeve
More support needed from employers
Social care staff have been in the firing line for far too long
and employers have singularly failed to equip staff with the skills
they need to manage the situations they find themselves faced with,
sometimes on a daily basis. A couple of days training once every
three years is never going to be enough.
Self defence is often more about not getting into the situation
than getting out of it. Though martial arts skills are probably
best left for the individual to undertake themselves, but it would
be nice to see employers supporting staff to take care of
themselves as well as keep fit. Financial support may be too much
to expect but a positive approach from employers would be
welcome.
Doug Dando
Clients should visit social workers in
office
"Self defence is not the answer. The world we live in has
changed tremendously and it is about time that social work
practices change with time. Visiting able bodied individuals should
be stopped and replaced by client visiting the Social Worker at
his/her office. The interview office should have a screen which
protects the Social Worker. Home visits should only be carried out
in special circumstances and the social worker should be
accompanied by a security.
Bus drivers were once upon a time exposed to physical
assault, hence the reasons why buses are now fitted with shatter
prove screens, benefit offices, and post offices are other
examples.
Teaching social workers self defence techniques is not the
answer because they are caring people. They did not enter the
profession to be in physical battle with their clients."
Paul
Prosecuting more violent service users is the
answer
"Why is it that social workers always think they are first with
everything? Take a quick peep at an accident and emergency
department of your local hospital if you think self defence is an
effective skill to tackle agressive and violent behaviour. Health
staff can not start in their posts until they have undertaken
control and restraint training yet more of them are assaulted and
murdered than social workers.
Embracing what seems the latest trend is the scourge of
social work and to think that this will help us is the latest
dispiriting bilge. Why not have a survey to find out how many
employers actually prosecute or deny services to violent service
users? Surely, a better protection for us would be the trepidation
our employers would feel if they took proper responsibility for our
safety and both they and clients faced up to the consequences of
their behaviour."
Nihat Erol