by Helga Pile, national officer for social care, Unison
The shocking case of Shauna Bailey, a social worker who was forced into hiding after a client stalked her for six years, highlights the dangers of the job.
The shocking case of Shauna Bailey, a social worker who was forced into hiding after a client stalked her for six years, highlights the dangers of the job.
Sadly, the problem has reached chronic proportions in the UK, with violence and threats against social workers contributing to stress, ill health, sickness absence and high staff turnover.
There is a clear need for better safety standards, and the following tips should help social workers to improve their safety.
1. Don't go on risky or unpredictable visits on your own. UNISON is calling for lone working for social workers to be stopped as much as possible. Ask your manager if you can be accompanied on child protection visits. A proper risk assessment must be carried out for all visits, which should not take place at night, or in the evening. UNISON has produced a detailed guide looking into this which you can access on our website (details below).
2. Ask your manager about the risk assessment and prevention strategies put in place to protect you at work. The very nature of social work means it is a high-risk job, but risks need to be identified and eliminated to the lowest level possible, by good implementation of prevention strategies, developed after completing a thorough risk assessment.
3. Training is no substitute for safe working, but it might help to prevent and manage violent and dangerous situations. At the very least, you should be trained to recognise the early warning signs of aggression so you can avoid or manage it. You also need to know what to do if you are involved in a violent attack or threatening incident. Should the worst happen, you could be in shock, so you need some training to help you cope.
4. Be sure to record any incidents of verbal or physical violence or threats in the accident book. This will help to assess and manage the threat of violence in the future, and to modify the risk assessment, and your prevention strategy if necessary.
5. Have a look at how your workplace is set up. If you have to see clients regularly at your desk, or in an office, do you have an easy escape route? Are other colleagues able to see you, and to step in and help if you need it?
6. Don't rely on a mobile phone or personal attack alarm to keep you safe. Although they have their uses, they are not a replacement for a well thought through prevention strategy, and they pass the responsibility for your safety completely to you. Sometimes phones don't work well in certain areas, or they may be out of reach when an incident takes place.
Take a look at UNISON's guide to working alone (pdf) And the union's guide to tackling violence at work, 'it's not part of the job' (pdf).
There is a clear need for better safety standards, and the following tips should help social workers to improve their safety.
1. Don't go on risky or unpredictable visits on your own. UNISON is calling for lone working for social workers to be stopped as much as possible. Ask your manager if you can be accompanied on child protection visits. A proper risk assessment must be carried out for all visits, which should not take place at night, or in the evening. UNISON has produced a detailed guide looking into this which you can access on our website (details below).
2. Ask your manager about the risk assessment and prevention strategies put in place to protect you at work. The very nature of social work means it is a high-risk job, but risks need to be identified and eliminated to the lowest level possible, by good implementation of prevention strategies, developed after completing a thorough risk assessment.
3. Training is no substitute for safe working, but it might help to prevent and manage violent and dangerous situations. At the very least, you should be trained to recognise the early warning signs of aggression so you can avoid or manage it. You also need to know what to do if you are involved in a violent attack or threatening incident. Should the worst happen, you could be in shock, so you need some training to help you cope.
4. Be sure to record any incidents of verbal or physical violence or threats in the accident book. This will help to assess and manage the threat of violence in the future, and to modify the risk assessment, and your prevention strategy if necessary.
5. Have a look at how your workplace is set up. If you have to see clients regularly at your desk, or in an office, do you have an easy escape route? Are other colleagues able to see you, and to step in and help if you need it?
6. Don't rely on a mobile phone or personal attack alarm to keep you safe. Although they have their uses, they are not a replacement for a well thought through prevention strategy, and they pass the responsibility for your safety completely to you. Sometimes phones don't work well in certain areas, or they may be out of reach when an incident takes place.
Take a look at UNISON's guide to working alone (pdf) And the union's guide to tackling violence at work, 'it's not part of the job' (pdf).
It is all very well protecting the social workers from ". harm". But the image/title of social worker conjurs up negative images of people who take away kids from families. And what is seen as abusive to one person is possibly a person getting upset by the mere presence of one. The perception has to be changed most importantly, if it is genuinely that children need help or protection. If a person is "labelled" to be dangerous or whatever, shouldn't there be a proper assessment of the adults needs to by referring them to Adult Social Care and other mental health services. It might be possible that they would never hurt a child. Just in need themselves.