Safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults

The focus of this work is about combating violence against the adult social care workforce. However, it has to be recognised that potentially violent situations may challenge the ability of the social care professional to effectively carry out their safeguarding role.

Where workers feel intimidated or threatened they may be less able to assess and monitor risks to children or vulnerable adults in families they are working with. Supervisors and managers have a particular responsibility to identify such situations and to put in place effective support and protection for their staff to enable them to meet their safeguarding responsibilities. The section below on lone working may be of particular value in this respect.

Lone working

(also see the lone working section which includes a downloadable safety guide)

Exposure to violence at work not only depends on a person's occupation but also upon the circumstances and situations under which a person performs their job. Working alone often increases the vulnerability of workers.

HSE defines a lone worker as:

          Someone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision.

Lone workers include those who:

• work from a fixed base, such as one person working alone on a premises
• work separately from others on the same premises or work outside normal hours;
• work away from a fixed base
• work at home
• mobile workers.

Social care workers may belong to several of the above categories, most commonly when working away from a fixed base and as mobile workers. A large number of social care staff visit the homes of people who use services (e.g. social workers, care managers and their assistants, occupational therapists, domiciliary care staff) and/or are mobile workers (all of the above plus drivers and escorts).

Employers need to put in place specific lone worker procedures and ensure that these are complied with, even in urgent or high pressure situations, when resources may be stretched.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website has a good example from West Lothian of a council that has addressed lone working in a positive way
(www.hse.gov.uk/violence/hslcasestudies/westlothian).

This includes the following:

• identification of key risks
• risk assessments
• examples of incidents
• training and information
• audits and reviews
• policy and guidance note
• incident reporting
• charters explaining standards
• a mobile phone lone worker system (logging visits and cancelling alert when completed)
• personal alarm loan system
• flagging system
• police accompanying employees
• using alternative staff
• doubling-up at night
• 24 hour reception of emergency calls.

The example also identifies and explains less successful measures, including  self-defence training, high-tech phones and mobile phones for emergency use.

Other examples are included in the examples section

NHS guidance on lone working also provides useful information.

To go back to the guide for employers click here