Ask the Experts: Precautions to ensure staff safety

Working with troubled families is said to require a “persistent, assertive and challenging approach”. But how can we ensure our safety from family members who can be verbally aggressive or are in denial about problems?

This work often involves being alone in risky situations. As a worker, you must take precautions to ensure safety. Ensure mobiles have numbers on speed dial, tell colleagues where you are going and when you should be back, and agree a strategy for your safety with colleagues who also know the family. All agencies should have a risk assessment process for workers: make sure you use it and take sensible precautions.

Be honest with the family. Agree with them the issues, what needs to change and how that change can be demonstrated. Ensure all partner agencies support the key changes to be achieved. Work with the agencies and family to monitor progress and give direct honest feedback. Set out any consequences for the family, and celebrate and support any successes.

This is difficult work. Keeping workers safe and resilient as well as the family focused is important.

Answered by Paul Clark, director of the Potential Organisation. He was director of children’s services in Harrow for seven years