Assess and act on the risk of danger, harm or abuse

​This standard is for housing staff who contribute to assessing and acting on the risk of danger, harm or abuse.  This would include minimising and dealing with the effects of harm and abuse and supporting customers to review situations and actions when the risk has passed.  

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1. identify signs and symptoms of risks of danger, harm and abuse to customers
2. maintain up to date knowledge on situations and actions that might lead to danger, harm and abuse of customers
3. respond to any disclosures of risks of danger, harm and abuse to customers, confirming that you have understood the situation
4. seek support and assistance in situations that are outside your expertise and responsibility
5. contribute to assessing risks with customers
6. develop relationships with customers which enable them to communicate their knowledge of potential and actual danger, harm and abuse and make disclosures
7. assure customers t that you are available to support them to communicate their experiences
8. ensure that your actions with customers, relevant colleagues and organisations do not adversely affect the use of evidence in future investigations and court proceedings
9. assess situations and respond to immediate and potential risks that may lead to danger, harm and abuse of customers, in accordance with relevant legal and your organisational requirements
10. assess and minimise risks to yourself, customers, relevant colleagues or organisations, involved in situations with the potential risk of danger, harm and abuse  
11. make the environment safe, removing all dangerous substances and materials and ensuring that evidence which may be used in an investigation is preserved
12. support customers to identify and communicate their disclosure requirements, offering them reassurance and support
13. inform relevant colleagues and organisations about customers' disclosure requirements, in accordance with the relevant legal and organisational procedures
14. seek support for your personal emotional reactions to the disclosures if relevant
15. reflect upon your own actions and behaviour to evaluate whether these might have contributed to dangerous, harmful and abusive behaviour
16. support customers to identify the factors that led up to situations and behaviour that was dangerous, harmful or abusive
17. contribute to supporting those involved in dangerous, harmful or abusive situations to recognise the consequences of their behaviour, assist them to seek help, advice and support, and take actions that will avoid further dangerous, harmful and abusive situations and behaviour

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1. the relevant legal and organisational requirements on equality, diversity, discrimination and rights when contributing to the assessment of and actions to deal with the risk of danger, harm and abuse
2. how your organisation must comply with the relevant data protection legislation
3. how to provide support and place customers' requirements at the centre of your work, whilst enabling them to take responsibility to make and communicate their own decisions relating to their protection
4. your role and responsibilities and those of relevant colleagues and organisations in protecting customers from danger, harm and abuse
5. the codes of practice and conduct, legislation, standards and guidance relevant to your own role and those of relevant colleagues and organisations when protecting customers from danger, harm and abuse
6. the relevant legislation and organisational requirements, procedures and practices for protecting customers from danger, harm and abuse  
7. the relevant legislation and organisational requirements, procedures and practices for health, safety, assessing and managing risks associated with identifying and dealing with the risk of danger, harm and abuse to customers
8. how to access records and information on the dangerous, abusive and harmful behaviour of customers who fall into this category
9. the purpose of, and arrangements for your supervision when dealing with dangerous, harmful and abusive incidents and the disclosure of such incidents by customers and relevant colleagues or stakeholders
10. how and where to access information and support that can inform your working practice when contributing to the assessment of, and actions to deal with the risk of danger, harm and abuse
11. the relevant UK, and devolved government reports, inquiries and research related to the protection of customers from danger, harm and abuse 
12. the theories relevant to the customers with whom you work, about aspects of human growth and development and how these can affect and be affected by customers being subjected to danger, harm and abuse
13. the ways in which danger, harm and abuse in the short, medium and long term can affect the well-being of customers
14. how to work in partnership with relevant colleagues and organisations to support customers who you and colleagues suspect are in danger of harm and abuse or who have been harmed and abused
15. what to do if you suspect or have evidence that the person responsible for harm and abuse is a colleague
16. how to protect yourself and customers with whom you work from danger, harm and abuse
17. the different views on what is harmful, dangerous and abusive and how they relate to your role and tasks
18. the signs and symptoms of danger, harm and abuse and the correct actions to take when you suspect that danger, harm and abuse has been disclosed
19. the effects of being at risk of harm, in danger or abused and their impact on the customers, relevant colleagues and organisations involved, your own and other's behaviour
20. the relevant types of evidence that are valid in investigations and court proceedings and how to ensure that your actions and statements do not adversely affect these
21. the way that supportive relationships can help customers, relevant colleagues and organisations involved to cope with what has happened to them
22. how to deal with and the actions to take when customers, relevant colleagues and organisations disclose abuse
23. how to contribute to assessing levels of risk and the appropriate action to take to mitigate these
24. how to work with, and enable relevant colleagues and organisations to work with customers whose behaviour is likely to cause, or is causing, risks to themselves or relevant colleagues and organisations
25. how to work with relevant colleagues and organisations who are involved in the reviews of risks or action that is to be taken
26. how to reflect upon and evaluate how your behaviour and actions could contribute to incidents of danger, harm and abuse

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1

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06 Jan 2024

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Current

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Original

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Instructus

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SFHSC395

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Housing Manager, Housing Officer, Housing Assistant, Housing Administrator, Lettings Negotiator, Revenue Officer/Assistant, Resident Involvement Assistant, Neighbourhood Assistant, Lettings Assistant, Repairs Assistant, Assistant Portfolio Manager (without portfolio)

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4159

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property; investigating; dealing; breaches; accommodation; tenancy; licence; leaseholder; agreements; customers; documentation; safety; support; legislation; equality; diversity; safe; organise; contribute; assessing; risk; danger; harm; abuse; minimise;

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