Service User Perspectives: Attitudes to risk in Social Work
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should be more aware of the impact of risk assessments on service users and how risk should sit in the wider field of practice.
A large part of social work is assessing risk to ensure service users and those around them around remain safe. It is often a difficult balancing act though between safeguarding and promoting the principles of self-determination.
In the following video, service users discuss risk in the context of being prevented from participating in activities themselves and how risk and assessing risk could be handled more effectively in social work.
Reflective Questions
- As a student social worker, what do you feel the attitude is to risk in social work?
- What is your organisation's attitude to risk? Do you think the attitude enables you to think more holistically about risk?
- Would you say you are risk-adverse or a risk-taker? How do you think this trait may impact your practice?
- How do you think the notion of risk conflicts with the principle of service user self-determination? How can you manage this conflict?