Any form of aggression or violence directed at a professional in the course of their duty is unacceptable, although those working with the public may be greater risk. Professionals have a responsibility to plan for their own safety just as agencies have responsibilities for trying to ensure their staff’s safety. Professionals should consult with their line managers to draw up plans to protect their own safety and that of other colleagues. If you are at immediate risk of harm or a crime has been committed call 999.

Where does the risk of violence or inappropriate behaviour come from?

Much of the potential for violence and inappropriate behaviour arises because professionals may deal with client groups that involve a degree of risk, including;

• General dissatisfaction of services provided
• Dealing with people that have a great deal of anger or resentment over a particular issue
• Dealing with people who have an unreasonably high expectations of what the service can offer, or who seek quick and easy solutions to long term and complex problems
• Working with people who use violence to express themselves or achieve their needs
• Those who resent involvement of services

What do we mean by violence or inappropriate behaviour? 

• Verbal abuse or written threats
• Aggressive behaviour i.e. hitting walls or throwing things
• Insinuate they know how to use weapons, or have weapons hanging on the wall
• Harassment i.e. constant phoning or emails and being followed.
• Any incident in which a professional is intimidated, offended or harmed because of his/her ethnic origin colour, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation or disability.
• Assault, whether resulting in physical injury, or causing distress.
• Damage to professionals’ personal property i.e. car
• Abuse, aggression, harassment or assault directed at others, including members of the family.
• Using animals to make professionals feel intimidated i.e. dogs or reptiles.
• Threat or fear of any of the above.
• The cumulative effect of constant low level verbal abuse and minor assaults.

Violence and harassment towards professionals will not be tolerated and action should and will be taken against perpetrators.

Questions for professionals to ask themselves

Prior to contact with a family consider the following questions;

• Should this visit be made jointly with another agency, a colleague or manager?
• Am I visiting a risky client at the end of the day when it is dark and everyone has gone home?
• Am I familiar with the location/home and access to the property and road?
• Could this visit be arranged at a neutral venue?
• Do I have a mobile phone with me or some other means of summoning help e.g. personal alarm? 
• Are my colleagues/line managers aware of where I am going and when I should be back?
• Do my family members know how to contact someone from work if I don’t come home when expected?
• Have I taken basic precautions such as social media privacy settings, home phone number being ex directory, name removed from the open electoral register.
• Is it possible for me to continue to work effectively with this family?

Manager’s responsibilities

Ensure there are clear procedures for what should be done if a colleague does not return or report back from a visit after an agreed amount of time i.e. call after an hour to check they are ok.

Ensure professionals are debriefed following an incident and there is the appropriate investigation into reported incidents. Threats of violence constitute a criminal offence and the agency must take action on behalf of their professionals by reporting to the police.

To consider if the behaviour of a family, or individual, has become a significant issue for the professional and is impacting on their work. Change of workers, or not, should be considered and documented appropriately.

Ensure a culture that allows workers to express fears and concerns and where support is available. This includes providing specific training to equip professionals with the necessary information and skills to undertake the job.

Ensure supervision or reflective practice routinely addresses the dynamics of professional’s relationships with families.

Hints and tips to stay safe

• Make sure you are aware of the agreed agency procedures.
• Park in the right direction that you will be leaving in. Do not get stuck trying to turn around in a dead end if you are leaving a difficult visit. Also consider parking in the next street.
• Keep your shoes on so you can make a quick exit. Carry disposable shoe covers and use them in people’s home.
• Don’t assume previously non-hostile situations will always be so.
• Ask who else is in the home and document the names.
• Take essential items only into the visit and keep them with you at all times, do not leave your bag in the living room whilst you go around the house.
• If people in the home are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol inform them that the visit can not go ahead.

The impact on the child

Professionals need to be mindful of the impact the parent’s behaviour towards the professionals may have on the child and consideration of what the child is experiencing should be included in all assessments.

Where a professional has been made to feel fearful or intimidated they must consider how the child feels in that home and the impact of living in a hostile or aggressive environment.

What to do

• Leave. Calmly state “You are being aggressive and I think it’s best to leave the conversation here, I am leaving”.
• Report to your manager as soon as you are safe.
• Do not get angry yourself but be firm in your requirements.
• Do not be accommodating and understanding, this is unreasonable behaviour.
• Do not assume you have to deal with it.
• Follow post incident procedures.

The impact on a professional

It is important to recognise the impact on a professional when working in risky environments and following any incidents.

• Those feeling under threat may feel that it is personal.
• A professional may blame themselves for the incident, even though any other professional would have dealt with the situation in the same way.
• Professionals may feel they have failed.
• Professionals chosen by the family as their “ally” may then be unable to identify risk
• Risk plans must be in place and lone working policy followed. • Manager support should be available.
• The long term impact on the professional may not be apparent for some time and managers must be in tune to changes in their behaviour and work.

Impact on practice

• Every “one backs” off leaving the child unprotected, possibly by avoiding visits.
• Parents are appeased to avoid provoking a reaction
• The family is “punished” by withholding of services
• Professionals are divided in how they want to approach the family
• Assessments are not holistic
• The voice of the child is missed and there is no consideration for the lived experience of the child.

Multi agency collaboration 

• Any agency faced with incidents of threats, hostility or violence should routinely consider the potential implications for any other agency involved with the family as well as for its own staff and should alert them to the nature of the risk.
• Professionals must understand each other’s roles, responsibilities and duties and support each other by joint working.

This factsheet should be read in conjunction with the factsheet Resistant, uncooperative and hard to change families.

This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Procedures.