Risk Assessment

Question 1

Definition of Risk

Answer 1

Risk is ‘the possibility of beneficial and harmful outcomes, and the likelihood of their occurrence in a state timescale.

Albert et al in Titterton, 2005

Question 2

Risk Assessment Aim

Answer 2

To consider a situation, event o decision and identify where risks fall on the dimensions of ‘likely or unlikely’ and ‘harmful or beneficial’.

Question 3

Aim of Risk Management

Answer 3

To devise strategies that will help move risk from the likely and harmful category to the unlikely or beneficial categories.

Question 4

Key Purpose of Risk Assessment Frameworks

Answer 4

To identify and manage risks.

Question 5

Less Risk-Averse Approach

Answer 5

Both the NOS and the Social Work codes expect social workers to respect risk-taking rights and to help inform risk taking.
Social workers are expected to balance rights and responsibilities in relation to risk, regularly re-assess risk, recognise risk to self and colleagues and work win the risk assessment procedures of their own and other organisations and professions. (Key role 4)

Question 6

Understanding Risk

Answer 6

Risk is often presented as a matter of common sense. Our understanding is shaped on our upbringing, our professional training and our work culture.
In practice, social workers usually draw on their own knowledge of the service user to predict risk.

Question 7

DASH Risk Assessment

Answer 7

The Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence Risk Assessment.
Developed to identify factors that would indicate a high risk of injury or death in the future. Such as: the women’s own view of the situation, a history of violence between the perpetrator and the victim in the past, and previous child contact difficulties.
Relies on statistical information to predict how likely it is that harm will occur in the future. This then informs the advise the police may give.