Risk Management

Engaging with, assessing and managing risk is central to all social work practice. Changing Lives found a lack of common understanding of risk both within different social work services and with partner agencies. It concluded that professionals practising accountably would need access not only to good evidence-based risk assessment tools but also guidance on choice of tools and on integrating risk assessment into general assessment tasks.

The process of risk management will always call on professional judgement and any paperwork or tools must guide and assist that rather than seek to replace it. There is also a task for social work in renegotiating concepts of risk with political leaders, the media and service users.

Useful Links:

• Risk Management Authority

Useful Documents:

• Effective Approaches to Risk Assessment in Social Work An International Literature Review (web only) (summarised in Research Findings 31)
• Managing risk and minimising mistakes in services to children and families. Social Care Institute for Excellence. This report focuses on how organisations can learn from mistakes