Working Positively with Risk and Safety

Taught by leading national expert Dr Emma Williamson (Consultant Clinical Psychologist), this course will explore working with risk and safety including what we mean by different types of risk, who is most at risk and how to use collaborative, strengths-based and proactive approaches to risk management and safety planning. The course will predominantly focus on working with risk posed to self including self-harm and suicide. However, it will also look at other forms of risk such as self-neglect, and risk from others. For those wanting a more in-depth look at working with people who pose a risk to others we have a separate course on aneemo on 'Working with People who Commit Offences' taught by Forensic Psychologist Sam Chu.  

By the end of this course we hope to meet the following objectives: 

1. Understand what we mean by risk and safety, and the different types of possible risk.
2. Understand our duties around working with vulnerable populations including key legislation.
3. To feel more confident in talking about and assessing risk and safety.
4. To have learnt new tools in developing collaborative risk management and safety plans. 

We need to be mindful as we work through this course that the content, including thinking about suicide and self-harm, could be distressing, particularly if it reminds you of some of your own experiences inside or outside of work. It is therefore worth taking a moment to reflect on your support mechanisms and structures and who you would talk to if needed. This could be: 

• Your line manager 
• A trusted colleague 
• A friend 
• Support line
• Taking some timeout alone for personal reflection.  

This is all part of good practice and self-care which allows us to stay in tune and alert to distress and risk, rather than being overwhelmed, burnout or at risk of turning away from concerns without meaning to.