Social care - self-directed support: framework of standards - May 2024

Standard 6: Risk enablement

Standard descriptor: People’s views about their lives and how they wish to meet their own outcomes are listened to and responsibilities in relation to risk agreed. Self-directed Support is not separate from safeguarding and can be used creatively to enhance people’s and families’ preventative, protective and positive outcomes.

Practice statement: Social work practitioners and people work together to plan for positive risk enablement whilst balancing the responsibility of statutory protection of children, young people, adults and carers. Supported decision-making should be used where there are issues of capacity.

Core Components and practice guidance

6.1 Organisations and leaders are responsible for creating a culture based on positive risk taking to support workers to work in a risk-enabling way.

How to:

• Clear practice guidance should address the balance between innovation, choice and risks.
• Practitioners are encouraged, and have the information and the support that they need, to work in this way.
• Practitioners follow evidence-based positive risk management best practice and receive regular and effective reflective supervision.
• To reduce the incidence of substitute decision making, practitioners are trained in supported decision-making.
• Practitioners work in a culture which supports them to identify and to deal with issues where there are conflicts in interest between Power of Attorneys’ or Guardians’ views and the wishes of the person.

6.2 Risk assessment considers both the positive risks where there is beneficial impact on mental and physical wellbeing, and negative consequences associated with certain actions or inactions and activities.

How to:

• A person’s human rights should be considered as part of their assessment, which includes conversations on risk-enablement. Conversations may also consider the risks associated with taking no action.
• Effective, consistent, trusted relationships and good communication underpin effective risk assessment.
• Risk assessment follows the principle of least restrictive practice.
• The role of carers should be respected, particularly if the person does not have capacity.
• All decisions and actions to support risk are proportionate and defensible. Reasons for decisions are evidenced and recorded appropriately.
• It is recognised where opportunity and risk complement each other and contribute to a person’s growth and enrichment.
• There is appropriate recognition of different types of risk (personal risk, risk to others, professional risk, organisational risk, financial risk, and reputational risk) and where risk lies.