Personal Safety and Situational Awareness Training for Social Services Professionals Working at or Away from the Office

This training empowers social service professionals with practical strategies necessary to enhance their personal safety at the office, while working in the field and during activities of daily living.

Specific skills to enhance awareness of surroundings are explored .

Safety for social workers in home visits are discussed as well as general situational awareness between visits and in transit. Night shift lone workers are also presented with additional potential challenges as they tend to their clients needs.

In addition, safety and security protocol are integrated with communication plans. Topics include the importance of schedule sharing, designating emergency contacts and specific check-in times.

Force deflection techniques, built around intuitive protective movements, are demonstrated.  (Participants are not subjected to any physical contact or exertion)

Duration:

  • On-Site: 2-4 hour  training (3 hour duration most commonly elected for)
  • Live , Customised Interactive Webinars 2-3 hour durantion
  • Customization: Content customized to best suit your needs. Customization included in pricing.
  • Executive Overview: This live 45 minute Teams presentation relevant to your needs is offered at no charge so you may better evaluate if we will be a good fit for you.

 

Audience: Social Workers, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists & Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Hospice Caregivers, Chaplains, Homeless Shelter Attendants, and  Home Health Care Providers, Case Managers.

 

Topics / Guidelines for Social Worker Safety in the Workplace include:

  • General situational awareness as the foundation to personal safety
  • Working from home. Safety & security reminders so we do not become complacent
  • Intuition: A vital protective mechanism never to be ignored, deemed “silly” or “irrational”
  • Understanding the victim selection process and presenting as a “hard” vs. “soft” target
  • Access control, lighting and security considerations.
  • “Four at the Door” Best strategy when waiting at the client’s door
  • Protocol while visiting clients in higher risk/ rural locations
  • Subtle indoor signs of previous drug manufacturing?
  • Weapons of opportunity
  • Working with the homeless / At homeless shelters
  • Oxygen tanks. Safety storage and usage. Have the clients been trained?
  • Communication planning and distress phrases
  • Route planning, safe havens and medical consideration
  • Parking tips. My 5 and 25 yard technique exiting my vehicle
  • When visits with members/ clients become challenging
  • Armed robbery. The only two things you can control
  • Attempted abduction. The primary and secondary locations
  • Recognizing drug lab activity in the area
  • Confronted over racial, religious, gender presentation bias. How will I deal with this?
  • Confronted for wearing a mask. What will I say to avoid escalation?
  • Introduction to non- escalation and de-escalation. Trauma informed.
  • Emotional intelligence, active listening, preserving dignity
  • Group/ team dynamics and de-escalation
  • Weapons of opportunity. Protective items of opportunity.
  • Demonstration of force deflection techniques
  • Conferences, travel and safe commuting
  • Elevators, parking lots and isolated areas
  • Random gunfire? Cover versus Concealment?
  • Active shooter / hostile intruder in any environment. What is my strategy?
  • Broken down in a remote area with no cell coverage?
  • Assessing facility security when visiting clinics, homeless shelters etc
  • Those experiencing homelessness. What are their needs for personal space?
  • Body language and eye contact. Sunglasses?
  • Dealing with aggressive people in confined spaces such as public transport-when we are unable to preserve our personal space.
  • Unannounced aggressive visitors, family members, domestic disputes. How will I deal with these. Sexual innuendo at the front door. I want to leave but what does this look and sound like?
  • Dogs. If confronted by an aggressive dog. If attacked.

 

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Related: 

What is Situational Awareness Training?

Vehicle- Ramming Attacks

“Four at the Door” Personal safety tips while at the client front door!

Resource: National Association of Social Workers Website

 

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