About the course

This course offers practical solutions for staff facing difficult situations and conflict in their workplace, face to face, over the telephone, working in isolation in their community. Whole team training is encouraged to enable staff to consider solutions, identify strategies and procedures to reduce the risks. Lone Workers are often the first point of contact for clients.

Course Content

• identify ways to project a professional image
• maintaining individual coping mechanisms of stress management, assertiveness and personal survival strategies
• direct communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal
• defusing crisis situations, including the unpredictable and more volatile behaviour linked with drug abuse and mental health issues
• practical steps to maintaining personal safety, during all aspects of the working day within the working environment
• evaluation

Objectives

• identify areas of potential risk within the workplace/environment
• understand conflict - how and why it occurs
• recognise own behaviour and responses when under threat
• develop skills, techniques and confidence in defusing situations, using verbal
• and non-verbal responses
• develop procedures and working practices to assist in the prevention of aggression
• understand the legalities of safety at work and Risk Assessments in relation to
• MHSW Regulations, linked with the organisations procedures
• consider support and coping strategies in dealing with the after effects of an incident
• identify examples of good practice, learn from and support other participants
• prepare an personal/team action plan to assist in continuing development

Guy Smith has fifteen years experience in the field of social care. He has worked with a variety of client groups including the under-fives, young people and their families, the elderly and those in mental distress, both in the statutory and voluntary sectors. Within supported housing he has worked on Floating Support Schemes, in Hostels and in projects with hostels, group homes and single tenancies.  Originally a Community Worker he is a qualified Social Worker and counsellor.