Safety Plans Quick Guide

We must aim to get a safety plan done quickly when we move a new person in.

These can be more generic to begin with but must quickly move to become more personalised as we get to know an individual and actively assess and review their risks at weekly support reviews and during ongoing contact.

At a minimum, this initially involves:

• Looking at the referral risks and needs, plus any other risks we have become aware of
• Rewriting relevant parts into the safety plan with main risks at the top
• Discussing with the resident what will go in their safety plan, explaining the part they play and finding out their wishes when managing risk

Structure of a Safety Plan

Top matter

The safety plan should show at a glance what we need to know about keeping someone safe and (where relevant) about keeping ourselves safe when we are working with them. If there are risks to staff that they should know about before working with somebody (e.g. visiting them), these should be at the top of the plan.

Additionally, relevant contact details, phone numbers or special instructions should be at the top of the plan (e.g. public safety keyworkers or others involved in safeguarding) for easy access.

The rest of the plan outlines each risk with the following details:

Description of the risk

E.g. Risk of deterioration in mental health: when Joe's mental health worsens, he can become paranoid and isolate himself and is more vulnerable to self-neglect and substance abuse, leading to further harm to his mental and physical wellbeing.

Exacerbating Factors (what increases the risk)

E.g. When he is doing well, Joe often thinks that he doesn't need to take his medication any more, so he stops it, leading to rapid deterioration. If Joe has contact with his family this can be stressful and trigger a relapse.

Risk Management (How the risk will be mitigated)

E.g. Support team to be aware of risks to Joe's mental health and monitor for signs of deterioration in weekly 1-1s, ask him about his medication and use a solution-focused approach regarding stress management. Joe plans to change his phone number so that his family can't contact him unexpectedly.

Remember: it is not just what we are doing to keep someone safe, but what they are doing for themselves too.

Additional things we are doing that do not directly address a specific risk but generally support well-being and empowerment can go below the risk section.

The idea is that someone who doesn't know the resident can glance at the safety plan and quickly see what we are doing, and there is a clear link between referral risks and our planning.

Updating Safety Plans

Safety plans are live and fluid. They should be checked at the weekly support review so any new risks or strategies can be updated. Include a statement to this effect in the weekly support review note.

Example Safety Plan

1. Risk of Substance Abuse Relapse

• Risk Description: Marmaduke is in recovery from drug and alcohol misuse and has a history of relapse if there are delays in his methadone prescription or if he experiences stress.
• Triggers or Factors: Stress from navigating the recovery system and past experiences with housemates have previously led to relapse. The recent passing of his mam has negatively impacted his mental health.
• Mitigation Measures:
  • Regular support and reminders to attend appointments at recovery services.
  • Immediate assistance if there is a delay in his methadone prescription.
  • Regular one-on-one chats to monitor mental health.
  • Housing alone to prevent stress from living with housemates.

2. Risk of Homelessness

• Risk Description: Marmaduke struggles to maintain tenancy rules without support, which puts him at risk of homelessness.
• Triggers or Factors: Allowing unauthorised visitors and having difficulty asking them to leave; issues with budgeting and keeping up with bills.
• Mitigation Measures:
  • Unannounced home visits to ensure no unauthorised visitors.
  • Support for budgeting and managing bills, with assistance in financial matters as needed.
  • Immediate intervention to help Marmaduke ask unauthorised visitors to leave.

3. Risk of Financial Difficulties

• Risk Description: Marmaduke is at risk of financial instability due to historical debts and difficulties in managing money.
• Triggers or Factors: Addiction history and poor boundary management, such as financially supporting others' responsibilities.
• Mitigation Measures:
  • Ongoing budgeting support from Handcrafted.
  • Monitoring of energy prepayment meters.

4. Risk of Exploitation and Abuse

• Risk Description: Marmaduke is vulnerable to exploitation due to difficulties in maintaining boundaries, especially with friends.
• Triggers or Factors: Allowing people to stay in his house against the licence agreement and being taken advantage of by others, such as with the friend's dog.
• Mitigation Measures:
  • Boundaries and personal safety are monitored and reinforced during 1-1 sessions.
  • Staff intervention as needed to enforce house rules and support Marmaduke in removing unwelcome visitors.
  • Building Marmaduke's confidence to say no and maintain his personal space.

Additional Support

• Mental Health: Weekly one-on-one chats with support staff to monitor and address mental health concerns, especially following the loss of his sister.
• Community Engagement: Encourage involvement in positive social environments, such as the community Café, to build supportive friendships and reduce isolation.
• Skill Building: Encourage participation in workshops or programmes to improve financial literacy and personal boundary setting.