James is 19 years old; he lives with his parents, twice a week he goes bowling or to the cinema with his support workers. They also go with him to the local college where he is studying Horticulture. At his last care planning meeting James expressed a wish to live independently with someone of his own age. His mother is against any change; she has dedicated her life to caring for him since he was diagnosed as having Asperger’s Syndrome. She is particularly worried that James will be at risk because he has limited experience of living independently. She is concerned he will make himself ill because he has limited experience of general health and safety in the kitchen and has no understanding about food safety. She will not discuss it with James or the social care workers. James is very angry with her.
| Store food safely |
| Read the labels on food packaging to identify how it should be stored (fridge, freezer, cupboard etc.) Store raw meat and poultry on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Cover and date any leftover food and wait for it to cool before putting in the fridge. |
| Handle food safely |
| Wash hands thoroughly before handling food. Ensure work surfaces are clean and tidy. Ensure cooking utensils are clean. Use the correct utensils for the food type (e.g. colour-coded chopping boards and knives) Cook food at the correct temperature. Ensure food is cooked thoroughly before serving. |
| Dispose of food safely |
| Clean up any mess or spillages quickly. Put all food that is past its use-by date into the bin. Empty the bin regularly. |