Evaluate risks associated with a support plan

For this assessment criterion, you will be required to evaluate risks associated with an individual’s support plan.

The risk assessment process will entail looking at all areas of a support plan and identifying anything that could potentially cause harm to the individual or others. Then each of the risks will be assessed and discussed and actions will be agreed upon to eliminate or reduce them. The risk assessments should be recorded according to organisational policies and procedures and should be reviewed regularly.

The individual should be involved in the risk assessment process so that they are able to express their own concerns and views. Each individual will have a different attitude toward risk and their wishes must be respected, even if you do not agree with their choices.

For example, an elderly individual that has had a stay in hospital following a fall in their home may be offered a place in a care home, where their needs can be met more readily by 24-hour staff, thus reducing their risk. However, they may decline this offer and choose to remain living in their home, so risk assessments would need to be performed to ensure that they are as safe as possible within that environment. This could involve domiciliary care staff visiting daily and/or bannister/handrails being installed in their home.