Provide effective support for team members where danger, harm or abuse is suspected or disclosed

For this assessment criterion, you will be required to critically evaluate how you have or would support others who have had a disclosure of abuse made to them or an allegation of abuse against them.

Supporting individuals that have had disclosure of abuse made to them

It can be distressing for team members to receive a disclosure of abuse, so it is important for you to support them through this difficult time. You should ensure that you are available for them to discuss what has happened and how they are feeling and you may also signpost them to other organisations that may provide support.

You should also reassure them that the allegation will be investigated swiftly and you may refer them to your organisation’s safeguarding policy, which will explain what will happen next with the relevant timeframes. You may need to explain the team member’s responsibilities going forward. This could include documenting the allegation and maintaining confidentiality.

As a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that the investigation is conducted in line with the safeguarding policy and procedure and that confidentiality is maintained by only sharing information with those that need to know.

Supporting individuals that have had an allegation of abuse made against them

If a co-worker has had an allegation of abuse made against them, you must follow policy and procedure and conduct a swift investigation. You may need to take action during the investigation, such as moving your co-worker to a different service or removing them from the workplace until the investigation has concluded.

You will need to explain to them that an allegation has been made but that it will be investigated quickly and confidentially. This can be traumatic for a care worker and so you may need to signpost them to confidential support services that they can access.

If an allegation is made against yourself, you will need to report this to your own manager immediately so that an investigation can be conducted. In the meantime, you will have to remove yourself from the situation, which could mean changing your location of work or taking time off.

Assessment criteria

Learners critically evaluate how they have or would support others who had either had:

• A disclosure of alleged/suspected abuse made to them
• What they would do if a colleague had an allegation made against them