Tensions between maintaining the safety of team members and others with the duty of care to adults who are known to have abused children and young people

For this assessment criterion, you will be required to explain the potential tensions between maintaining the safety of team members and others with the duty of care to adults who are known to have abused children and young people.

We may be required to provide care and support for individuals that have, in the past, caused harm to or abused/neglected/exploited children or young people. They may have been convicted of crimes and served a prison sentence or be registered sex offenders. This may be very uncomfortable and other staff that are working with them and our own personal views and feelings could potentially have an impact on the care and support that we provide to them.

However, we have a duty of care to ensure that each individual is treated fairly, cared for, valued and respected. If you have completed previous health and social care qualifications, you will have discussed how care workers should not let their own views, values, attitudes or beliefs influence their practice.

The term Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR) is a humanistic approach coined by Carl Rogers, which means to accept and support an individual with compassion and without judgment. We should care for the person unconditionally without being influenced by the actions, behaviours or attitudes that have or have had. This does not mean that we must agree with or accept their actions but we should not let our feelings towards these actions and behaviours affect our practice.

You may need to ensure policies and procedures are put into place to ensure the safety of the individual, your team and others.

Of course, we should ensure we keep an individual’s past history confidential unless there are mitigating circumstances in which information must be shared. We may also have to support the individual to adhere to any legal restrictions that have been imposed on them by a court of law. Staff should have sufficient training and supervision and be able to discuss their feelings with their manager. They should also be provided with rules or protocols for working with the individual, which may include not discussing anything about their personal lives with them, particularly if they have children.

Assessment criteria

Learners explain the potential tensions between maintaining the safety of team members and others with the duty of care to adults who are known to have abused children and young people.