Susan Smith argues third sector social care bodies that believe violence is unavoidable are taking a big risk
Nobody ever said front-line working in social care organisations was an easy job – the hours are bad, the pay is poor (albeit slightly less so now the Scottish Living Wage has kicked in) and burnout is a common problem.
Fortunately for social care providers, there’s also a high-level of job satisfaction and people who go into this line of work generally get a lot out of supporting people to live fulfilling lives. That could all change easily enough, however, if the sector fails to address the issues public service union Unison has highlighted in its Violence at Work report this week.
While it is commendable that most voluntary organisations encourage the reporting of violent incidents, just 56% of staff who did make a report said it had been followed up and only 44% felt it had been taken seriously.
Social care cannot afford to become the new focus of growing media scrutiny of the charity sector now that fundraising has cleaned up its act
There are risks associated with working with people who through ill health or disability struggle to control emotional outbursts, and violent incidents are a problem across all sectors. However, it is incredibly disappointing that 83% of third sector staff said they feel their bosses believe kicking, scratching, biting, punching, kicking and throwing things are “part of their job”.
It isn’t part of the job. Good managers will have strategies in place to deal with violent outbursts that protect the health and wellbeing of staff and service users, while ensuring the organisation isn’t leaving itself open to grievances, employment disputes or other legal challenges.
If the sector is to be considered an equal partner professionally it must adhere to these high standards of delivery and staff welfare. Public expectations of the third sector is higher than other sectors, and social care cannot afford to become the new focus of growing media scrutiny of the charity sector now that fundraising has cleaned up its act.
Clearly responses to a survey entitled Violence at Work risks a self-selecting bias, but Unison is concerned enough to be embarking on a more serious piece of research into the issue of work place violence in the third sector. Hopefully, it will reveal a more balanced picture, but in the meantime third sector employers with any concerns should address this issue directly with staff and managers to ensure the safety of everyone.
Susan Smith is editor of Third Force News.
