Staff should regularly and actively evaluate each child or young person’s risks and the measures in place to protect them. If safeguarding concerns exist for a child or young person, the placement plan should include the steps the home will take to manage any identified risks daily.

Staff who help children to live in their homes should take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgments based on each child’s or young person’s individual needs and developmental stage regarding when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a specific course of action. Staff members should discuss decisions with the child’s placing authority when necessary. If a child makes a choice that would put them or others at significant risk of harm, staff members should assist them in understanding and managing the risks to keep everyone safe. 

In this course, you will learn. 

• To consider the impact of each assessment on and for each child?
• Accurately assess whether the child is at risk of harm, considering the impact of the hazard and evaluating the likelihood of damage or hazard occurring.
• Identify the hazards for each child individually
• How to plan work with each child to reduce the risks.
• Consider contextual and community-based risks.

• The difference between risk management and risk assessment.
• How to continuously assess risks using their professional judgment and knowledge of children and young people, considering emerging needs and relevant plans.
• How to review risk management involves using the risk assessment guidelines in practice.