Principles of Safe Practice Assignment 1
Adult Case Study
The drop-in centre provides support for young adults with mental ill health. The staff have
recently become concerned about Zara, who is 19 years old and has an anxiety disorder.
She has been prescribed medication to deal with this. Zara’s key worker has noticed that
her symptoms have increased; she has panic attacks, which appear to begin if she is
approached by any of the male service users or members of staff.
Although the weather is currently warm, Zara has begun to appear in long sleeved
sweaters, insisting that she is cold. Zara’s appearance has deteriorated recently; her hair is
often unkempt and her clothes dirty. Zara states that this is her protection, but from what
she refuses to say.
The staff are aware that Zara is unhappy about her mother’s new boyfriend. She states
that he is too `friendly’ but refuses to explain what she means by this.
Zara has a social worker, Elizabeth Green, who has also noticed the changes in Zara’s
physical appearance and increased anxiety, but has linked this to a perceived jealousy
regarding Zara’s mother’s new relationship. Elizabeth has not recorded the changes in
Zara’s case file, as she considers that Zara will soon ‘get over’ her jealousy and really
needs to grow up.
Zara has asked Elizabeth to arrange alternative accommodation for her, but the social
worker has stated that Zara has no legal entitlement to this, as she is not sufficiently
vulnerable.
Child Case Study
Cherry Trees Children’s Centre
Lisa is a three-year-old girl who is on the autistic spectrum. She has attended the centre
twice a week with her mother, Joanna, since she was born. All of the children who attend
the centre have additional needs and require medication whilst at the centre
Several of the staff have recently left the centre and the manager has agreed to allow
several local people to act as volunteers until new staff can be recruited. As they are all
known to the manager, she has not bothered to ask the volunteers to complete a
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) form, stating that there will be nothing of note on the
forms. She has allowed the volunteers to lead unsupervised play sessions with the
children who attend the centre, whilst the parents have coffee in another room. Joanna,
Lisa’s mother, has expressed concern about this, but has been informed by the manager
that this is only a temporary measure.
, None of the volunteers have first aid training and have not been informed of the
emergency evacuation procedures at the centre. Instructions for the evacuation of the
centre are clearly displayed on the noticeboard, as is a health and safety notice in
compliance with the relevant legislation. However, the fire doors are often locked and no
evacuation practice has taken place for at least two years.
One day, whilst playing in the outside area at the centre, Lisa fell off the climbing
equipment and hurt her leg. As Lisa’s mother was in the coffee room at the time, she did
not see the incident. The volunteer who was supervising the session checked Lisa’s leg and
declared that there was no damage and gave Lisa a biscuit to calm her down.
Later in the afternoon, one of the other parents heard two of the volunteers discussing
the outdoor play equipment. Concern was expressed regarding the climbing frame, as it
had cracks in the metal tubes that formed the main structure. In addition, one of the
crossbars had broken away from the main frame.
On arriving home, Joanna noticed that Lisa was limping and decided to take her to the
G.P. for a check-up. The G.P. suspects that Lisa may have cracked a bone and gives Joanna
a letter for the local NHS Trust to arrange a scan.
The scan has revealed the G.P.’s suspicions and Joanna decides that she will make a
formal complaint of neglect against the children’s centre, but does not know to whom the
complaint should be addressed, or which piece of legislation should be applied.
Learning Outcome A
P1
A duty of care is a legal responsibility that health care practitioners have towards service
users they are caring for. It refers to the obligations placed on people to act towards others
in a certain way.
A part of ‘duty of care’ is legal obligation to protect well-being and prevent harm. This
means to always act in the best interests of the service user and any others that may be
affected by your actions. You should not act in any way that causes harm to service users. In
this case this aspect was not met as Elizabeth has not recorded the changes in Zara’s case
file because she claims that Zara will ‘get over’ her jealousy and needs to grow up. It is
important to record information about how Zara is feeling because it is a legal requirement
and part of staff's professional duty and if anything happens in the future then there is
evidence and can be reasoning behind the case. For example, if Zara went missing it could
be because of her challenges and how she is feeling, and we would know this by looking at
her records.
Adult Case Study
The drop-in centre provides support for young adults with mental ill health. The staff have
recently become concerned about Zara, who is 19 years old and has an anxiety disorder.
She has been prescribed medication to deal with this. Zara’s key worker has noticed that
her symptoms have increased; she has panic attacks, which appear to begin if she is
approached by any of the male service users or members of staff.
Although the weather is currently warm, Zara has begun to appear in long sleeved
sweaters, insisting that she is cold. Zara’s appearance has deteriorated recently; her hair is
often unkempt and her clothes dirty. Zara states that this is her protection, but from what
she refuses to say.
The staff are aware that Zara is unhappy about her mother’s new boyfriend. She states
that he is too `friendly’ but refuses to explain what she means by this.
Zara has a social worker, Elizabeth Green, who has also noticed the changes in Zara’s
physical appearance and increased anxiety, but has linked this to a perceived jealousy
regarding Zara’s mother’s new relationship. Elizabeth has not recorded the changes in
Zara’s case file, as she considers that Zara will soon ‘get over’ her jealousy and really
needs to grow up.
Zara has asked Elizabeth to arrange alternative accommodation for her, but the social
worker has stated that Zara has no legal entitlement to this, as she is not sufficiently
vulnerable.
Child Case Study
Cherry Trees Children’s Centre
Lisa is a three-year-old girl who is on the autistic spectrum. She has attended the centre
twice a week with her mother, Joanna, since she was born. All of the children who attend
the centre have additional needs and require medication whilst at the centre
Several of the staff have recently left the centre and the manager has agreed to allow
several local people to act as volunteers until new staff can be recruited. As they are all
known to the manager, she has not bothered to ask the volunteers to complete a
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) form, stating that there will be nothing of note on the
forms. She has allowed the volunteers to lead unsupervised play sessions with the
children who attend the centre, whilst the parents have coffee in another room. Joanna,
Lisa’s mother, has expressed concern about this, but has been informed by the manager
that this is only a temporary measure.
, None of the volunteers have first aid training and have not been informed of the
emergency evacuation procedures at the centre. Instructions for the evacuation of the
centre are clearly displayed on the noticeboard, as is a health and safety notice in
compliance with the relevant legislation. However, the fire doors are often locked and no
evacuation practice has taken place for at least two years.
One day, whilst playing in the outside area at the centre, Lisa fell off the climbing
equipment and hurt her leg. As Lisa’s mother was in the coffee room at the time, she did
not see the incident. The volunteer who was supervising the session checked Lisa’s leg and
declared that there was no damage and gave Lisa a biscuit to calm her down.
Later in the afternoon, one of the other parents heard two of the volunteers discussing
the outdoor play equipment. Concern was expressed regarding the climbing frame, as it
had cracks in the metal tubes that formed the main structure. In addition, one of the
crossbars had broken away from the main frame.
On arriving home, Joanna noticed that Lisa was limping and decided to take her to the
G.P. for a check-up. The G.P. suspects that Lisa may have cracked a bone and gives Joanna
a letter for the local NHS Trust to arrange a scan.
The scan has revealed the G.P.’s suspicions and Joanna decides that she will make a
formal complaint of neglect against the children’s centre, but does not know to whom the
complaint should be addressed, or which piece of legislation should be applied.
Learning Outcome A
P1
A duty of care is a legal responsibility that health care practitioners have towards service
users they are caring for. It refers to the obligations placed on people to act towards others
in a certain way.
A part of ‘duty of care’ is legal obligation to protect well-being and prevent harm. This
means to always act in the best interests of the service user and any others that may be
affected by your actions. You should not act in any way that causes harm to service users. In
this case this aspect was not met as Elizabeth has not recorded the changes in Zara’s case
file because she claims that Zara will ‘get over’ her jealousy and needs to grow up. It is
important to record information about how Zara is feeling because it is a legal requirement
and part of staff's professional duty and if anything happens in the future then there is
evidence and can be reasoning behind the case. For example, if Zara went missing it could
be because of her challenges and how she is feeling, and we would know this by looking at
her records.
