Unit 3 P4 M3 D2 Incidents and Emergencies
P4
Explain possible priorities and responses when dealing with two particular incidents or
emergencies in a health or social care setting
Incident
Incidents of suspected/ actual abuse
Abuse is any form of behaviour concerning an individual that causes harm to him/ her or breaches
their dignity or rights.
Suspected abuse in children
The priority regarding suspected abuse in children is to ensure that someone attends to any
concerns raised and acknowledges the seriousness. It is much more beneficial to investigate
suspicions which transpire to be incorrect, than to be unacknowledged and discovered as
true. If abuse is suspected in a child aged 16 or under, any suspicions must not be supressed.
Suspicions must be discussed with the children protection appointee, who will investigate
and absolve the situation.
Actual abuse in children
If a child informs about abuse, the priority in this situation is the child’s safety and well-
being, regardless of personal emotions. For the child to have informed you of abuse, it
would have taken a lot of bravery and a high level of trust must have been formed in order
for the child to consider you worthy to confide in. How to approach abuse with children:
1. Remain calm and collected, comforting the child.
2. Seek out a quiet area to talk.
3. Inform the child that you must tell someone, assuring them that they have acted
correctly and everything will be fine.
4. Have confidence in everything that is told to you.
5. Do not coerce them to reveal more than they wish to.
6. Inform them that you are pleased that they have told you.
7. Inform them that the abuse is not their fault and their abuser has behaved
unacceptably.
8. Inform them how you will support and protect them to the best of your ability.
9. Report this incident to the nominated individual, who will then take charge,
reporting the situation to the appropriate services.
Abuse in vulnerable adults
Responding to abuse with individuals over the age of 16, is dependent upon their capability
to make rational decisions, which can be a challenging process to evaluate. If it is felt that
the individual is completely capable of making rational decisions and they do not want the
abuse reported, it must not be reported. If you feel, however, that the individual is incapable
of performing rational decisions, you must discuss the incident with the setting manager
who will decide how to approach the situation.
Emergency
Accidents
Regardless of the procedures taken in order to keep individuals safe, accidents still occur. The
reaction of those during the scenario can have a vast influence on the aftermath. The priority in
this situation is to ensure that the scenario does not deteriorate further and that first-aid
principles are put into practice. Firstly, during an emergency situation, you must cease action
and contemplate the situation. It will not benefit anybody if you are at risk and another fatality is
produced.
1. Check the surroundings for danger of moving vehicles, chemicals, fire, falling masonry
and fumes. Do not enter the area if any of these dangers are present.
P4
Explain possible priorities and responses when dealing with two particular incidents or
emergencies in a health or social care setting
Incident
Incidents of suspected/ actual abuse
Abuse is any form of behaviour concerning an individual that causes harm to him/ her or breaches
their dignity or rights.
Suspected abuse in children
The priority regarding suspected abuse in children is to ensure that someone attends to any
concerns raised and acknowledges the seriousness. It is much more beneficial to investigate
suspicions which transpire to be incorrect, than to be unacknowledged and discovered as
true. If abuse is suspected in a child aged 16 or under, any suspicions must not be supressed.
Suspicions must be discussed with the children protection appointee, who will investigate
and absolve the situation.
Actual abuse in children
If a child informs about abuse, the priority in this situation is the child’s safety and well-
being, regardless of personal emotions. For the child to have informed you of abuse, it
would have taken a lot of bravery and a high level of trust must have been formed in order
for the child to consider you worthy to confide in. How to approach abuse with children:
1. Remain calm and collected, comforting the child.
2. Seek out a quiet area to talk.
3. Inform the child that you must tell someone, assuring them that they have acted
correctly and everything will be fine.
4. Have confidence in everything that is told to you.
5. Do not coerce them to reveal more than they wish to.
6. Inform them that you are pleased that they have told you.
7. Inform them that the abuse is not their fault and their abuser has behaved
unacceptably.
8. Inform them how you will support and protect them to the best of your ability.
9. Report this incident to the nominated individual, who will then take charge,
reporting the situation to the appropriate services.
Abuse in vulnerable adults
Responding to abuse with individuals over the age of 16, is dependent upon their capability
to make rational decisions, which can be a challenging process to evaluate. If it is felt that
the individual is completely capable of making rational decisions and they do not want the
abuse reported, it must not be reported. If you feel, however, that the individual is incapable
of performing rational decisions, you must discuss the incident with the setting manager
who will decide how to approach the situation.
Emergency
Accidents
Regardless of the procedures taken in order to keep individuals safe, accidents still occur. The
reaction of those during the scenario can have a vast influence on the aftermath. The priority in
this situation is to ensure that the scenario does not deteriorate further and that first-aid
principles are put into practice. Firstly, during an emergency situation, you must cease action
and contemplate the situation. It will not benefit anybody if you are at risk and another fatality is
produced.
1. Check the surroundings for danger of moving vehicles, chemicals, fire, falling masonry
and fumes. Do not enter the area if any of these dangers are present.
