Risk Assessments
What is a risk assessment?
Risk assessments are often used following safeguarding concerns regarding an individual. This could arise from a known conviction, an allegation that wasn’t pursued due to insufficient evidence, or a sense of concern following safeguarding issues that have arisen regarding an individual. They will often be an employee or volunteer of an organisation, which leaves the organisation with a dilemma as to whether they are safe to remain or secure a role.
The risk assessment is a method used to explore risk factors, and protective factors to help the process of decision making needed by the recruiting organisation. It will explore the role the subject of the risk assessment is to have, the responsibilities this entails, the levels of known concern, and then highlight any risks together with identifying any safeguarding measures that may be taken to help reduce any stated risk factors.
How is it undertaken?
An initial scoping discussion will be held to help understand the background, context and needs from the risk assessment. Once this has taken place a Schedule of Service will outline the plan of work, costs and timescales and involved.
The assessor will review all documentation prior to undertaking all relevant and permitted interviews. Having ascertained all the accessible information they will outline their findings paired with identified risk factors and protective measures that may help to mitigate the stated risk areas.
When should I undertake a risk assessment?
Sometimes risk assessments are undertaken following the discovery of a blemished disclosure. At other times, it may be an allegation that raises concern for you as recruiters, to the suitability of either appointing or keeping someone in the role they are fulfilling.
A risk assessment will help clearly identify any risk factors as well as looking at any protective elements, to help assist you to make an informed decision as to the individual’s suitability to fulfil the role.
How can I be sure it will be effective?
All our consultancy reports are quality assured by both the Head of Consultancy and the Executive Director for Safeguarding. This helps ensure we are content that our work is of a consistent, comprehensive and professional standard. We ask all those who commission a risk assessment to undertake an evaluation following the completion of the service. It is important to us that our commissioners are happy that the service met their stated aims, and if not, we want to hear to ensure we can shape our services accordingly.
