Socw 6500 Week 3: Safety Planning
Important Note: Please use the media player below to hear an audio course introduction that will give you more background information about the course topic. Also provided is a transcript for you to download and print out.
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013). Safety planning [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute.
Accessible player –Downloads–Download AudioDownload Transcript
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Create personal safety plan for field education experience
- Compare personal safety plan and agency safety plan during field education experience
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Garthwait, C. L. (2017). The social work practicum: A guide and workbook for students (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Chapter 4, “Personal Safety” (pp. 41-50)
National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter. (2014). Creating a climate of safety. Retrieved from https://www.naswma.org/page/_Test_SafetyLanding/chapter.naswma@socialworkers.org
Regehr, C., & Glancy, G. D. (2011). When social workers are stalked: Risks, strategies, and legal protections. Clinical Social Work Journal, 39(3), 232–242.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Required Media
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013). Safety planning [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: This audio introduction is located in the “Introduction and Objectives” section. The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute.
Optional Resources
Click the following link to access the MSW home page, which provides resources for your social work program.
Assignment 1: Week 3 Blog
Refer to the topics covered in this week’s resources and incorporate them into your blog.
By Day 3
Post a blog post that includes:
- A description of your personal safety plan for your field education experience
- An explanation of how your personal safety plan might differ from your agency safety plan during your field education experience
By Day 4
Respond to the blog post of three colleagues in one or more of the following ways:
- Make a suggestion to your colleague’s post.
- Expand on your colleague’s posting.
You will be assigned to author regular blog entries as well as make comments on your colleagues’ blog postings.
Be sure to support your blog posts with specific references to this week’s resources and provide full APA citations for your references. For more information about posting your blog assignment, click on the Field Education Blogs link on the course navigation menu.
Responses
Posted by Noelia Antonio at Wednesday, September 11, 2019 2:21:17 PM
In the field education experience, it is important to develop a safety plan to ensure the reduction of harm. Although social workers are always at risk of harm, certain areas of social work are higher risks than others. Social workers can run into dangerous situations, especially in cases of child abuse or domestic violence (Garthwait, 2017). It is understandable that in these situations that workers would face a higher likelihood of facing danger, as there is a tendency for violence, and the amount of intrusion that occurs in the familial setting.
Unfortunately, safety is a big concern in the social work field. According to Regehr & Glancy (2011) “87.8% of social workers in their study reported verbal harassment, 63.5% reported threats of physical harm, and 28.6% report being assaulted by a client” (p. 232). Although in my previous experience in the social work field I have not encountered things of this nature, it is always important to develop a safety plan.
My personal safety plan would be to ensure that my supervisor knows where I am at all times when I am out in the field. If I have to visit a home, I would attempt to schedule visits as early in the day-time as possible, especially in high-risk neighborhoods and accompanied by someone else if I felt uncomfortable. This coincides with my agency’s safety plan, as it also recommends having someone accompany you in cases where there is a perceived safety threat. Surprisingly, the agency recommends being cautious of what you wear. Not only should one wear items that aren’t overly flashy to reduce attracting negative attention and possible theft, but to dress comfortably in case one has to prepare to escape. It is also recommended that if one fears their own safety, to make it known to their supervisor, especially if threats have been made.
References:
Garthwait, C. L. (2017). The social work practicum: A guide and workbook for students (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Regehr, C., & Glancy, G. D. (2011). When social workers are stalked: Risks, strategies, and legal protections. Clinical Social Work Journal, 39(3), 232–242