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Positive risk taking

Quick guidance on positive risk taking for social care practitioners

Positive risk taking

Positive risk taking involves weighing up the potential benefits and harms of exercising one’s choice of action over another. When working with adults who have care and support needs it is important to identify potential risks involved through the use of a good risk assessment. Through the use of good risk management develop a plan of action that is reflective of the positive potentials and desired outcomes of adult, using available resources that can support to achieve the desired outcomes and minimise potential harmful outcomes.

Guidance on Positive Risk Taking and Risk Management is available that sets out Camden's strength based approach to support people to identify their desired outcomes and achieve these outcomes by utilising their own strengths and assets and those of people close to them and within their local communities.  

Mrs B suffers from multiple sclerosis and over a one month period can experience issues with vision, balance, pains and spasms however these symptoms are not always continuous and she has good and bad days. 

Therefore to support Mrs B instead of providing additional regular hours to as part of a care package, Mrs B could be offered an extra 1-2 hours.  These hours could be used flexibly across a month to manage her fluctuating needs.  Mrs B could also consider having a direct payment.  This option enables Mrs B to have access to someone who she can employ to support her during her bad days. 

This avoids Mrs B becoming dependant on services that she does not need and Adult Social Care putting unnecessary care in place.

Last updated: 10 March 2022