Positive Risk Taking Course

Positive Risk Taking Course 

Avoiding risks altogether can limit life opportunities, and impact negatively on quality of life. Risk is a concept that tends to have negative connotations, but people take considered risks all the time and gain many positive benefits. People want choice and control for themselves and safety for those they care for which can cause tension, and impact negatively on human rights. Balance and proportionality are vital considerations in encouraging responsible decision making and in protecting human rights. However, services face many challenges including different perceptions of risk, between practitioners, service users and families. This can be difficult for social care practitioners and confusing for individuals and families. 

Services have a duty of care and should aim to identify risks in a pro-active manner, but this cannot be allowed to prevent individuals from having choice and control. This course aims to cultivate practice that enables positive risk-taking, as opposed to working within a risk averse culture. The course provides a learning platform to create services that promote independence and avoid creating a blame culture where staff are too worried about the potential consequences to promote positive risk taking. 

Course Information Sheet

Download the course information sheet here.

Learning Objectives 

  • Explain why people with disabilities may be discouraged or prevented from taking risks. 
  • Identify legislation which underpins Positive Risk Taking. 
  • Explain how national and local policies and guidance provide a framework for decision making to promote independence. 
  • Explain the principles and process of developing a person-centred approach to risk assessment 
  • Describe the different stages of a risk assessment 
  • Explain how to support individuals to recognise and manage potential risk  
  • Explain the importance of balancing the choices of the individual with their own and others’ health and safety 

 The expected impacts of the programme include:  

  • Undertaking an audit using a Positive Risk Taking Audit Tool and identifying strengths and areas for improvement. 
  • Facilitating discussions with own team on the benefits of positive risk taking. 
  • Successfully applying the principles of the Mental Capacity Act when balancing risk and benefits. 
  • Successfully advocating on behalf of an individual with care and support needs around positive risk taking. 
  • Supporting the individual to share what is important to them, their likes and dislikes and enabling this contribution to be a central focus in discussion on risk. 
  • Identifying the potential benefits and consequences of risks with individuals and staff. 
  • Identifying practical methods of building the skills and resilience of an individual to enable positive risk taking by using a strengths-based approach. 
  • Considering different perspectives on the meaning and consequences of risks for individuals, carers and practitioners. 
  • Completing a risk assessment that incorporates considerations around capacity and best interest decisions. 
  • Successfully supporting an individual to take a positive risk by following the risk reducing actions outlined within a risk assessment. 

How is this course delivered? 

This course will be delivered live via the Zoom platform. Candidates will also be given access to a training system that contains the handouts and activities for the course. 

Candidates will be sent the Zoom details for the live sessions and further information about their access to the training system one week ahead of the course start date. 

The programme will be delivered over two 2-hour sessions, which will be delivered on different days. Between Session 1 and Session 2, there will be an activity for course participants to complete: a basic audit to be completed of the service that the participants work in, which identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation in positive risk taking. The audit tool will provide the platform for developing an action plan for improvement. 

The completion of the tool and subsequent action plan provides evidence for service improvement, and can specifically support evidencing CQC Key Lines of Enquiry including, but not limited to: 

  • Effective (Are staff supported to keep their professional practice and knowledge updated in line with best practice?) 
  • Well Led (Are there services and support available to develop staff and teams to drive improvement?) 

 Following the course, participants will receive further resources as part of our ‘Impact Pathways’, which will be split into four parts that will be sent out over a 4-month period. At the end of the four months, participants on the course must agree to participate in the training impact assessment.  

What are impact assessments? Training is only effective if it has a real impact on practice. Our training programmes have identified expected impacts which we monitor and report on. Where there is reduced impact, we can adapt our programmes and work with you to improve the training outcomes. 

 Who should attend this course? 

This course is suitable for individuals working in social care. It would particularly suit senior staff and/or managers who are responsible for developing a proactive culture. 

As there is a mandatory practice-based activity required between the two training sessions that form this course (Sessions 1 and 2), anyone undertaking this course must be in practice in a relevant role, and in a position to undertake the linked practice-based work. 

What additional resources will I access? 

Individuals attending this course will also get access to the following tools developed by 3SpiritUK: 

  • Audit Tool  
  • Risk Enablement Tool  
  • Barriers to Positive Risk Taking  
  • Action plan  

What other standards does this course map to? 

  • PBS Framework 
  •  1.6, 1.9, 1.11 
  • 2.5 – 2.8 
  •  Positive Risk Taking Level 3 RQF T/616/5315 
  • 1.1 Explain ways in which risk is an integral part of everyday life 
  • 1.2 Explain why people with disabilities may be discouraged or prevented from taking risks. 
  • 1.3 Describe the links between risk-taking and responsibility, empowerment and social inclusion 
  • 2.1 Explain the process of developing a positive person-centred approach to risk assessment 
  • 2.2 Explain how to apply the principles and methods of a person-centred approach while assessing risk 
  • 2.3 Explain how a service focused approach to risk assessment would differ from a person-centred approach 
  • 2.4 Identify the consequences for the individual of a service focused approach to risk-assessment 
  • 2.5 Describe the different stages of carrying out risk assessments 
  • 3.1 Explain how legislation, national and local policies and guidance provide a framework for decision making which can support an individual to have control over their own lives 
  • 4.1 Explain why individuals with disabilities may be at risk of different forms of abuse, exploitation and harm in different areas of their lives  
  • 4.2 Explain how to support individuals to recognise and manage potential risk in different areas of their lives  
  • 4.3 Explain the importance of balancing the choices of the individual with their own and others’ health and safety   
  • 4.4 Describe how own values, belief systems and experiences may affect working practice when supporting individuals to take risks  
  • Autism Core Capabilities 
  • Supports – Capability 3, 15,16 
  • LD Core Capabilities 
  • Supports – Capability 14, 21, 22  

 How much does this course cost? 

The cost of the course is £49.99 + VAT per person; £65 in total. Full payment is required before the start of the training. Refunds will only be applicable if at least 30 days’ notice is given before the course start date. Tickets cannot be transferred to alternative course dates. If you would like to cancel your place on the course, please make us aware of your cancellation ahead of the course start by cancelling your place via Eventbrite, or by emailing us at info@3spirituk.com. We require at least 30 days’ notice (30 days before the course start date) for cancellation. Course registrants who do not attend on the day without (sufficient) prior notice of cancellation will still be charged the course fee. 

Book a Place on the Course 

To book a place on the course, please click here. 

To learn more about the course, please email us at info@3spirituk.com