Terrified going into work , is there any hope

[Cadburys345]

I work with vulnerable people who have ASD and learning difficulties. Honesty spending my shifts in fear worrying if I'm going to be attacked.

One man I worked with previously used to spit at staff constantly which of course is not ideal especially due to Covid.

I had a large makeup box thrown at my head which fortunately missed.
My shoes defecated on.

A colleague has various scars on his arm and another ended up in hospital.

I worked with young adults and children in this role a few years ago and was bitten and scratched, but it's much more now.

We worked with a lady who could headbutt staff, scratch their face or punch them and luckily she never did to me but I felt so anxious being around her.

Recently I was punched by an autistic male here, I nearly quit but I was told this is rare for him to do so I decided to hold on.

However he's attacked and hit a little boy in the street for no apparent reason whilst I was taking him to an appointment. The boy was in tears and I felt so awful for him and his parents, it's been reported but I felt terrified of him after that and just started crying in shock.

I enjoy the rest of the job but not the living in fear. I don't want to let the company down but i can't do this, has anybody managed to find roles in which they are and feel relatively safe. I'm open to care homes, home care, supported living, etc.

So many companies put staff in dangerous situations, i am not blaming the service users, but we shouldn't be in harm's way for such little money.

I can sympathise. My place goes to great lengths to try and mitigate risk to staff as much as possible, limiting lone working, extensive lone working training etc, handing out personal alarms, regular check-ins when working off premises, reinforcing with staff that it's perfectly ok for them to impart strict boundaries and that it's ok to walk away when service users will not respect them, and so on. Having said all that, I'm still of the opinion that it's pretty much part of the job when you work with people who are ill, have diminished capability, are unpredictable and/or unstable, and in some cases are known to have a proclivity for aggressive or violent behaviours. Some places, GP surgeries for example, will refuse to see patients who display certain behaviours, but when it's a service that is legally compelled and absolutely imperative, unfortunately you don't always have the option to say you simply will not work with them.

If you are regularly being expected to work with specific people who are an obvious risk to your wellbeing, then I'd say that's a colossal failure of management to safeguard staff.

That sounds like excellent management, my company do virtually none of that.
Every service user I've worked with has attacked me in some way.

The male service user who attacked the children has lone working staff which is wrong.

I've never had any lone working training at all. I feel like all i can do is walk away really.

Yes, sounds to me like the problem is your specific employer, rather than simply being a facet of the industry you work in.

Unfortunately it's the nature of the beast ( of the job itself ) no ones fault that people do this - just the way it is. You need better training to protect yourself ask for more advance training .

MAPA training

It seems that your company doesn't have safe lone working protocol, robust risk assessment or adequate safeguarding of staff. Do you have regular supervision to discuss these issues? Are unions involved? It sadly seems that you may have to look after yourself by looking for another job.

I have never had a supervision but haven't been with this specific company long.
I'm supposed to be back lone working with this male on Saturday and really don't want to.
However yes I do need to insist on extra training or looking for another job sadly. Perhaps a care home setting or home care, though I've heard that some patients with dementia can sadly become physically aggressive too.

Who on earth has voted YABU

Could you look into becoming a Healthcare assistant in hospital ? I did elderly care wards and often patients had dementia there was a risk we could be attacked however I found better risk assessments in place and protection. For example if someone was a danger to themselves or others they would have a one to one or even security at times.

YANBU btw it so so difficult and challenging to put yourself through these risks . You are doing a great job but don't feel you have to stay explore other options, all the best.

Thank you both, yes I could look into being a healthcare assistant, though I only have experience as a support worker so not sure if they would take me on? But will certainly look.

It's all bloody money saving. Rather than having a 2:1 ratio they do 1:1 as isnt enough money for provision. Just another way disabled people are let down

You shouldn't have to suffer because of poor practise

It’s not for you, no shame in that.

It sounds like a daft question but how can companies safeguard staff with regard to service users who display violence?
2:1 is very important indeed though there is still the risk of violence.

I'm just amazed that companies allow staff to work alone with service users who display violent behaviours. For not much more than £9 an hour, putting themselves at risk.

There are some great charities where you can do similar work and safeguarding is much higher and not led by budgets - can you say where in the country you are? If you have these skills you would be very well regarded and sought after.

Thank you, I will look into that. There must be better companies out there.

However even after I was assaulted I reported it to the company and absolutely nothing changed, still expected me to be 1 to 1 with him.

@Cadburys345

I'm just amazed that companies allow staff to work alone with service users who display violent behaviours. For not much more than £9 an hour, putting themselves at risk.

No way should you be working alone.

Some of the youngsters I taught in a specialist setting were violent, and every year there were one or two who we were not allowed to be alone in a room with. And they would have been younger than the people you deal with, and we'd still have been able to call for help from people around, whereas you can't.

The lady who attacked my colleagues is always 2 to 1. However i am still lone working with this client who attacked me in the street, even though I reported it.
There is an on call service but nobody in the immediate vicinity.

There are many better companies out there. Your employer is pretty dire, and failing you and the service users. Its not right that you are feeling like this about work - start looking now for something else.

Agreed, it's not right to be sat cowering in a room scared of the service users. I hope I will find something better.

@Cadburys345 apply for healthcare assistant they should take to support worker experience into consideration. You will probably be a band 2 hca but will move up to a 3 when completed further training .

Thank you. I will have a look, I hope i will find a good workplace without a toxic or bullying culture.