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Original poster

Does anyone do a job that involves going to peoples homes? How to you ensure you're safe?

41 replies

Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 16:37

Am thinking of a new job, which involves going into peoples houses and am wondering how I would go about making sure that I was safe. Have had a look at the Susy Lamplugh website, but strangely no information on that scenario.

Anyone else have any ideas?

OP posts:
Smurfgirl · 30/12/2006 16:47

When I was on placement with the district nurses (am student nurse) I asked this. They said they always ring the office after their last call of the day which is not so good if someting happens to you just after lunch! They also talked about (but did not appear to implement) a key word system - ringing up the office to pretend to tell them something because they have to when really they would not ring unless there was an issue. Apparently when there have been D/Ns held hostage etc in the past they have been allowed to ring the office? For people they did not feel safe with they went in pairs.

Personally i found their lack of any clear system concerning.

The health visitors rang the office at the end of each visit. And again they went in 2 for problem clients.

Original poster
Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 16:50

My problem is that I'll be working for myself and so no office to call into. I was wondering if there might be a company that offer this service. I can't call or text dh every time I go to do a visit as he's busy at work and wouldn't be able to keep a track of me. It's a bit much to ask a friend.

OP posts:
Tinker · 30/12/2006 16:53

I do but work for a govt dept. Do you have a professional body who could advise you? What is it you will be doing?

We had a talk from Suzy Lamplugh's mother - 13 years ago now but she was shocked (at the time) that we weren't routinely issued with mobiles. We were later and (due to cutbacks) they've been taken back off most staff!

Original poster
Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 16:55

Am about to start training, so may come up, but it's a male dominated job and I don't want to look like a pathetic woman!

OP posts:
RubyRioja · 30/12/2006 16:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tinker · 30/12/2006 17:00

I think your safety is more important than looking like a "pathetic woman". I have colleagues who have been involved in nasty incidents - men and women.

Original poster
Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 17:02

Ruby - lol - I know what you mean. Perhaps a cardboard cutout man to put in the car?

OP posts:
RubyRioja · 30/12/2006 17:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fullmoonfiend · 30/12/2006 17:15

Agree, personal safety is way more important than worrying about being seen as a wimp!
my job involves helping look after volunteers visting people with mental health problems in their own homes.
What willl your job be?

Some basics, for our volunteers is go for the first visit with someone else and trust your instincts,
always leave a diary with appointment times, address and contact numbers somewhere where someone who knows you can find it,
take your mobile, never give out your personal phone numbers to anyone, or personal details,
let the person lead you into a room, rather than them saying ''after you'',
always check your 'escape route' and don't be afraid to insist on the door being left unlocked.
If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, make some excuse and leave.

Not sure if any of this is relevant to you. Our volunteers have the benefit of knowing that all clients have been assessed and the clients have the security of knowing all volunteers are vetted and checked out by us. It is a two way thing, after all - letting someone into your house is a big deal.

Original poster
Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 18:11

Agree about personal safety, which is why I'm thinking about it now. what I meant was because most of the people on the training course will be men, it may not come up as an issue.

I will be going into the homes of strangers in a similar way to a serveyor, so will have basic information - each visit will be about 20 mins.

Thanks fullmoonfeind - I hadn't thought about people leading the way etc. Perhaps I should find a self defense class? Will keep a diary and a mobile on me at all times, but just wondered if there were other services out there that might help. Monitoring in some way?

OP posts:
DimpledThighs · 30/12/2006 18:40

I remember a thing on the news a while ago when you could kind of 'tag' your child and then look them up on the internet - could you look into that and then put a sentence on you rleaflet/blurb saying' all reps of xxx are tagged for their own security' actually that sounds weird, but you get the gist!

DimpledThighs · 30/12/2006 18:41

self defence is also a fab idea for LOTS of reasons.

Pruni · 30/12/2006 18:47

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 19:11

Pruni - that sounds scary, perhaps I do need a Pimp as RubyR's suggestion.

OP posts:
PeachysaysBlwyddynNewyddDda · 30/12/2006 19:12

I used to work for HomeStart and frequently went to home, theoretically the HV or referrer was supposed to assess our safety, in practive that rarely happened. Indeed, i went into one home where the HV knew the Dad had just got ouf prison for stabbing Mum, and had no warning.

We allcarried personal safety alarms and a diary was kept at the office deatiling our whereabouts, and we could get the secretary to call us after a few minutes if we were concerned about anyone maybe being present.

The reaity though was that we were not safe, I wuld leave my more violent famillies for saturdays and Dh would aprk outside where he could hear the alarm. Other than that though I am wella ware we had no protection at all, there was no way we could, we couldn't afford for people to go in pairs.

When I did my HV placement years ago HV's went in pairs to mroe worrying famillies, after a local one was kidnapped for a few hours.

I did have one (nursing) job where I ahd to walk the streets going door to door administering sought after medicines, only in retospect can I see how utterly stupid I was to even do the job.

PeachysaysBlwyddynNewyddDda · 30/12/2006 19:13

fmf don't you have to assess the safety levels first for the volunteers? we always did at homeStart, though of course nothing is ever 100%. Our vollies ahd to do a safety awareness class too, and we even did a self defence course for those who wanted it.

Tortington · 30/12/2006 19:16

there is such a company - we have it at work - although i never ring it and i cant remember what its called.

however - i hope that me affirming its existance can spur you onto searching !

it does exist. you phone them when your going in - you arrange a time to ring back if you dont they cal police.

you will also need to tell other people where you are going. have a personal alarm, pepper spray and perhaps go on 'lone worker' safety training.

hth

snowwonder · 30/12/2006 19:16

i work as an occupational therapist in the community and this has always been a poor topics for us as we have no protection at all and when people can self refer we get very little info on them,

NHS wont provide us with mobilies but we do all have our own..

i always say it wont be until something happens to one of us then something will be done to protect us

we do have a white bord where we write out daily visits and time we expect to be back in the office

i love my job that i have done for 5 years and luckily nothing has ever happened, but i do always worry

fullmoonfiend · 30/12/2006 19:18

peachy, god yes, we have risk assessments and stuff. But we are dealing with vulnerable people and volunteers need to feel totally safe and protected, so we teach them lone working skills and personal safety stuff.

MrsMuddle · 30/12/2006 19:19

I'm a coordinator for a charity, and do initial visits to people that have been referred. Usually, they are asylum-seekers, and so are housed in the worst high-rise flats in the city, alongside other "difficult to house" groups of people. I have a personal alarm and a mobile(although there's no reception there!) and I don't take a handbag in with me. I also wear a fleece with an "official" logo on it. It's hugely unattractive, but does make me feel safer somehow. A lot of it is just acting confidently - walking purposefully, as if you visit that area every day. You'll also find that a lot of areas are covered by CCTV. I don't have many safety issues once I'm in the house, as the women there are expecting me, and are usually glad to see me. In theory, I should check back into the office after every visit, but as I work there on my own two days out of three, this isn't practical. I'll see if I can find a copy of a lone worker's policy for you. What would be the purpose of your visit? Eg, if you're collecting debts or serving eviction notices, personal safety would be much more of an issue than if you were delivering meals on wheels. Would people be expecting you, and would they have asked you to visit, or would it be cold calling?

Original poster
Glassofwine · 30/12/2006 19:19

Thanks - Custardo, I'll do a bit more googling then.

Everyone else, its amazing how many people are expected to put themselves at risk. Do be careful.

OP posts:
snowwonder · 30/12/2006 19:20

there is a service which has developed a name tag thing, which goes behind your photo id tag and if you are in trouble you press the button on the back and they are able to trace you, we were meant to trial it but NHS decided that it was to expensive!!!

PeachysaysBlwyddynNewyddDda · 30/12/2006 19:32

sounds like MrsM, fmf and I have similar careers then. FMF_ know what you mean about vulnerable. You visit one day and they're fine, then you send in a volunteer and they're having a breakdown, the violent ex is hiding upstairs, etc etc etc

Mrs M I suppose you're at an advantage as you are invited that makes a big difference I think, we always were officially but you never knew quite howw much the HV had pressurised them into accepting your visit, or how the DP felt about it etc. Also HV's didn't necesarily know about things like drug abuse which were risk factors for us too.

MrsMuddle · 30/12/2006 20:17

Peachy, I think we work(ed) for the same organisation, only in different places. HS, yes? Agree about unknown risk factors that the HVs didn't know of.

FrostyTheSnowMarsLady · 30/12/2006 20:21

Do you know it never occurred to me. I'm always in strange people's houses. I always tell my BF where I'm off to but to be honest I'm never precise etc. I travel all over London as well.

I need to give this some thought. I still feel safe but reading this thread is food for thought.

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