The 猎奇重口 School of Social Work (UMSSW) Field Education Program has adopted the following policies and procedures regarding the safety of social work students in practicum placements. This policy has been created to acknowledge that, at times, certain risks and potential dangers are inherent in professional social work practice. Students in field education settings must pay close attention to their overall safety and be aware of their environment. Dangerous situations and/or threatening behaviors are not always predictable, and direct or indirect incidents may be caused by various factors, including but not limited to stress, frustration, anger, fear, paranoia, chemical imbalance, influence of substances, etc. Professional social workers are tasked to rapidly assess such situations, determine what factors contribute to potentially dangerous behaviors, and then attempt a calm response to ensure a successful intervention and safe outcome.
All social work students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with these policies before starting their practicum placement and to review and discuss policies and procedures with their Agency Field Instructor (AFI) prior to starting direct service work.
I. Policy
a) The UMSSW is responsible for providing all students, agency field instructors, and field liaisons with general written information about safety in field education settings and practicum placements.
b) The UMSSW expects each agency to be responsible for orienting practicum students to the safety policies and procedures of that agency and specific practice contexts. Such orientation should include, but not be limited to, discussion of safety issues in the community, within the agency building(s), with clients in general and clients prone to violent behavior (including family members or others living in shared residences), and risk reduction guidelines. Security of the personal belongings of the UMSSW practicum student while at the agency should also be covered. Procedures for the student(s) to follow in the event of a safety or security problem should be reviewed at the beginning of the placement, with ample opportunity for questions and discussion as needed.
c) UMSSW Students should not be required to engage or remain in assignments or placements where they feel physically at risk. The UMSSW urges all agencies to make the same accommodations to ensure students' safety as they make for their agency staff. In some situations, the agency may need to make even greater accommodations for a student. If a student's concerns about safety interfere in whole or in part with the learning process, the field liaison and/or Director of Field Education should be contacted by the agency field instructor to facilitate prompt exploration of the concerns and to seek a mutually satisfying resolution.
II. Procedures
a) If a student is personally threatened, harassed, or hurt in an incident, it is the student's responsibility to notify the agency field instructor immediately. The agency field instructor, main agency contact, or agency/program director should then contact the Director of Field Education immediately to discuss what actions the agency and UMSSW should take to ensure the student's physical and emotional well-being in the wake of the incident and on an ongoing basis.
b) The Director of Field Education will document the incident in the Sonia placement software and the steps to address it. Then, the Director of Field Education will meet with the student and field liaison to assess the student's readiness to return to the field placement and discuss any other relevant issues. As needed, the Director of Field Education may alert the UMSSW Chair about incidents and concerns.
Safety Guidelines for Students in the Practicum
a) Agency Protocol
It is important for students to know the practicum agency's safety and security protocol for office and home visits with clients prior to the start of the placement. If the agency does not have safety and security policies and/or procedures, the agency field instructor and student should review and discuss any issues related to safety and security in the setting. The UMSSW Field Placement Safety Checklist is a valuable resource.
UMSSW students are urged to bring their questions and concerns to their agency field instructor and address safety concerns or questions in regular supervision meetings. In addition to maintaining consistent communication about physical and emotional safety in their practicum with their agency field instructors, students are encouraged to discuss this topic with field liaisons and in their practicum seminar courses. The following are guidelines and suggestions that may be helpful to students, agency field instructors, and field liaisons as they consider the particular safety issues in their agency settings and practice context. Specific steps taken by students or agency personnel will have to be determined by the individual situation, the nature of the setting, environmental factors, etc.
b) Security of Belongings
All students in practicum are expected to have a secure place to keep coats, backpacks, handbags, cell phones, laptops, and other belongings while at placement. It is preferable that the space be one that can be locked and could be in a desk drawer or filing cabinet. Students should not leave bags and other personal articles visible and unattended, even in an office with the door closed. Valuables should not be brought to placement sites. Items of value should not be left in cars and should be placed out of view just prior to leaving a vehicle. Neither the practicum agency nor UMSSW can be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal items.
c) Safety Issues Related to Working with Clients
When working with clients, it is important to remember that the intervention and/or treatment process often makes people feel vulnerable and may challenge their usual coping mechanisms. For some people, this can contribute to problems with impulse control and raise issues of safety for the client, the social worker, the practicum student, and others. Sometimes, students work with individuals who have difficulty with reality testing, dealing with overwhelming emotions, and controlling their anger. Some of them may be prone to violence and may possess a weapon. Other clients may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, in withdrawal from drugs or alcohol, or may have other medical or neurological disorders that impact their behavior. Again, we urge all UMSSW students to consult with their agency field instructor to prepare adequately for handling specific situations that are potentially difficult or threatening, such as medical emergencies, suicide or homicide risks, potential abuse of others, and the presence of weapons.
d) Safety Guidelines for Office Meetings
If a student will be meeting with a client with whom the student does not feel safe, it is important for the student to discuss the situation promptly and fully with the agency field instructor. Based on the outcome of this discussion, there may be a decision that a student will not see the client or see the client under specific circumstances or controls. However, if it is decided that a student will see the client, several points should be considered. A client's mental status should be assessed. When considering the location of the meeting, think about what is in the room, whether there is more than one exit, and where each person might sit. It may also be helpful to consider whether to include someone else in the meeting and what to wear. When discussing the appointment time, it can be helpful to consider whether or not many people are around at the time being considered for the meeting. It is also important to discuss the plan for backup and assistance if the client becomes agitated. A student should never see a potentially dangerous client alone without someone in the agency knowing about the client, the appointment time, and the appointment location. Students should keep agency field instructors and, if necessary, other supervisors/ colleagues informed about their schedules at the agencies at all times.
e) Safety Guidelines for Travel by Car
When a student travels by car to an agency or home visit, it is advisable to know where they are going and look at a map before driving to unfamiliar areas. In general, remember to be alert and to lock doors and close windows. The student should be mindful when transporting clients alone and discuss agency protocol for client transport with their agency field instructor. Students should always tell someone where they are going and when they expect to be away from the office. The agency should have the student's cell phone number or other information when contacting them in an emergency.
f) Safety Guidelines for Travel by Foot or Public Transportation When traveling by foot or public transportation, it is advisable that students know where they are going and the route by which they will travel. Students are encouraged to carry the least number of valuables with them as possible. Money, license, keys, and other essentials might be carried in a pocket. If a handbag carried under the arm is grabbed, it is best to let go of it. It is helpful to dress in comfortable clothes that are loose fitting and to wear sturdy, flat walking shoes. It is also helpful to be alert and to walk with a purpose as if one has a clear destination. One should be aware of people in the immediate area.
g) Safety Guidelines for Home Visits
Becoming familiar with the client's file before the home visit is important. If there is a question of safety, students should plan accordingly with agency field instructors. It might be decided that meeting at a neutral place or going with another worker is the appropriate plan. Someone at the agency should always know the student's itinerary. It is helpful to stay alert and to think about what to wear, which room to meet in, and where to sit. If a student ever feels threatened at any point during the interview, they are encouraged to err on the side of caution and appropriately terminate the visit. If clients feel threatened by the student entering their dwelling, the student should cease and not force the issue. If a student hears a heated argument from inside the house or apartment, the student may decide to re-schedule the visit or call to assess the situation before entering the dwelling. A student should never see a potentially dangerous client alone without someone in the agency knowing about it. In general, a cell phone is very useful for students doing home visits.
h) Safety Guidelines for Harassment
An additional risk students in practicum settings may experience is harassment by a client, colleague, or supervisor. Harassment may include things like bullying, intimidation, insults, derogatory comments about one's ethnicity or religion, or unwanted sexual advances. Sexual harassment can include threats or demands for sexual interaction to maintain or increase a position or status, but sexual harassment also encompasses a wide range of unwanted attention that contributes to a hostile work environment (Moylan & Wood, 2016). Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment (2015, Facts, para. 2). Students should immediately report any concerns to their field liaison and/or Director of Field Education, who will offer additional support and promptly investigate any complaints about hostile environments, such as those caused by sexual harassment. Short and long-term remedies may include anything from working with the field placement site to reassign a client, ensuring that field sites have adequate sexual harassment policies and procedures, or even discontinuing partnerships with field sites that continue to place students in hostile environments because they have been unable to remedy sexual harassment (Moylan & Wood, 2016).
i) Health Safety
Students should be alerted to the existence of biohazards. To protect themselves from infectious diseases, all students must complete the Six Ways to Protect Yourself from COVID-19 course provided by the World Health Organization and have had the opportunity to read CDC recommendations on personal protective equipment prior to starting practicum.
IV. Post Incident Protocol
If an incident occurs in which a student is personally threatened, harassed, or hurt, the agency field instructor, main agency contact, or agency/program director should contact the Director of Field Education immediately to discuss what actions the agency and School should take to ensure the student's physical and emotional well-being. The Director of Field Education will document the incident in the Sonia placement software and the steps taken to address it. Then, the Director of Field Education will meet with the student and field liaison. They will assess the student's readiness to return to the field and any other relevant issues.
*** The 猎奇重口 School of Social Work thanks Simmons SSW for sharing their safety policy, which was used in developing the UMSSW safety policy.