Assessing and Managing Risk

Managing risk is an important part of being a social worker. On this course, you’ll deepen your understanding of the complexity of risk. We'll explore the contested nature of risk, to help you better understand your personal and professional attitudes to it. We'll also discuss and apply, critically, models of and approaches to risk assessment.

Whether you’re a newly qualified or experienced social worker, you’ll know that risk assessment is a vital part of your role – and you’ll want to get it right, whatever the circumstances.

Anyone – including you – can be at risk, or can present a risk (or both) at the same time. Risk and risk assessment are complex subjects, open to interpretation in different contexts. There are different views about:

• what risk is
• when risk can be a good thing
• what can be done about risk, and the approaches you should take
• how risk can be assessed, promoted, managed, balanced, controlled, minimised or eradicated
• how different groups think about risk.

Therefore, both the process and the outcomes for assessing and managing risk are complicated, multi-dimensional and arguable. Previously, the emphasis has been on professional risk assessment, but increasingly we’re looking at how ordinary people perceive, assess and adapt to risks.

This course will help you to explore the contested nature of risk. You’ll develop a better understanding of your own personal and professional attitudes to risk. You’ll also learn to critically discuss and apply different models and approaches for risk assessment.

As part of the course, you’ll be assessed on the basis of a 6,000-word case study/patchwork text demonstrating your ability to critically analyse your own practice with respect to risk and risk decision-making. Your supervised practice will also be verified.

Our course meets the College of Social Work’s Professionals Capabilities Framework for continued professional development (CPD), and is also recognised by the HCPC as evidence of maintaining your CPD.