DOR vs DOC - Dignity of Risk versus Duty of Care PDF

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Dignity of Risk versus Duty of Care...

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Dignity of risk vs. duty of care – how do social workers decide? What might be the difficulties in practice settings? Dignity of Risk The right to take risks when engaging in life experiences, and the right to fail in taking these.  https://qorf.org.au/what-is-the-dignity-of-risk/ It refers to the rights of an individual regarding; learning new skills, experiencing all life offers and taking part of an activity that may contain elements of some risk. Providing benefits that may lead to the gain of independence and self-esteem. Workers are expected to cautious and sensible to take reasonable care in their work, however they are not expected to shield from all possible risks.  https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/forum/diploma-assignments/chcleg001-dignity-of-risk11410 The Dignity of Risk acknowledges that life experiences come with risk, and that we must support people in experiencing success and failure throughout their lives. However, it can be a challenge to support decisions that we feel are risky, or with which we don’t agree, without our safety-oriented health care culture. Dignity of Risk in Older Adults  1. Adults have the right to make their own decisions, and to be assumed to have capacity to do so unless shown otherwise – and capacity should be viewed as decision-specific. 2. A person should be offered all reasonable support and assistance in making and following through on their decisions before others step in to make decisions for them. 3. People have the right to make decisions that others feel are unwise or disagree with, the right to have a different tolerance for the risks associated with a decision, and the right to fail after making a decision. 4. When others are involved in decision making with person, any decisions must be made with the person’s best interest and preferences at the forefront and must strive to infringe the least upon their basic rights and freedoms.  https://qorf.org.au/what-is-the-dignity-of-risk/ Duty of Care In professional relationships between people where there exists a responsibility or obligation of care, workers must uphold the rights of a person as well as prevent carelessness, neglect or harm to another person. The responsibility to prevent harm, and to take actions where necessary, must be balanced in a way that is respectful of a person’s rights and wishes. If you are unsure, first check with the client (or person of significance), client documentation (if this is part of your responsibility) or your supervisor. https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/2ef0e4804c779485bb74fbdbb1e972ca/Workers+What+is+duty+of+care.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE2ef0e4804c779485bb74fbdbb1e972ca-mMzj84W Workers have a responsibility to their clients to reduce or limit the amount of harm or injury they may experience. There are several aspects to duty of care: 

Legal - What does the law suggest we do?

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Professional/ethical - What do other workers expect us to do?

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Organisational - What does our organisation, and its funding body, say we should do? Community - What do the parents of our clients and other community members expect us to

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do? Personal - What do our own beliefs and values suggest we do.

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 https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-front11wk-toc~drugtreat-pubs-front11-wk-secb~drugtreat-pubs-front11-wk-secb-6~drugtreat-pubs-front11wk-secb-6-1 When is a duty of care breached? A duty of care is breached when:    

a person is injured because of the action (or inaction) of another person; and it was reasonably foreseeable that such action (or inaction) would result in a risk of injury to the injured person; and the action (or inaction) causing the injury was unreasonable. This means that a reasonable person in the same position would not have acted in that way; and the risk of injury occurring was not an insignificant risk.

 https://www.slatergordon.com.au/personal-injury/public-liability/what-is-duty-of-care How do social workers decide? 

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When social workers make decisions, the best interest of the client is at the forefront, therefore social workers should give clients the autonomy (Dignity of Risk) to make their own decisions, but also advise them on possible alternatives (Duty of Care) that they can utilise. My opinion  Dignity of Risk over Duty of Care, but Duty of Care should always ensure that the client is making a decision that will not harm themselves and others around them.

What might be difficulties in practice settings?   

Avoid being paternalistic and overwhelming clients with alternatives instead of helping them with what they want to do. Lack of experience in gauging everyone’s capacity to make decisions Balancing the best interests of a person with what they want.

Videos What is Duty of Care? Duty of Care vs Dignity of Risk  Workplace Mental Health Institute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf4Y7v-SLtc Dignity of Risk  Orion Associates Training (Importance of Self-Determination in DecisionMaking) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgIlnNtZ8Nk The Dignity of Risk  TravelTripsInc (Helping people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – giving people the ability to make decisions and take charge of their own lives)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4YNADV6fK4...