What’s expected of you?
Professional responsibilities and competencies.
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSE
Always act in a way that prioritises safety, dignity and respect.
Do no harm.
Accountabilities and competencies
Professional practice at entry level requires many skills and attributes. Here is a selection of the most important for your role:
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Include:
physical indicators
behavioural indicators
situational / contextual
compounding risk factors
Document these.
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These can include:
the person themselves
your own observations
existing, recent or historical records
information from colleagues
information from other services or professionals
situational or contextual information
your intuition.
Find out more about these sources of information.
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This involves the ability to look beneath the surface and to sense-make, at a preliminary level.
It’s about looking beyond just the confirmed facts.
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This is about asking open questions, enquiring and supporting. There should be no ‘rushed appointments’ when you suspect violence, abuse or neglect.
It’s important to:
uphold people’s dignity
treat people with kindness and respect
understand and honour their cultural needs
listen without judgement
ensure accessibility to the communication supports people need
allow enough time
take concerns seriously
create a safe environment
enable the safe disclosure of abuse.
Remember that people might not understand that what they’re experiencing is violence, abuse or neglect.
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Demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity, and a willingness to learn, when providing safeguarding services to tāngata whaikaha Māori and whānau.
It’s important to:
seek to uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, in your approach (read Te Aorerekura, The National Strategy for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence for ideas)
develop or bring a core understanding of Te Ao Māori and tikanga Māori to your ways of working:
respect cultural identity and values
enable whānau involvement in decisions (check first that this is what the person you’re supporting wants)
listen to and work alongside tāngata whaikaha Māori and whānau to help ensure services are safe, respectful and effective
respect tikanga and Māori perspectives on well-being
partner with Māori co-workers and organisations
participate in training opportunities in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori to help support your cultural awareness and practice.
Consider these key practices that support Tikanga Māori.
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Understand the demographics in your community, so you’re aware of the different ethnic groups who live and work in your safeguarding area.
Take opportunities to learn about their cultural practices and values so you can act appropriately when working with these groups.
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Offset these biases by consulting with or involving your co-workers, clinical supervisor or manager, to ensure an open and balanced view.
This level of self-awareness and self-reflection will help you guard against those attitudes or beliefs affecting your analysis and actions.
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It’s a unique source of wisdom that will often signal something very important.
Note: intuition should trigger consultation, not solo decision-making.
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Read the related material on ethical decision-making.
especially noting the need to:
balance respect for autonomy with safety needs
maintain confidentiality unless there is risk of serious harm
share only what is necessary
seek guidance and input from others.
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Read the related material on professional boundaries, especially noting the need to:
stay within your role and competence (recognise when you’re out of your depth and seek support)
avoid acting as a counsellor or investigator – even if you’re trained as one; that’s not your role in risk identification and assessment, so keep to your lane
avoid dual relationships that could affect safety or trust
use clinical / professional supervision regularly
adhere to your organisational processes (for example, always involve your manager when dealing with complexity and in your decision making, and always escalate when needed).
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You must seek support or escalate if:
You feel unsure what to do.
The situation of concern is escalating.
There is potential serious harm.
The person’s needs exceed the boundaries of your role.
You’re operating ‘outside your lane’ – even if you feel sure you know what to do.
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Consult with your clinical supervisor, your manager, and your co-workers, and ask for support when needed.
Their experience is invaluable.
It’s important you don’t reach conclusions and make decisions on your own.
Key principles to remember
You don’t need certainty of harm or risk to act.
Early action / intervention can prevent harm.
Safety is the priority.
Work within your role.
When in doubt, seek support.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.
My strength is not that of one, but of many.
Preparing for your role in identifying and assessing risk
Before exploring your role in risk identification and assessment, please become familiar with these topics in Safeguarding: Foundational Information.
Ethical decision-making
Read and become familiar with the complexity of ethical decision-making.
Reflect on complex issues and dilemmas you’ve had to manage in the past, where there were compromises in the decision-making.
What worked well in that situation, that enabled a fair and appropriate decision?
Where a situation didn’t get resolved effectively, what have you learned that you would do differently next time?
These scenarios might prompt your thinking.
Professional boundaries
Read about and consider what professional boundaries will keep you operating safely and effectively in your role.
Note the examples of healthy professional boundaries provided.
Reflect on your current practice.
Which of these boundaries do you have in place already
How are they working for you?
Which boundaries do you need to develop or embed?
How will you go about that?
Inclusiveness
Reflect on this statement:
“Inclusiveness goes beyond removing barriers. It’s about developing and providing services that make people feel like they’ve valued and they belong.”
What does that mean in practice for you, as a safeguarding professional in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Read about Inclusiveness and consider how to build these principles into your personal practice.
At the start of this kaupapa on risk identification and assessment, this observation was made. It relates to the final set of action points for you, in this module.
The Human Rights Commission notes there are significant gaps in:
how services are being designed to reduce risk of violence, abuse and neglect for disabled people
staff skills, knowledge, and attitudes
how well services work together.
These gaps make it harder for disabled people to get help and harder to stay safe.
They add to the risk.
Preparing for your role in identifying and assessing risk
Before exploring your role in risk identification and assessment, please become familiar with these topics in Safeguarding: Foundational Information.
The video is about the murder of a young disabled man in the UK.
Its purpose is to explore why the death occurred and what should have been in place to prevent it.
It presents a safeguarding ethical‑dilemma case, involving:
the exploitation of a man with learning disabilities
ethical tensions around ‘autonomy vs protection’ and ‘choice vs capacity’
multi‑agency failure
what professionals should have done differently.
The video makes for sobering viewing and you can opt out of this activity if you prefer:
the content might disturb some viewers
viewer discretion is advised.
Complete the scenarios below, which will help you think about your role and responsibilities in safeguarding:
Scenario 1: He keeps answering for her.
Scenario 2: Something feels off, but there’s no single incident.
Scenario 3: Everyone has a different piece of the picture.
Scenarios
The following scenarios enable you to consider various situations that you might encounter, and how your role in risk identification and (initial) assessment applies.
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Situation
A disabled woman attends a health appointment with a man she describes as her support person, after falling from a height. She has visible bruising. She says very little, keeps her eyes downcast, and repeatedly glances at the man. He answers most questions for her. When you ask her a direct question, she becomes visibly fearful and the man quickly interjects.You recognise
Possible coercive control and fear-based behaviour.
Physical indicators inconsistent with the explanation given.
A situational power imbalance.
Risk may be escalating or immediate.
You respond
Seek a safe moment to speak with her privately using accessible communication.
Document observations factually (document what you saw and heard, not interpretations).
Consult with your manager/safeguarding lead to test your concerns.
Prioritise safety and dignity; do not challenge or confront the man.
You refer / take action
Escalate concerns through your organisation’s internal safeguarding pathways.
Share relevant information to support further risk assessment.
Act immediately if you believe there is imminent danger.
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Situation
Over several visits from a Home and Community Support provider, a disabled adult who was previously cheerful and relaxed becomes increasingly withdrawn and anxious. They frequently cancel appointments, avoid eye contact, and talk about being “a burden”. Their housing situation has recently changed, and they now rely on a family member for most daily support. There are no obvious injuries.You recognise
Behavioural indicators and emerging patterns over time.
Compounding risk factors: dependence, isolation, disability.
Risk appears emerging or chronic, rather than a one-off concern.
Your professional intuition tells you something isn’t right.
You respond
You ask open questions.
You listen carefully without judgement and allow time for disclosure.
Document changes, patterns, and what is/not being said.
Review authorised records and consult with colleagues.
Reflect on possible unconscious bias and check your assumptions.
You refer / take action
Share concerns with your manager or supervisor.
Provide documented observations to inform further assessment.
Continue monitoring and re-escalate if concerns increase or change.
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Situation
A colleague mentions concerns about a person who has missed several support visits. You recall the person recently seemed fearful during a routine interaction. Another service notes reduced engagement. The person has also been using phrases such as “I’m not allowed to” and “I’ll need to check with my caregiver”. On their own, none of these concerns seems serious — together, they suggest a pattern.You recognise
Risk emerging through multiple information sources.
No single disclosure, but a pattern across services.
Risk may be escalating due to isolation and reduced visibility.
You respond
Bring together what you’ve observed and what others have noticed.
Document clearly, noting sources and timing of concerns.
Consult with your manager/safeguarding lead.
Stay within your role — do not investigate or seek unauthorised information.
You refer / take action
Share consolidated concerns through approved safeguarding pathways.
Support coordinated decision‑making by others.
Follow up and continue documenting if risk persists or changes.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) - Safeguarding Adults Video
As a safeguarding professional, please watch the video below. It’s about the murder of a young disabled man in the UK. Its purpose is to explore why the death occurred and what should have been in place to prevent it.
The video presents a safeguarding ethical‑dilemma case, involving:
the exploitation of a man with learning disabilities
ethical tensions around ‘autonomy vs protection’ and ‘choice vs capacity’
multi‑agency failure
what professionals should have done differently.
The video makes for sobering viewing and you can opt out of this activity if you prefer:
the content might disturb some viewers '
viewer discretion is advised.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), Safeguarding Adults: Lessons from the murder of Steven Hoskin (Updated), 2020.
This is an updated version of an original video first uploaded in 2015.
Trigger Warning / Content Notice
This video contains references to the abuse, torture, and murder of a vulnerable adult with learning disabilities. It includes discussion of targeted harm, systemic failings, and safeguarding concerns that some viewers may find distressing or upsetting.
The content is intended for educational purposes to support learning and improvement in safeguarding practice. Viewer discretion is advised, and you may wish to access support if you find this material difficult to engage with.
Key learning messages
You don’t need proof before you act.
Safeguarding risk is often identified through patterns, early awareness, consultation, and timely escalation — not immediate certainty or investigation.