What is Risk and How Can We Address it?

In this topic we will explore the links between safety and risk and look at who gets to make choices in your life. We also discuss your right to take risks and why this is so important.

 

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In the quote above Nick describes making choices and taking risks as an important way to learn about yourself and the world. (You can find more quotes from Nick Vujicic here.)

Taking risks involves taking chances and learning from the outcome, both good and bad. People living with disability can sometimes be denied these opportunities to learn and grow when other people protect them from taking risks.

‘Dignity of risk’ is the idea that the right to take reasonable risks are essential for dignity and self esteem. A common ethical dilemma for carers and support workers is whether they should allow people to make decisions independently and risk failure or over-protect them to avoid risk. While caregivers must fulfil a duty of care, excessive overprotection can also restrict a person’s independence and their rights. This over-protection, even though it may be well-intended, can itself cause harm when people are denied opportunities to grow, learn and express themselves.

Let’s watch this video on risk to learn more.

Parents are constantly making decisions about whether to allow their child to do something that might end up hurting them. Any time they allow them to ride a scooter, walk to school or catch a bus on their own, parents are allowing for a certain element of risk. However, parents also understand that in order to grow, their child needs to try new things and learn to deal with adversity. It is a constant balance.

Safeguards can be put in place to minimize risk. These could include knee pads for scooter rides or putting limits on mobile phones to limit overspending.

​In the next video we look at how parents of children living with disability, balance ‘opportunity’ and ‘danger’ to ensure their children are given choice and control over their own lives, learn new skills and gain a sense of identity.

 

Balancing Protections

Balancing duty of care and dignity of risk can be tricky. For example, without duty of care and safeguards, people living with disability may be subject to more instances of abuse and mistreatment. ​On the other hand, without dignity of risk, people living with disability may be less able to learn about themselves and live their best life.

 

 

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, but so is ensuring the rights of people living with disability are not forgotten. To achieve balance, people and organisations must work together to enhance choice and control - and prevent and reduce both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect.

 

Risk Management​

Looking at the chart below, which one of the activities would you take part in?  You will notice each activity has a different level of risk. 

 

Let's look at RISK 3. What if you could take a group of friends and a carer with you on holiday? Did the risk you might experience go down? Would this change your response and feelings about it? 

 

In the activity above, you probably did some risk management. You might have decided to avoid some activities all together but thought about how you might manage others. For example, you may have decided to skip activity 4 but thought about how going for a coffee could be made manageable for you.

 

Apart from activities that are quite dangerous, there are other things that might make you avoid an activity. These could include:

• Fear of failure
• Being uncomfortable
• Protective family attitudes and concerns
• Lack of community inclusion 
• High risk of mistreatment 
• Unable to speak up

 

Sometimes speaking up can be hard for people living with disability. For many reasons their voices are often not heard or listened to. The Peer Connect website explores what it means to speak up and have your opinions, ideas, needs and wants heard. It also includes resources about making decisions and taking risks.

 

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has also released a range of resources to ensure people have the support to speak up. You can find them at this link: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-code-conduct/make-it-known-make-it-better.

 

We would all prefer to avoid negative experiences …but we also know that part of learning about life and ourselves is that things do not always go to plan. This is why dignity of risk is so important, and something we will continue to explore in this topic.

 

Click below to move on when you are ready…