As many of our private independent therapists carry out treatment sessions in the home and school, being aware of personal safety is paramount.
To help minimise any risks here are some suggestions:
- Before your initial visit make contact with the client over the telephone, confirm their full postal address and ask about parking if travelling by car and if there are any specific instructions to access to the building you need to be aware of.
- On arrival, risk assess, and park your car so you can get in and get away safely and easily.
- When carrying out your initial visit, if you feel uneasy call your Personal Assistant (PA) as soon as you arrive and before you enter the property. Arrange to call your PA as soon as you have finished the session. Where necessary arrange for your PA to call your mobile 30 minutes into the session to check everything is OK and going to plan. Make sure your PA knows exactly where you are.
- Trust your instincts. If you feel uneasy about anything, whether when first speaking to the client on the phone or when meeting them in person, don’t tell yourself its fine – take action to improve your safety.
- Don’t be afraid to cut the visit short, give a reason and leave if you feel unsettled about the situation.
These are general common sense guidelines which are easy and straight forward to follow. There are many suggested apps on the Suzy Lamplugh website which can play a useful part in a person’s overall personal safety strategy.