DAY 6: Your Safety, Health and Well-being Matters

DAY 6: Your Safety, Health and Well-being Matters

In the community care industry support workers may experience hard to work with clients. A hard-to-work with client may be one that can become violent or abusive. They might bite, scratch, verbally abuse, hit, push, punch and/or kick support staff. In these cases, it's best to know your own limits. If it is repeated behaviour and it's not changing then know that it's ok to let go of the client if it is impacting on your well being and safety. A support worker doesn't have to put up with verbal or physical abuse. This is something that I am learning from my own experiences.

So far in my original as a support worker I've had some pretty hectic events/situations occur. These situations were different, but we're all challenging to say the least. I've been verbally abused, hit in the neck, had a client dig their nails into my arm, scratched, pulled to the floor and bit (luckily they didn't have teeth). All of which can be quite a draining process for all involved. So, in any case.. I realise if abusive Behaviours continue and the individual does not change then it is best to let go of that person as it could be damaging to ones own well being, health and safety.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel like I have to stay with abusive clients

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see/realise/understand that if a client's behaviour is continuously destructive then I have a right to take actions to prevent my well being, health and safety from being harmed by the client.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel like a failure in my job if I let go of clients who don't seem to be improving or changing their behaviour

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe that I am a failure if I give up on certain clients who show a continuous pattern of being violent

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not see/realise/understand that I have to make sure that my health, safety and well-being is ok when I work with clients

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to fear what my colleagues will say about me if I were to let go of specific clients who are aggressive, verbally abusive and violent.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not see/realise/understand that if I do not ensure that my well being, safety and health is ok when working with a client then I'd be putting myself in dangerous situation.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to fear losing my job if I turn down clients that have patterns of violence towards me.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to fear losing a bit of my income for turning down clients who are violent.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe that I just have to such it up and hope for the best when working with client who have a pattern of violence and emotional outbursts.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to fear people saying that I cannot handle it and thinking that I am not cut out for this industry.

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see/realise/understand that choosing to not work with someone who has a pattern of violence towards me is a choice that takes consideration of my health, well being and safety.

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see/realise/understand that if violent behaviours do not stop, change or brought to a solution then it is best to let go of the client.

I commit myself to turn down/let go of clients if they have a continuous violent pattern of behaviour