Social workers routinely visit households they've never been to, alone, often with little advance notice of what's behind the door. The risk that creates isn't anecdotal. Health and social workers face an assault and threats risk of 5.1%, more than three times the average worker risk of 1.4%, and across the UK as a whole, somewhere between 123 and 205 lone workers are verbally or physically attacked every single day - roughly 150 a day.
Where the safety net has gaps
Research from UNISON into solo home visits found real inconsistency in the basics. Only 49% of social workers said they received lone worker check-ins. Just 28% had a risk assessment carried out before the visit. Only 18% were carrying a personal alarm. On top of that, perceptions of employer support were mixed - 41% said they always or often felt supported, while 24% said they never or rarely did. Over a quarter of those who experienced abuse didn't report it at all, which means the real numbers are almost certainly higher than what's recorded.
What a realistic approach looks like
No single measure fixes this. A proper check-in protocol, a risk assessment done before every visit rather than some of them, a personal alarm as standard issue, and - for staff who want it - appropriate clothing, together form a layered approach that actually reduces risk rather than just documenting it.
Slash-resistant clothing has a particular fit here because it's low-visibility. A social worker isn't trying to look like security or police when they knock on a door - the clothing needs to sit invisibly under everyday workwear while still doing its job. That's a different design brief to a security guard's gear, and one worth getting right.
None of this should fall on individual social workers to sort out for themselves. Lone worker safety is a system employers are responsible for building - check-ins, risk assessment, equipment and training included. We'll cover exactly what that legal responsibility looks like in the next post.
