§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he expects his Department's committee on violence against social services staff to publish its report; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will issue guidance to local authorities regarding the collation of statistics concerning assaults on social services staff; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what guidance he has issued to local authorities regarding measures to improve the working environments of social services staff in an effort to reduce the number of assaults to which such staff are subject;
(4) what guidance he has issued to local authorities concerning the training of social services staff in dealing with potentially violent situations; and if he will make a statement;
(5) if he has issued any guidance to local authorities on the provision of adequate insurance cover for social services staff who may be subjected to assault during the course of their duties; and if he will make a statement;
(6) what guidelines he has issued to local authorities regarding the provision of appropriate counselling and support to social services staff who have been subject to assault; and if he will make a statement;
(7) if he will make additional resources available to local authorities to enable them to take steps to reduce the number of assaults upon social services staff; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Department's advisory committee on violence to staff which is looking at staff in the health services and social security as well as in the personal social services is expected to report soon to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The issues that it has been looking at include monitoring incidents, staff training, environmental conditions, staff support and counselling. In 1987 the Association of Directors of Social Services published "Guidelines and Recommendations to Employers on Violence Against Employees", which give local authorities advice on the same issues plus insurance cover. The British Association of Social Workers has also published "Social Workers at Risk : The Prevention and Management of Violence" (1986) and is currently drawing up further guidance. Regarding resources each year, as part of the process of consultation leading to the rate support grant settlement, local and central Government officials discuss pressures on the social services in the PSS expenditure group. The problem of violence to social services staff has been among the subjects discussed in recent years. It is expected that this subject will again be covered in this year's expenditure group discussions which will lead to the 1989–90 rate support grant settlement, but I cannot at this stage anticipate the outcome of these discussions.