Supporting Staff Confidence in Positive Risk-Taking Across ABI Teams
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Positive risk-taking relies heavily on staff confidence. In acquired brain injury services, fear of blame, safeguarding scrutiny or inspection can lead staff to adopt overly restrictive approaches. Commissioners and inspectors increasingly expect providers to demonstrate how they support staff to make confident, proportionate risk decisions.
This article explores how ABI providers can build staff confidence in positive risk-taking. It should be read alongside Workforce, Skill Mix & Practice Competence and Positive Risk-Taking & Risk Enablement.
Why confidence matters in ABI services
ABI-related behaviours and fluctuating capacity can make risk decisions complex. Without confidence, staff may default to avoidance.
Commissioner and inspector expectations
Expectation 1: Competent practice. Inspectors expect staff to understand risk enablement principles.
Expectation 2: Supported decision-making. Commissioners expect providers to support staff rather than penalise uncertainty.
Operational example 1: Scenario-based training
An ABI provider introduced scenario-based training focused on real risk dilemmas, improving staff confidence.
Using supervision to normalise uncertainty
Supervision should acknowledge that uncertainty is inherent in positive risk-taking.
Operational example 2: Reflective supervision models
A service embedded reflective supervision sessions focused on learning rather than blame.
Leadership tone and culture
Leadership behaviour strongly influences whether staff feel safe to enable risk.
Operational example 3: Leadership messaging
A provider reinforced positive risk-taking through consistent leadership messaging and audit feedback.
Evidencing staff confidence
Providers should evidence:
- Training focused on risk enablement
- Supervision records discussing risk decisions
- Learning from incidents rather than blame
Confidence as a foundation for enablement
In ABI services, confident staff are essential to delivering safe, proportionate positive risk-taking.
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