Foster Care Manual: How to Avoid Violence

This information has been excerpted from materials specific to one state. Be sure to check with your Foster Care Specialist for details in your state, county, or province.

1. Never touch angry, paranoid or combative clients unless you know from history that touching is safe, or you are in the process of restraining them. Much combativeness is precipitated by unknowing staff members approaching clients incorrectly. The value of touch cannot be underestimated, but used incorrectly, it can be disastrous.

2. Give the client room to breathe. A boxed-in feeling can easily precipitate combativeness.

3. Always keep the client informed of what you are doing. Fear of the unknown can precipitate violence. This fear is easily prevented many times by providing an explanation.

4. Watch for subtle signs of behavior change which are warning signs of impending violence. By responding appropriately, violence can usually be prevented.

5. Stay out of the way of combative clients. Protect other clients and yourself from harm. Get help before you choose to restrain.

6. If you choose to restrain, do it properly. If you do not know how, do not do it. Unconditioned bodies are very fragile and are easily damaged. Our goal is to prevent and control the violence without hurting anyone including ourselves.

7. Respect the client’s right to refuse treatment.

8. Display acceptable behavior. All people learn acceptable behavior by following the lead of authority figures and peers around them. It is important to remember that those who are physically aggressive themselves are often most fearful of violence. Their own violence is often a defense against imagined, potential attacks from others. Once they realize that their caregivers are competent, caring, non-violent people, their own combativeness decreases. Caregivers teach acceptable behavior by personally displaying acceptable behavior, and by controlling unacceptable behavior in a caring fashion.