Lamplugh Trust: RSLs must do more to keep staff safe from harm at work

David Castle, training consultant for charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, spoke out after Housing Today revealed last week that housing officers working for London & Quadrant Housing Trust in London and the South-east are to be offered bulletproof vests (HT 19 November, page 7).

Castle, most of whose clients come from housing associations and councils, said: “What I have tended to find is there is very little in place informing staff about how to report instances [of violence].

“When I ask staff about reporting procedures I tend to get blank faces. The realities are that, when you work with the public for a living, the chances [of violence] are higher. Many staff do feel at risk.

“More effort must be put into reducing those risks.”

The reality is that if you work with the public the chances of violence are higher

David Castle, Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Castle’s comments came in the same week that the government signalled in the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday that it was committed to continuing to tackle antisocial behaviour (story below).

This will reinforce the trend of housing officers being relied on by government to deliver much of its enforcement agenda, including helping police put the ODPM’s fight against crack houses and nuisance neighbours into practice.

Tim Winter, director of the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group, said: “As our members get more serious in tackling antisocial behaviour they are realising the importance of risk assessment. The old days where they would advise people in their homes have changed completely.”