Safety Concerns

In light of events that have been happening in our area over the last week, we thought it necessary to make a statement regarding our advice on safety for the First Steps community. We do not ever expect anyone to put themselves or families in obvious danger in the act of providing First Steps services or attending any other First Steps related activities, however, we have to be very clear and consistent regarding how we handle each individual situation.

Specifically regarding our current local situation, please be aware of the following:

• Many families in the Ferguson or surrounding areas may be displaced or no longer in the area. If you are unable to locate a family, please document all attempts to reach them in progress notes and/or case notes, and contact the Service Coordinator.
• If you are scheduled to visit a family and feel unsafe visiting the area, please contact the family and offer alternatives, such as:
  • Meeting them in a different location if possible
  • Canceling and rescheduling for a future date when the situation has improved
• If you do go on a visit:
  • always be aware of your surroundings
  • consider taking someone else with you
  • let someone know where you are going (still maintaining confidentiality) and what time you expect to be finished
• We are never obligated to go into an obviously dangerous situation or to violate any restrictions (e.g. curfews, public orders, etc) for the sake of providing First Steps services. If you feel unsafe and must cancel/reschedule, please document this in progress/case notes and contact the Service Coordinator.
• If visits are missed and were not cancelled by the family, we are obligated to have a discussion and a plan for making them up in a timely manner
• If the family contacts you to cancel a visit, First Steps does not have to offer a make up visit

If you have any questions or particular items to discuss, please contact your Service Coordinator or someone at the First Steps office.

Thank you