Audio Coursesby JellypodLesson 15 of 16
Overview
Will, EnableUs Community: Alright, welcome back to Onboarding Participants. I’m Will, and as always, I’m joined by Winter. Today we’re diving into a topic that, honestly, every provider needs to get comfortable with—knowing when to escalate concerns during onboarding. Winter, I reckon this is one of those things that’s easy to talk about in theory, but in practice, it can get pretty murky, right?
Winter, EnableUs Community: Absolutely, Will. I think a lot of us have been in situations where something just feels a bit off, but it’s not always clear if it’s a genuine red flag or just nerves—especially with new participants. But there are some clear indicators we can look out for, and I think it’s worth breaking those down first.
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, so, some of the big ones—like, if you’re seeing frequent behavioural incidents, or maybe a participant’s got complex medical needs that aren’t being addressed, or there’s involvement from external agencies like police or child protection. Those are the obvious ones. But sometimes it’s more subtle, like a sudden change in mood, or a participant disclosing something about their home life that just doesn’t sit right.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Or even requests that are outside your qualifications. Like, if someone’s asking you to do something you’re not trained for, that’s a big signal to pause and get the right people involved. And I think staff concerns are just as important—if you or your team are feeling unsafe or out of your depth, that’s a red flag in itself.
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and I’ll share a quick story—my first year, I had a participant who, on paper, seemed pretty straightforward. But there were these little things—like, he’d go from chatty to completely withdrawn in a heartbeat, or he’d make these offhand comments about not feeling safe at home. I remember thinking, “Am I overreacting?” But my gut just kept nagging at me. Turns out, there was a lot more going on, and escalating early meant we could actually get him the support he needed. So, I guess, trust your instincts, even if you’re not 100% sure.
Winter, EnableUs Community: That’s such a good point. I think sometimes we worry about making a fuss, but as we’ve said in previous episodes, like when we talked about high-risk participants, it’s always better to act early. If something feels off, escalate. It’s not about blame—it’s about safety for everyone.
Winter, EnableUs Community: So, let’s talk about what actually happens when you do need to escalate. There’s a process, and it’s there for a reason. First step—document everything. And I mean, be factual, don’t add your own spin. What happened, who was there, what did the participant say or do, and what did you do in response?
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and then you’ve gotta notify the right person internally. That might be your team leader, risk manager, or director—whoever’s responsible for these kinds of things. And if it’s urgent, like immediate danger, don’t muck around—call emergency services or the relevant authority straight away.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Exactly. And sometimes, you need to pause services. That can feel like a big step, but if you can’t provide support safely, it’s the right call. Just make sure you communicate clearly with the participant or their family about what’s happening and what comes next.
Will, EnableUs Community: Then it’s about getting the team together—support meeting, whatever you call it. You look at what happened, figure out if you can keep supporting safely, or if you need to bring in external experts. I remember a case where a participant turned up with unexplained injuries. We had to get behaviour support, allied health, and even the police involved. It was a lot, but having everyone in the room meant we could actually make a plan that kept everyone safe.
Winter, EnableUs Community: I had a similar experience, actually. There was a situation where a participant’s behaviour changed really suddenly, and staff were starting to feel unsafe. We escalated quickly—documented, notified the team lead, paused services, and got everyone together. It was stressful, but acting fast meant we protected both the participant and the staff. And honestly, the calm communication between everyone made a huge difference. No panic, just clear steps.
Will, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and sometimes you do need to go outside your organisation—bring in behaviour support practitioners, GPs, support coordinators, or even the NDIS Commission if it’s a notifiable incident. It’s not about passing the buck, it’s about making sure the right people are involved.
Will, EnableUs Community: And I think this is where we need to talk about staff support, too. High-risk situations aren’t just tough on participants—they can really take a toll on the team. Debriefing after serious incidents is so important. I know after that case I mentioned, our team had a proper debrief, and it honestly helped us process what happened and learn from it.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Yeah, and ongoing training is huge—de-escalation, safety, all that. You can’t just throw people into the deep end and hope for the best. And, like, never leave someone to manage risk alone. It’s got to be a team approach, otherwise people burn out or make mistakes because they’re isolated.
Will, EnableUs Community: Totally. And keep an eye out for burnout. Sometimes you don’t notice it until someone’s really struggling. Regular check-ins, making space for self-care—it’s not just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. I’ll be honest, there was a time when I felt completely overwhelmed by a situation we had to escalate. It felt daunting, like maybe I’d done something wrong. But looking back, it actually reinforced how professional and responsible our team was. We did the right thing, even though it was hard.
Winter, EnableUs Community: That’s it. Escalation isn’t a failure—it’s integrity. It’s about doing what’s right for both participants and staff. And, you know, as we keep saying, lean on your team. No one should have to handle these things alone.
Will, EnableUs Community: Alright, I think that’s a good place to wrap up for today. If you’re ever unsure, escalate. Trust your instincts, follow the process, and look after each other. We’ll be back next time with more on onboarding and building safer, stronger teams. Winter, thanks for the chat as always.
Winter, EnableUs Community: Thanks, Will. And thanks to everyone listening—take care of yourselves and your teams. Catch you next time!
