Legislation

It is critical you refer to the following legislation whenever required. They apply to you as a practitioner.

Health and Safety at work Act 1974 place a duty on your employer to create a safe environment. You in turn as an employee have to ensure that you follow any health and safety guidelines in place. This involves ensuring you attend any health and safety training provided and follow the guidance given. You have to also ensure that you consider health and safety issues as part of your practice. For example when working with people where there is a risk of harm you have to consider ways of being safe such as choosing a suitable venue and working in pairs. Health and safety is linked with other regulations such as Riddor where you are expected to record and report certain injuries. If you are a manager, supervisor or director you should also consider welfare issues, safeguarding, and safety. All staff including your self should have an enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS).

The Equality Act 2010 is critical legislation, which applies to inclusive practice. This act has replaced a number of legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act 2016. The act has protected characteristics such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage, and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. You should ensure you provide equality of opportunities for people who use your services. You should not use jargon and aim to be a good role model. You should not discriminate someone because they are poor or their past. You should be inclusive and embrace differences throughout.
The Human Rights Act 1998 is also linked with equality.

The other major legislation that is useful to know is the Data Protection 1998. This promotes securing information of your organisation and people who use your services. You have to maintain confidentiality all the times. Linked closely is the GDPR 2016 regulations that also promote privacy. This has given poor to people regarding the information retained about them and use. Practitioners working for public bodies should also consider the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which gives people the right to access, certain information and records. You should not be asking personal information from the people who use your services if it is not relevant?