This Policy defines the procedures to be followed upon learning that suspicious persons have called at the service user’s home:

1. It is an unfortunate fact of life that many confidence tricksters and criminals prey upon the elderly and confused, often posing as tradesmen or canvassers. Persons living alone are particularly vulnerable. If the service user complains to the Care Worker of such an occurrence then this should be noted in the Service User’s Records.

2. If the service user is able to offer a description, or has a car registration number, then the Care Worker may need to report the incident to the police, and as appropriate the service user’s family should also be notified.

3. The Care Worker should comfort the service user and advise the service user on precautions necessary for the future. These should include the following:

3.1 Fitting a security chain on all external doors so that the service user can still conduct a conversation with the person calling.

3.2 Requesting appropriate identification from ALL unknown callers to the home. Bona fide callers will almost certainly have an identification card, the credentials of which may be checked through a simple telephone call. The service user should be encouraged to make such calls and not to be afraid of reporting these details to the police as a safety measure.

3.3 If the service user’s home is in a Neighbourhood Watch area, the Care Worker should attempt to locate the local Co-ordinator to request extra vigilance if it known that suspicious persons are targeting the locality. The Neighbourhood Watch contact telephone number should ideally be included on the list of emergency numbers held at the service user’s home.

4. The Care Worker must report such incidents to the Domiciliary Care Services Manager, and complete records must be recorded in the service user’s Records.