Project history

The Altrum Risk Research Project, based at Thistle Foundation, aims to increase knowledge of the decision-making skills required in risk assessment within the social care sector.

See the full version of the Newsletter here.

Click here for minutes from the last meeting on 15th December 2010.

The Altrum Workbook is available by clicking here.

The objective of the project, led by Altrum and delivered by Thistle Foundation and the University of Stirling, is that social policy will better reflect the views of disabled people who access services.

It is hoped that the project will result in approximately 17,500 disabled people becoming more involved in decisions about risk and protection; hopefully increasing their level of choice and giving them more control over their lives.

The research team itself will include several disabled people, and the team will consult with 40 participants with disabilities, all of whom are customers of Altrum member organisations. The team will use Forum Theatre, which involves an experienced theatre group introducing scenarios to audience members who are then invited to take part in and develop them. The audiences will be brought together at various locations. Their input into the development of storylines will be recorded. The video footage will then be studied in an effort to identify the key issues which these people believe involve risk and protection.

Those working on the research would like to hear the views of disabled people using the services of Altrum organisations. They would like to hear people’s opinions about what professionals should be considering when they are making decisions about risks and protection. Their feedback will then be used to develop practice guidance which Altrum hope will lead to improved involvement of people who use services, when it comes to making decisions about risk.