PRPlayers

Challenge

The Royal College of Anaesthetists has provided several successful level 3 Safeguarding training days in the past, specifically for anaesthetists. Feedback from the courses reflected that one of the most useful parts of the day was preparing colleagues for an interview with a parent and child about a safeguarding issue that had developed in theatre.

After the successful use of using role players, the RCoA wanted to create a short film with a mother and child to assist anaesthetists at level 2 and 3 in dealing with this potentially difficult task.

Requirements

• Trained adult and an adolescent role player
• Role player enacting the mother role has appropriate Discloser and Barring Service (originally a CRB) for the employment of and contact of children
• Supply a chaperone for the adolescent role player 

Results

Having a conversation with a parent and child or young person about the possibility of maltreatment is something which all doctors should be prepared to handle, but it can be difficult to know how to approach it. The film presents how to prepare for such an interview and then how to conduct it.

It is very important to recognise at the outset that the reactions of the parent and child actors in this recording have been compartmentalised. They are unlikely to occur in the same order and may be very different in reality.

The film also suggests how best to communicate with other professionals about your findings, and discusses what the next stages of the process might entail.

The final footage can be seen here: