Reading List

A targeted Reading List to support and extend learning from Bullying and Harassment for Residential Care Staff.

This course uses a UK-wide practical approach. Legal and regulatory detail differs between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so the sources below include Great Britain employment and equality guidance, Northern Ireland signposting, and care-regulator material on speaking up where resident safety or service culture is affected.

1. Core Workplace Guidance

• Acas - Bullying at work
  A current practical guide defining bullying, giving examples, explaining employer responsibilities, and outlining what workers can expect when they raise concerns.
  https://www.acas.org.uk/bullying-at-work

• Acas - Harassment
  Explains how harassment operates under the Equality Act 2010, including hostile environments, dignity at work, and protected characteristics.
  https://www.acas.org.uk/discrimination-and-the-law/harassment

• GOV.UK - Workplace bullying and harassment
  A straightforward government summary of the difference between bullying and unlawful harassment, steps workers can take, and employer duties.
  https://www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment

• HSE - Violence in health and social care
  Explains why abuse, threats and assault from residents, relatives, visitors or others are not acceptable as part of care work and outlines employer responsibilities to reduce risk.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/violence/overview.htm

2. Equality and Speaking Up

• GOV.UK - Discrimination at work
  Context on employment law including protected characteristics, reasonable adjustments and routes for challenging unlawful treatment.
  https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights/discrimination-at-work

• Acas - Sexual harassment
  Covers how sexual harassment overlaps with bullying and harassment linked to protected characteristics, and why sexual conduct needs specific handling.
  https://www.acas.org.uk/sexual-harassment

• CQC - Speaking up/Whistleblowing enquiries
  Shows how concerns raised by health and social care workers inform regulatory action and why speaking up matters in regulated services.
  https://www.cqc.org.uk/about-us/transparency/speaking-upwhistleblowing-enquiries

3. Culture and Quality in Care

• CQC - Freedom to speak up
  Explains the elements of a positive speaking-up culture, how people who raise concerns can be supported and kept confidential, and the link with safe, well-led services in England.
  https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/providers/assessment/single-assessment-framework/well-led/freedom-speak-up

• CQC - How CQC identifies and responds to closed cultures
  Explains how defensiveness, silence, exclusion and fear of speaking up can become care-quality and safeguarding concerns.
  https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/all-services/how-cqc-identifies-responds-closed-cultures

4. UK Care-Regulator Signposting

• CQC - Give feedback on care
  England regulator guidance on sharing feedback about health and adult social care where quality, safety or culture may be affected.
  https://www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care/1-545904353

• Care Inspectorate Wales - Provide feedback or raise a concern about care services
  Wales-facing information on giving feedback or raising concerns about a regulated care service.
  https://www.careinspectorate.wales/feedback-surveys

• Care Inspectorate Scotland - Complaints
  Scotland-facing guidance on complaints about registered care services, including when matters may be referred to protection agencies.
  https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/complaints

• RQIA - Raise a concern about a health and social care service
  Northern Ireland guidance on raising concerns about regulated health and social care services.
  https://www.rqia.org.uk/contact/raise-a-concern-about-health-and-social-care-service/

5. Northern Ireland Equality Signposting

• Equality Commission for Northern Ireland - Your Rights
  An entry point for Northern Ireland's equality framework covering workplace discrimination, harassment and protected characteristics.
  https://equalityni.org/your-rights

• nidirect - Bullying in the workplace
  A Northern Ireland-facing summary of bullying, harassment and routes for advice and support.
  https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bullying-workplace

Use this list to deepen your knowledge of bullying and harassment, speaking up, fair response, and the link between team culture and safer resident care.