Aberdeen City Council wants to make sure everyone has a positive experience when they communicate with us. We know that sometimes people might be upset when they contact us, and we want to help support them.
If you need additional support because you are in a vulnerable situation, or have accessibility needs such as restricted vision, difficulty hearing or speaking, or limited mobility, please let us know.
Being Respectful and Safe
Everyone has a right to feel safe and respected.
We have guidelines to ensure the safety of all individuals. As outlined in our zero tolerance pledge, any form of aggression, threats, or abuse directed towards our employees will not be tolerated, and immediate action will be taken.
Who This Applies To
These rules are for everyone who communicates with us, including:
- People using our services
- Parents or carers of school children or young people
- People communicating with elected members (Councillors)
What is Not Okay
Some behaviours are not okay, like:
- Being violent, abusive or aggressive
- Acting in a way that negatively impacts other
- Contacting us too much or making too many demands
Violence and Aggression
Being violent or aggressive is not allowed. This means no hitting, yelling, or saying things that make others feel scared or upset.
Abuse
Being abusive is also not allowed. This means not saying things that insult or hurt others.
Harassment
Harassment is when someone keeps bothering others, even after being asked to stop. This can include:
- Contacting someone too much
- Saying unkind or untrue things about someone online
Staying Safe
If someone is dangerous and may cause harm to others, we will make sure everyone is safe. We might call the police. Our employees can stop talking to someone if they feel upset or scared.
Online Behaviour
Being abusive online is not okay. This includes:
- Sending abusive or aggressive messages
- Posting hurtful or untrue information
We will handle online threats the same way we handle physical threats.
How We Respond
If someone is being abusive or hurtful, we will try to calm the situation down. For example, we might:
- Suggest taking a break if things get too heated
- Another employee may step in to stop the situation from getting worse
- If someone writes abusive or violent things to us, we will ask them to stop and we may not respond.
- In some situations we might limit how a person can contact us.
Recording and Taking Pictures
People can record conversations for personal use, but if it becomes a problem such as impacting other citizens, or the person intends to share the recordings with others, we will ask them to stop. If they don’t, we will need to end the conversation or face to face meeting.