Residential Staff (residential + staff)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


A Communication Training Programme for Residential Staff Working with Adults with Challenging Behaviour: Pilot Data on Intervention Effects

JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 1 2007
Andy Smidt
Background, Challenging behaviour often serves a communicative function. It therefore stands to reason that the residential staff working in developmental disability services require training to foster appropriate communicative interactions with adults with challenging behaviour. Method, Eighteen members of staff working in three residential services participated in a 4 week communication training programme. The programme focused on staff attitudes to and beliefs about challenging behaviour, communicative interactions between staff and residents and working as a team. Objective measurements were made of the effects of the training programme on staff use of augmentative and alternative communication, praise and use of inappropriate language in a multiple-baseline design across three organizations. Changes in the rate of challenging behaviours among the residents were also evaluated. Results, As staff's use of AAC and praise increased, and inappropriate language decreased, there was some concomitant decrease in residents' levels of challenging behaviour; however, these results were not sustained in the long-term. Conclusion, This pilot data suggest that an approach to staff training based on modifying attitudes and beliefs is potentially beneficial to both staff and residents. [source]


ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Pain in people with learning disabilities in residential settings , the need for change

BRITISH JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES, Issue 3 2010
Monica Beacroft
Accessible summary ,,Pain is not recognised and managed well for people with learning disabilities in residential settings , People with learning disabilities are not getting timely and appropriate ,as required' medication for their pain. ,,Staff do not use pain recognition tools or communication aids. ,,Some staff still believe that people with learning disabilities have a higher pain threshold than people without a learning disability. They also let this belief affect how they manage pain. ,,This research matters to people with learning disabilities. It is important that staff and carers recognise and manage pain well. We have developed a pain training pack for staff and carers and leaflets for both people with learning disabilities and staff and carers. Summary This audit investigated residential staff beliefs around pain thresholds and strategies they adopt to recognise and manage pain in people with learning disabilities across Surrey. A structured interview was constructed to elicit information. Results demonstrated that pain is not being effectively recognised or managed by residential staff in Surrey. It highlighted the need for training for staff in how to recognise and manage pain, as well as the need for appropriate pain recognition tools and communication aids to be utilised to support people with learning disabilities to be able to communicate their pain to others. It also indicated the need for better communication between staff and other services that the person with learning disabilities accesses. [source]


Young people leaving care in Sweden

CHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, Issue 1 2010
Ingrid Höjer
ABSTRACT The transition from a placement in care to an independent life can be a problematic phase for young people. In Sweden, special care-leaving services are almost non-existent. What then happens to young people when they leave a placement in out-of-home care? This paper draws on the results of a study in which 16 young care leavers between the ages of 18 and 22 years were interviewed. Telephone interviews were also performed with the young care leavers' parents, social workers, foster carers and institutional staff. The aim of the study was to investigate how young care leavers perceive the transition from care to an independent life. The Swedish welfare model, the prolonged transition to adulthood and the family-oriented welfare discourse have been used as analytical perspectives. The results show that young care leavers have a pronounced need for social, emotional, practical and financial support. Whilst such support is occasionally provided by foster carers and residential staff, it is seldom given by social services or biological parents. This group is at risk of facing severe problems in the transitional phase from care to independent life, a fact that is not acknowledged by the Swedish welfare system. [source]