Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 4 of 4
The impact of person-centred planning: a summary for service users
- Author:
- ROBERTSON Janet
- Publisher:
- Lancaster University. Institute for Health Research
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 4p.
- Place of publication:
- Lancaster
Across the UK people are adopting person centred approaches when working towards the goals of an individual/group (not only people with learning disabilities). The Impact of Person Centred Planning, which investigates what PCP can achieve if done well and what inhibits or facilitates the implementation and usefulness of PCP. The report, commissioned by the Department of Health is part of the Learning Disability Research Initiative and part-funded by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities.
Community-based Residential Supports for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Challenging Behaviour: The Views of Neighbours
- Authors:
- ROBERTSON Janet, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 18(1), March 2005, pp.85-92.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The issue of the views of neighbours of community-based residential supports for people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour has not been examined till date. This study looks at the views of neighbours of two types of community-based residential supports: non-congregate settings where the minority of residents have challenging behaviour; and congregate settings where the majority of residents have challenging behaviour. A self-completion questionnaire was used to collect information on contact between neighbours, residents and staff, and the views of neighbours. Information was also collected by semi-structured interview with service staff on the characteristics of settings. Sixty-four questionnaires were returned. Contact between neighbours and service users was limited for both types of setting, with two-thirds of neighbours not knowing any service users by name, and a third having had no active contact with service users. Neighbours of non-congregate settings were more likely to think that community care was a 'good policy' (76%) than neighbours of congregate settings (53%) and to believe that there were benefits to the neighbourhood from having the group home in the area (46% versus 29%) but these differences were not significant. Contact with people with intellectual disabilities was associated with more positive attitudes to community care and specific characteristics of the settings. Contact between neighbours and people with severe intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour is limited. However, the majority of neighbours are positive about community care and the problems reported by neighbours are predominantly minor. The results point to the key role that contact plays in fostering positive attitudes. Findings regarding differences between congregate and non-congregate settings are limited by the small number of responses from neighbours of congregate settings.
Staff stress and morale in community-based settings for people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour: a brief report
- Authors:
- ROBERTSON Janet, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 18(3), September 2005, pp.271-277.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study looked at stress, morale and intended job turnover in staff in two types of community-based residential supports: non-congregate settings where the minority of residents have challenging behaviour; and congregate settings where the majority of residents have challenging behaviour. A self-completion survey questionnaire was used to collect information on the basic characteristics of staff, levels of staff stress, job satisfaction and propensity to leave their employment. One hundred and fifty-seven questionnaires were returned from staff, the majority of whom were on fixed-term contracts. Congregate settings were not associated with higher levels of stress as might be assumed. Overall, over a quarter of staff reached criterion on the General Health Questionnaire-12 for experiencing emotional distress, and over a third were likely to actively seek new employment in the next year. The greatest perceived sources of stress were lack of resources and lack of staff support. The lowest level of satisfaction was with the rate of pay. Those in non-congregate settings reported greater perceived stress because of lack of procedures to deal with challenging behaviour. The authors concluded that high levels of intended staff turnover may be more due to job insecurity and lack of support than service user challenging behaviour. Employers seeking to reduce turnover should pay attention to basic pay and conditions, as well as staff training in appropriate methods for dealing with challenging behaviour.
The impact of person centred planning
- Authors:
- ROBERTSON Janet, et al
- Publisher:
- Lancaster University. Institute for Health Research
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 125p.
- Place of publication:
- Lancaster
The initial results show that person centred planning led to positive changes for individuals. Some changes were short-lived, but some continued beyond the end of the project. People experienced ongoing positive changes in the size of their social networks, their circle of friends, their presence in the community and the extent and range of their daytime activities. Changes were also seen in people’s contact with their families and the amount of choice available to them, but these improvements were not sustained. People with a plan were more likely to have access to some advocacy and health services. Some negative changes were reported in relation to people’s emotional, behavioural and health problems. These findings are not entirely surprising given that some people find change stressful; that new environments are more likely to seem risky (whether they really are or not); and that person centred planning tends to highlight existing health problems and get help with them. The overall message is that person centred planning was beneficial for people taking part in the study. It is also effective as a policy in promoting community involvement, changing daytime activities, extending contacts with families and friends, and improving choice for people with learning disabilities.