Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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The dangers of 'ivory tower' management
- Author:
- O'DRISCOLL David
- Journal article citation:
- Community Living, 20(2), November 2006, pp.18-19.
- Publisher:
- Hexagon Publishing
The author explores some of the difficulties support staff in residential and day care may experience with their managers and how this organisational culture can impact on this relationship. He looks particularly at managers who become too involved in administration and distance themselves from the daily activities, avoiding being with clients and staff.
The role of the learning disability worker
- Authors:
- BARCHAM Lesley, POUNTNEY Jackie
- Publisher:
- Learning Matters; British Institute of Learning Disabilities
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 43p.
- Place of publication:
- Exeter
This practical textbook is aimed at social care staff working with people with learning disabilities to help them the role of the learning disability worker. This includes personal assistants, volunteers, managers supporting services, or personal budget users planning to train a personal assistant. Chapters cover: understanding working relationships when supporting people with a learning disability; working in ways that are agreed with your employer and following policies and procedures; and working in partnership with families, carers and advocates. Each chapter contains clear learning objectives, thinking points to aid reflective practice, examples of good practice, and activities. The contents also links to the Common Induction Standards and the module on the role of the health and social care worker from level 2 and 3 diplomas in health and social care
Stress, depression, workplace and social supports and burnout in intellectual disability support staff
- Authors:
- MUTKINS E., BROWN R.F., THORSTEINSSON E.B.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(5), May 2011, pp.500-510.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Work stress, described as when the perceived demands of a job exceed one’s internal and external resources to do the job, is common in staff providing support to people with intellectual disabilities, putting them at increased risk of burnout. Stressors typically reported by those working in this environment include, challenging behaviour, interpersonal issues with colleagues and organisational concerns. The small prior literature provides little consensus on predictors of burnout in disability support staff. This study examined client behaviour, staff psychological stress, anxiety, depression, social support (number and satisfaction), organisational support and burnout in 80 disability support staff in a community setting in Australia. Burnout levels were similar to or slightly lower than normed values for human services staff. Cross-sectional regression analyses indicated that depression symptoms and organisational support were related to worse emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, whereas less social support was related to less personal accomplishment. Social support satisfaction (but not social support number or organisational support) moderated between high psychological stress and less emotional exhaustion. Taken together, these results suggest that depression symptoms and low organisational support are often concurrent with burnout symptoms. Worker’s personal and organisational supports may help to bolster their sense of personal accomplishment and buffer against the potential for emotional exhaustion.
The relation between intrapersonal and interpersonal staff behaviour towards clients with ID and challenging behaviour: a validation study of the Staff–Client Interactive Behaviour Inventory
- Authors:
- WILLEMS A. P. A. M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54(1), January 2010, pp.40-51.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Interpersonal staff behaviour (such as control, submission, friendliness and hostility) is associated with challenging behaviour in clients with intellectual disabilities (ID) and studies have shown the influence of intrapersonal staff characteristics (beliefs, attributions and emotional reactions) on staff behaviour. A key aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to measure staff-client interactive behaviour focusing on both inter and intrapersonal aspects. A total of 292 staff members, employed in residential and community services in the Netherlands, completed the Staff–Client Interactive Behaviour Inventory (SCIBI) for 34 clients with ID and challenging behaviour. Construct validity and reliability of the SCIBI was demonstrated by confirmatory factor analysis of a seven-factor model with: assertive control, hostile, friendly and support-seeking interpersonal behaviour; proactive thinking; self-reflection; and critical expressed emotion as reliable factors. Regression analyses showed higher age of the client to be negatively associated with assertive control. Job experience, level of education, type and sex of staff predicted interpersonal behaviour. Also, intrapersonal staff behaviour, including critical expressed emotion, proactive thinking and self-reflection, predicted interpersonal behaviour. It is conclude that the SCIBI can be used to identify staff intrapersonal and interpersonal behaviour and results obtained with the SCIBI can provide new directions for individual client treatment plans and staff training programmes.
'Now I'd like to sleep with Rachael' - researching sexuality support in a service agency group home
- Author:
- HAMILTON Carol Anne
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 24(3), May 2009, pp.303-315.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Many intellectually disabled people living in agency services require significant forms of support to live safe and satisfying sexual lives. Research reveals that despite support personnel working in service systems now holding largely positive attitudes towards sexuality assistance, proactive practice is rarely initiated. This article probes what might lie within this attitude/assistance gap. This investigation reveals a complex picture of practices that rely on intellectually disabled people showing conformation to a 'couple doing normal' ideal, so as to be judged capable of being supported. It examines how wider social locations of meaning related to 'intellectual disability' and 'sexuality' might substantiate these judgement calls. The degree to which it can be said that worker's own attitudes and values underpin their reluctance to provide support is then explored. Finally, why researchers and practitioners might need to reappraise the complex interactions that shape worker's practice in this area is discussed.