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Competencies of front-line managers in supported accommodation: issues for practice and future research
- Authors:
- CLEMENT Tim, BIGBY Christine
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(2), June 2012, pp.131-140.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The Department of Human Services in Victoria, Australia, manages over 500 group homes, including supported accommodation for people with intellectual disability. As part of a larger research project investigating outcomes in these group homes, this project used a list of 142 competencies for house supervisors or front-line managers in group homes (which had been identified in a research study in Minnesota) as a basis for reviewing what should be expected of the equivalent position in Victoria. The competency statements, adapted and reworded to reflect the local context and terminology, were used as the foundation for semi-structured interviews with a sample of 16 highly performing house supervisors and 5 senior managers which explored their perceptions about their roles. The article describes the analysis of the transcribed interviews, with examples from the interviews, and discusses the emergent findings. It highlights the importance of house supervisors' "orientations" (passion and dedication, stamina and flexibility, calmness, tolerance or liking for a degree of freedom, and perceptions of work-life balance).
Group homes for people with intellectual disabilities: encouraging inclusion and participation
- Authors:
- CLEMENT Tim, BIGBY Christine
- Publisher:
- Jessica Kingsley
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 285p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Group homes are the dominant form of residential accommodation for people with severe learning or intellectual disabilities. The authors suggest that while well-managed group homes can realise good outcomes for residents, many settings are underperforming. “Group home” has become a generic term but here the authors “rescue” it and define it as accommodation for between four and six people where extensive or pervasive paid staff support is provided to the residents, both in the home and when leaving it to use community based settings. This book seeks to highlight the key issues for both residents and staff, and offers practical suggestions for improving community living. Based on original empirical research and drawing on extensive field notes, it paints a picture of life in group homes today. The authors propose a framework for increasing community presence and participation, and consider the barriers to be overcome if progress is to be made in achieving these key goals. The notion of 'homeliness', the challenge of maintaining a balance between individual and group needs and the concept of practice leadership are all explored.