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Learning Disability/Intellectual disability
The terminology varies from country to country. In the US the term mental retardation is often used whereas in Europe the terms learning disability, learning difficulty and intellectual disability are often used. Services for people with learning disability/intellectual disability have become more community based and integrated. This move to community services while enhancing quality of life has not necessarily eradicated challenging behaviours. In supporting people with a learning disability and their carers Studio 3 has adopted a radical person centred approach to behaviour management. People need as much control over their lives as we can provide and have a right to be managed in a dignified and age appropriate manner. Our view is that we support individuals in their daily lives rather than 'correcting' their behaviours. In many services people become challenging because they are not being listened to. We believe in building the service around people and not attempting to place 'square pegs into round holes'.
The ideals of Studio 3 are to promote the management of challenging behaviour in a gentle and dignified way, by providing a better understanding and insight into challenging behaviour and by use of low arousal approaches and gentle physical skills.
Studio 3 trainers have been running courses in the management of challenging behaviour for many years and our courses are based on applied academic research carried out in residential homes, day centres, respite care and institutional settings. We aim to give carers the skills they need to manage challenging behaviour so that the environment for the clients improves and the carers begin to develop more positive relationships with their clients. We also find that after the course, carers feel more confident in the work place and enjoy their jobs more, hopefully with less stress.
As part of the course package we provide a template policy on the management of violence and aggression. Our trainers will then work with you to develop this basic policy to suit the needs of your service. The policy is written in straightforward language so that it can be easily understood by all staff. This policy clears up the grey areas, especially around physical interventions and restraint. On the course we explain how this policy is meant to give a clear framework for carers and also the service.
The first day of the course is focussed on legal issues in the area of learning disabilities, causes of challenging behaviour, carers' own reactions and tolerances, an introduction to low arousal approaches, an introduction to debriefing and finally a section on managing versus changing behaviours. The second day of the course then combines gentle physical skills with the skills learnt on the first day. The third day of the course allows plenty of time for practising the low arousal approaches and physical skills together. The last element of the course is learning the restraint procedure and practising all the above in role play situations. The course allows plenty of time for critical discussions of all the issues encountered.
