Lady Lawley Cottage by the Sea A Journey of Redesign

About Lady Lawley Cottage by the Sea

Mission of Red Cross - Lady Lawley Cottage To improve the lives of vulnerable people in Australia and internationally by mobilising the power of humanity. To provide a service, guided by the principles and philosophy of Red Cross, that responds to the need for respite care for children with disabilities, including those with challenging behaviour.

Background to the Present  New population of clients  New problems regarding behaviour management  Impact on service delivery  New skills required by staff  Pathway to change!!

Developing a competency based training and assessment program

Actions to rectify the situation Reviewed Job description Approach to training Orientation Skill assessment tool Issues of Respite Vs long term accommodation Restructure of Shift duties. Routines vs tasks. Job roles Residential Care Worker Unit Leader Underpinning knowledge Attitude and Values Core skillsIdentify knowledge and skill deficits How to deal with the challenges

What we did! Introduced three-tiered system  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3 Staff training  Classroom learning  Practical application  Competency assessment

Level 1 - Staff routines - Allocation of tasks - Ensuring basic needs are met Level 2 - Meeting individual needs of the client - Client profile and circumstances - Engagement Level 3- Data-based behaviour management programs Three-tiered System

La Mission is to: Staff Training  Orientation training expanded to include basic principles & functions of behaviour.  Practical application of gained knowledge.  Competency assessment / focus on skill development and engagement.  Advanced training for supervisors in developing behaviour support plans.

Should support & training come from within the service or bought in from outside? Issues to consider  Crisis management - immediate help vs. referral to an external agency  Local knowledge of client/ family/ service / staff  Credibility – developing a body of evidence within the service that positive behaviour support strategies work  Respite is vs. home or accommodation service  Who determines success? The agency or the consultant?  Maintenance and follow up  Creating dependency on the sector  Can create a false economy and appear to be a cheaper option  Staff turnovers and training new staff  Keep training/assessing existing staff to maintain relevant skills

 Lady Lawley Cottage has adopted the philosophy and practice of positive behaviour support as a means to manage clients who present with challenging behaviour in respite settings since  The Positive Behaviour Framework has reinforced that the directions we are taking are in keeping with Best Practice.  The Towards Responsive Services for All report has reinforced the need for the level of training to be sustained to ensure the success of programs supporting this group within the community. In conclusion