Active Support : Keeping It Real

Catherine Fraser &

Margery Pithouse

field – furthering inclusive learning & development

We are assuming you all know what Active Support is

So today’s focus:1. How are we going with it?2. How we keep going (including

measurement)

…remember that

Active Support is a Person-Centred Approach Based on John O’Brien’s “5 accomplishments”:

1. Belonging2. Being Respected3. Sharing Ordinary Places4. Contributing5. Choosing

Active support is

about being more engaged and participating in life

How are we going?

Where are you on the journey?

(What) (Who)See Helen Sanderson’s

Donut of Responsibility

“The doughnut is a tool that helps staff, not only to see what they must do (core responsibilities), but where they can try things (judgement and creativity) and what is not their responsibility.”

www.helensandersonassociates.co.uk/

(The GO Who …Helen Sanderson’s Doughnut)

Helen Sanderson Associates/TLCELP Created by The Grove Consultants International

What have you found?

Feedback from our travels is that there are a number of challenges

The 6 challenges

1. Active Support as an “add-on”

2. How?

3. Time

4. Paperwork

5. OH&S + Duty of Care

6. Teamwork + Momentum

Challenge 1 : Active Support as an “add-on”

What you can doWhat your organization can do

Challenge 2: How?

Applying knowledge to individuals

Challenge 3: Time

What you DO not how long is your shift?

Challenge 4: Paperwork

Not the aim of the (Active Support ) exercise

Challenge 5: OH&S + Duty of Care

Excuses and conflicts

Challenge 6: Teamwork + Momentum

Responsibilities (the HSA doughnut)

SharingGrowing, building and learning togetherKeeping it going

Where are we at?

“Confidently doing it” & “Sustaining it”

How to get positive resultsAlready looked some through strategies and challenges…

… don’t stop! Its not check and forget, it’s an on–going WAY of working.

But do we know if we are on the right track?

Am I doing it properly?

There is already a framework for this (we don’t need to make up new things);

the Disability Outcome Standards IndividualityCapacityParticipationCitizenshipLeadership

Individuality

Each Individual has goals. Wants, aspirations and support needs, and makes decisions and choices about their life.

Capacity

Each individual’s abilities and potential are identified and encouraged.

Participation

Each individual is able to be part of his or her community

Citizenship

Each individual has rights and responsibilities as a member of the community

Leadership

Each individual has the opportunity to inform the way that supports are provided.

Evidence

We can see and feel (anecdotal evidence)

People are happier & initiating activitiesStaff often happier and job satisfaction higher

Inevitably, you would ASK people.

Measuring

What measuring stick would you use? Organisations are already measuring through auditing processes

Tools & processes to check if services are realising (making REAL) their mission statement

Measuring is ongoing – the ‘GO’ keeps going!

Who does the measuring?

Measuring is not the job of support workers – it’s a management responsibility (HAS donut)

Staff have a hugely important role in “the doing” and,

Staff, with clients themselves, are the organisation’s eyes and ears on the ground.

Collecting and passing on information in lots of ways…

Ways this can happen

Records and notes including team meeting notes, ISPs etcStructured Supervision

peer, one-to-one, group etcReflective Practice / Self-ReflectionShadowing Coaching & Mentoring

……Learning@work

“Active Support Measure”, Mansell & Elliot 1996

An academic study*Seductive “list” of indicators/items

Danger of tasks that can be ticked-offImportance of the 2nd bit – rating engagement

Qualifications to do soIdentification of barriers & strategies

Our ‘Challenges’ eg “over emphasis on record keeping”Strategies eg shared values and valuing; supervision, mentoring, coaching, team building & communication etc

*“Engagement in meaningful activity and “active support” of people with intellectual disabilities in residential care”, Mansell et al, Tizard Centre, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK, 2002

What you can do

Service Person with a disability

Direct Disability Support Work…the ‘interface’ for Active Support

inputs > experience > outcomes

‘permission’…confidence…mutual respect … mindset

“GO”, field – furthering inclusive learning and development, 2010.

“The Doughnut”, Helen Sanderson Associates, www.helensandersonassociates.co.uk

Looking further…

www.field.org.auLearning@work Case Studies

www.helensandersonassociates.co.uk

www.kent.ac.uk/tizard/active/index.html