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Practice framework training session

Each person has the right to a good life.
A good life is a fulfilling life.

For a person living with disability, life and experiences should be the same as, or close to, what everyone else in the community experiences.  As workers we support this through what we say and do.

The training you are about to do is Anglicare’s Practice Framework for Disability Support Services.

This training will guide you in your day to day work.

Core practices

There are 8 ways of working to learn about, these are called core practices. These outline how we provide the best support in the best way for the people we work with.

The 8 core practices come from key legislation, that is the laws governing disability support. You can click on the link to look these up if you want to know more.

The Disability Practice Framework is based on Anglicare’s values and mission

  • Our values

    • Hope – Confidently reaching for fullness of life
    • Compassion – Showing empathy and care for those in need
    • Justice – Promoting the fair distribution of resources and opportunities
    • Respect – Recognising the inherent value and dignity of every person

  • Our mission

    In response to the Christian faith, Anglicare strives to achieve social justice and provide the opportunity for people in need to reach fullness of life.

  • What we believe

    We believe all people are to be treated justly, accorded dignity and respect and are to have their basic rights protected.

    Where there is division and conflict, we should work to heal brokenness and reconcile differences.

    Each person has the capacity to make and to bear the responsibility for choices and decisions about their life.

    Those who provide and those who use services share a common humanity, calling forth compassion for each other’s distress and hope for each other’s future. Working with people in need demands a spirit of humility, free from blaming or judging.

    Every person has the potential to live life abundantly.

  • Our commitment

    We are committed to:

    • working for the common good and a just and healthy society
    • upholding human rights
    • speaking out against injustice and oppression
    • valuing and celebrating difference and diversity within society.

Reflection

Please watch the video and think about what values are important to you?

Core practice 1 - Getting to know and understand the person

It is important to get to know each person as an individual.

We do this by finding out how a person likes to communicate, finding out what things are important to them and what support they need stay healthy and safe.

  • How can you find out about the way a person communicates?

    • Spend time with the person, observe their interactions.
    • Ask the person how they prefer to communicate.
    • Read the individual support plans and behaviour plans, these will give you details about communication.

  • How can you find out what is important to a person?

    • Ask about their interests and the way they have fun.
    • Ask about their routines, how and when they like to do things and what support they need.
    • Who do they like to spend time with? (e.g. family and friends)
    • How do they like to relax?
    • What are their goals?
    • Get to know about the persons beliefs and life so far.

  • How can you find out what support each person needs?

    • Read support plans and files.
    • Understand and respect how each person’s disability affects their day to day life.
    • Talk to the person, their family, or friends and to other staff.

Reflection

Think about how you communicate. What are some other ways people might communicate?

Core practice 2 - Supporting a person to have a good day to day life

 

 

Supporting a person to have a good day to day life means we focus on what is important to them. What one person likes will be different to another person. So, we support people to do activities that are meaningful them and have relationships that are meaningful to them.

As you watch this video think about the different activities people are involved in.

We support people to have a good life by...

  • Actively supporting choices

    • Always use each person’s preferred way of communicating.
    • Support each person to express their choices.
    • Support person to do activities they choose.
    • Support each person to move toward their goals.
    • Include each person in their own planning.
    • Support each person to try new things and develop new skills.

  • Actively supporting each person to create their own home

    • Acknowledging each person as the expert in their support, so they can tell us about the day to day running of their home.
    • Taking part in household tasks and responsibilities.
    • Engage in learning and leisure activities at home.
    • Being involved in personal budgeting.

  • Actively supporting each person to be healthy and safe at home

    • Supporting each person to choose and prepare healthy meals.
    • Encouraging joyful movement.
    • Having opportunities for relaxation and rest.
    • Having regular health checks, including mental health.
    • Ensuring the physical and mental environment is safe.

  • Actively supporting each person to link with their community

    • Maintaining relationships (e.g. family, friends, neighbours).
    • Creating space for each person to develop new relationships.
    • Engaging in learning and leisure groups.
    • Promoting the option to work either paid or voluntary.
    • Supporting the cultural and spiritual aspects of their life.

  • Reflection

    Think about what a good life looks like for you. How should it look for the people you support?

Core practice 3 - Supporting each person to have an even better life

Supporting each person to have an even better life means they are involved in planning and decision making. We sometimes involve family and friends in this.

We support each person to make choices about what they want to do. We assist them to make their plans and review their plans when needed. Doing this helps a person to successfully take part in meaningful activities and social relationships, including lifestyle choices, work and interests, future goals and the right to take risks.

Supporting each person to have an even better life needs to be balanced. We will consider what is important to each person with what is important for each person. Then we can provide the support each person needs to stay healthy and safe.

  • To have a balanced approach to support people we need to think about

    • reviewing health concerns and going to a Doctor or other medical appointments
    • assisting with medications
    • promoting safety and a safe environment
    • reporting incidents when they occur
    • supporting a person to manage stress (positive behaviour support plans)
    • managing risks.

Reflection

Core practice 4 - Supporting a person-centred environment

Put simply, person-centred support is when the individual (and their family) are at the centre of all decisions relating to their health and wellbeing. It’s about focusing on the support the individual needs and wants rather than getting them to fit with a pre-designed support plan.

In an environment where people live together we are still able to take a person-centred approach and maintain individuality.

  • We can organise a person-centred environment

    • Is the environment accessible and pleasant for all?
    • How do people interact and get along?
    • Does each person have equity (equal say and use) of the space?
    • Are everyone’s health and safety needs met?
    • Are any impacts on others in the environment being minimised?

    As support workers, we need to remember whose home we are in.  Involve each person in group decisions or house meetings and share appropriate information.  We need to look at the priorities of the day and coordinate each persons’ preferred routines and activities. This will mean being flexible with shift duties so that it reflects each persons’ choices. Thinking ahead and effectively managing time and resources is essential, so that everyone has the best possible day.

  • Person-centred active support

    You can find out more about person-centred active support on Confluence.

    The below video from Greystanes Disability Services highlights how person-centred active support can facilitate meaningful relationships and activities for people with multiple disabilities and high support needs.

  • Reflection

    How can you support a person-centred environment?

Core practice 5 - Being a team member

A productive team member is a person who shares the load and can be counted on. They communicate and listen, are willing to work with others and problem-solve to achieve good outcomes for clients.

Being positive and productive within a team situation helps everyone to have a good day.

  • How can we contribute to the team?

    • Share information, ideas and skills with the team.
    • Identify how we plan and share workload and tasks.
    • Support the team to identify and work through challenges, find solutions.
    • Contribute to team goals and team planning.
    • Carry through with agreed actions and review these if needed.
    • Build and maintain collaborative relationships with other staff or services.

  • How can we be team players?

    • Sharing the load
    • Be reliable
    • Building togetherness in the team
    • Being flexible, honest and supportive
    • Valuing the input and ideas of other team members
    • Following through with your own responsibilities
    • Giving good handovers.

  • How can we contribute to Health and Safety?

    • Follow Workplace Health and Safety procedures.
    • Follow procedures and guidelines, e.g. boundaries, code of conduct, active support.
    • Get to know the people you support.
    • Identify and follow safe practices when supporting each person.

Reflection

Individual effort is important but it’s teamwork that makes the dream work. What can you do to contribute to a good team?

Core practice 6 - Working within the organisation

Anglicare values its staff. Each worker contributes to the success of the organisation.

  • As a Support Worker you can contribute to the workplace by:

    • Working within policies, procedures and guidelines
    • Understanding how policies and procedures guide the way we support people
    • Understanding and working within the code of conduct
    • Providing helpful feedback
    • Receiving helpful feedback
    • Focusing on solutions and thinking of new ideas
    • Sharing ideas for doing things better
    • Being respectful when recording notes (our records form part of the history of each persons’ life)
    • Ensuring handovers are effective
    • Being approachable for people inside and outside the organisation
    • Accepting and contributing positively to change within the organisation
    • Doing some ongoing learning and development of skills.

  • Reflection

    What does a supportive workplace look like for you?

Core practice 7 - Supporting good practice: coaching and mentoring

Mentoring is seen as sharing what we know, skills and experience, to help another person develop and grow. Coaching is helping with goals, the things a person wants to achieve to help them reach their full potential.

Coaching and mentoring helps staff and the people we support to grow and change.

  • How can we learn from others?

    • Reflect on the way I do things and what I need to learn.
    • Recognise my values and beliefs, likes and dislikes.
    • Be open to the way other people see things.
    • Try to learn and look for opportunities to learn.
    • Be open to information and feedback from others.
    • Look for information and resources.

  • How can I help others to learn about the job?

    • Share my experiences and what I know with them.
    • Give helpful feedback.
    • Model person-centred care.
    • Use respectful language when speaking and writing notes.
    • Focus on solutions not problems.
    • Know what good work practices looks like.
    • Support learning on the job.
    • Be part of team discussions.
    • Acknowledge individual and team achievements (of staff, and of people supported).

  • Reflection

    How do you learn best?

Core practice 8 - Managing a person-centred service

Person centred principles guide how we manage our Disability Service.

This means Anglicare’s management is focused on the people we support and on delivering individual support that is excellent and professional. We match resources to get the best outcomes for people. Anglicare is also accountable for managing resources.

  • For people supported by Anglicare’s disability service we will..

    • Receive and act on feedback
    • Monitor, review and apply person centred support
    • Support what each individual can do
    • Make sure their are safeguards for each person.

  • For stakeholders (that is family, friends, other professionals and organisations) we will..

    • Engage with families and stakeholders
    • Make ways for people to give feedback and
    • Act on feedback
    • Work and talk with other organisations and services.

  • For the staff we will..

    • Recruit and retain the right people for each job
    • Support teams and individuals
    • Provide opportunities for learning and development
    • Use the skills of our staff
    • Acknowledge when we staff have given great support.

Anglicare's practice framework training quiz

Thank you for taking part in Anglicare’s Practice Framework Training. Please complete the short quiz below to finish the training.

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