Day 1 - Afternoon
- Challenges: Workshop
- Communication. Multi Paper Session.
- Legal Issue for the DSW: Workshop
- Paper and Practice: Multi Paper Session
- Consumer Protection: Workshop
- Invited Speaker
- Challenging Behaviour Workshop
← Abstracts page | ← Program Day 1 page
Challenges: Workshop
3:00pm - Help! This client's doing my head in.
Zoe Warwick
Conflict always starts at discomfort and left unattended can slip quicky to misunderstanding. When misunderstandings go unattended distress and crisis aren't far behind. So, how do workers better define whether they are doing enough, to much and what can be done to maintain resilience in challenging situations?
Sharing the challenges and, reviewing and building a repertoire of readily available tools for managing challenging situations is the first step in developing greater confidence to apply the good practices we know work. Once applied our competency and confidence grows.
This interactive workshop provides participants with an overview of easy to apply models of intervention and risk management for non-clinical staff dealing with clients in crisis and distress. It is also an opportunity for participants to engage in reviewing, sharing and attaining ideas for safer and saner service delivery at the day to day and operational level.
This workshop provides and opportunity to review and assess;
- Self reflective practice and self awareness
- Cognitive distortions and behaviour that increase and decrease conflict
- Resilience and risk management practices,
- Post incident response and risk management strategies within your organisation.
About the presenter
Zoe Warwick's eclectic background in community development, performing Arts and facilitation has led her to her current roles as an international speaker, frontline management coach, mediator, trainer and assessor. She has worked across the human services and business environments for over 17 years as a carer, community development worker, service Coordinator as well as having served on numerous boards of management.
Zoe is a member of the International Association of Facilitators, and Australian mediators Association. She currently lectures in professional practice for Diploma students in the field of Community Service work, and has developed the first integrated risk management assessment tool and database to measure social outcomes, and is currently collaborating with Western Australian local Government to provide access to locally DIY disability directory of accessible cafes, cultural environments and for people with Disabilities. Her greatest desire other than having a minister for peace instead of defense is to see in her lifetime the Fremantle Dockers win a Premiership.
Working Well. Multi Paper Session.
3:00pm - 1. Free Communication Aids to Adults in Victoria!!! The Non-Electronic Communication Aid Scheme .
Katie Lyon. CRC.
Communication Books, Alphabet Boards, Chat Books, Personal Histories, Timetables and Object Symbols - all for free?!? Come and find out how to access these and many more non-electronic communication aids for the adults that you support!
Communication is essential to life. Communication takes many forms and people with complex communication needs have speech that is not functional to meet their daily communication needs. Many people with communication difficulties benefit from communication aids such as boards, books and cards. The need for communication aids for people with complex communication needs is recognised by the Victorian Government and funding has been made available.
The Non-electronic Communication Aid Scheme provides communication aids to adults in Victoria with complex communication needs to enhance their communication, participation and independence. Funded by the Department of Human Services, NECAS is now an ongoing scheme and you do not need to have access to a speech pathologist in order to apply. This paper will outline how you can apply for communication aids for the adults you support, important things to consider when designing an individual's communication aid and some preliminary evaluation data. Various types of communication aids that have been provided and the environments in which they can be utilised will be presented to give people plenty of ideas for inspiration. We will also take a personal journey with people who have successfully requested and used communication aids in their daily life. Just another example of Victoria working well: on paper and in practice!
About the presenter
Katie has worked with the Communication Resource Centre, Scope since 2002 and is coordinator ofthe Non-electronic Communication Aid Scheme (NECAS) which provides communication aids to adults with complex communication needs in Victoria. She has also worked in a Regional Communication Service in the North West region of Victoria as part of the statewide Speech Therapy Initiative and recently joined Spectronics part-time in 2007.
3:30pm - 2. Creating an effective communication environment for people with disabilities.
Sonja Kuzilny & Cassandra Gerrard, Woorinyan Inc
Communication is the key to creating a secure and safe environment where people can learn and relationships can flourish. In order to provide a service based on a person centered approach, a service user needs to have a formalised means of communication. Many people with a disability have complex communication needs. They may have little or no speech and rely on their communication partners to interpret body language and facial expressions in order to have their needs met. Sonja Kuzilny is Woorinyan's full time Communications Facilitator. Sonja's role is to create an effective communication environment for Woorinyan's service users. This is facilitated by developing a communications profile for every service user which includes communication strategies and the use of different communication aids. Sonja will be explaining the process for developing a communication profile, the different communication aids that are used at Woorinyan and the future direction of Woorinyan's Communications Project. This will include 3 practical case studies including a person who does not talk; a person with less than 50 words of speech and a person with good receptive skills but limited expressive skills. On show will be a selection of communication aids that will be discussed individually and attendees will have the opportunity to try them out for themselves and ask questions.
About the presenters
Woorinyan Incorporated is a not-for-profit charitable organisation, providing day training support services and employment support services to approximately 173 persons with disabilities. Established in 1953, Woorinyan's purpose is to facilitate individualized, high quality, innovative and effective services to meet the employment, development, training and support needs of people with a disability or disabilities.
4.00 - 3. Worksafe Victoria. Dealing with Challenging Behaviour in the Workplace.
Maria Batchelor, Worksafe Victoria
Challenging behaviours can be initiated at a workplace by a range of people, including employees, employers, clients and visitors to the workplace.
Behaviours such as bullying, occupational violence and aggression can cause physical and psychological harm to workers and clients/others. Even unintentional behaviours such as those which clients have limited conscious control over (eg. unconscious movements like seizures, stereotypy, and hyperactivity) can harm workers, visitors and other clients. Injuries can include Musculo-Skeletal Disorders (eg. Falls, slips, trips, and sprains and strains) and psychological injury (eg. Stress).
Working alone and working offsite can exacerbate risk of client-initiated challenging behaviours.
This session will cover systems that organisations need to have in place to deal with challenging behaviours at their workplaces, including controls for working alone and in isolation such as the use of buddy systems, environmental design, communication & location systems, knowledge sharing systems, and appropriate training and rostering of staff.
Legal Issue for the DSW: Workshop
3:00pm - "I could tell you but I'd have to shoot you" - Privacy versus Secrecy in Disability Support Work.
Lance Jones. Comrec SA.
The "right to privacy" is seen as a fundamental right for every person in today's increasingly open society. In supporting people with a disability, workers in this field correctly strive to ensure the privacy and dignity of clients in their care is maintained at the highest levels as required by the National Disability Standards. However, when does our client's right to privacy become usurped by a carer's right to know all relevant details about their client? Can the concept of "confidentiality" ultimately act against the best interests of our clients? Can too much privacy mean too little information sharing and restrict support workers in upholding their "duty of care"? In today's increasingly litigious society Disability Support Workers can find themselves at risk of negligence actions if they do not ensure they know everything about their client that they need to know to provide them with the best of care. The effective maintenance of a client's right to privacy may well stand in the way of our obligation to provide the best care possible. So when is too much privacy a bad thing? This presentation will provide a short overview of the current law relating to privacy, and will look at some real life examples of when too much privacy has actually been a "bad thing". The group will then deconstruct a "real life situation" with the help of facilitators in the attempt to find the point of balance where "need to know" acts in harmony with "right to privacy".
About the presenter
Lance Jones - Barrister and Lecturer at Law. Lance Jones acts as legal counsel for a number of Law Firms in Adelaide where he appears on Guardianship & Mental Health Act appeals, Family and Criminal Law matters. Lance is also "Founding Director" of COMREC Australia Pty Ltd, South Australia's largest private Day Options service, where he has been working with people with a disability for more than 15 years. A qualified Outdoor Education Teacher and Social Worker, Lance is also a Course Co-ordinator and Unit Assessor at Southern Cross University School of Law and Justice. Lance has been a regular feature at the annual DSW Conference and this is his 4th year presenting a "Lawyers Look" at issues effecting Disability Support Workers.
Paper and Practice: Multi Paper Session
3:00pm - 1. Just enough paperwork to support individuals and the organisation.
Michele Walker, Disability Services Queensland
Disability Services Queensland (DSQ) is focusing on a range of new practice initiatives that include the introduction of Active Support and strengthening the person centred focus of individual plans. The Person Centred Individual Plan and Active Support project teams are working closely together - to not only ensure each of these practices are integrated but also that the language and documentation is integrated and 'is just enough paperwork' to support organisational requirements.
This approach is driven by 4 factors:
- DSQ's direct support workers and team leaders indicated their desire for 'user friendly' paperwork.
- The integrating of Person Centred Individual Planning and Active Support is to truly work towards a person centre overall approach where the documentation comes together reflecting both the individuals preference's and the organisations need for adequate documentation.
- In a large organisation with a significant amount of staff movement, recording and tracking is crucial in ensuring appropriate support is provided to individuals.
- The paperwork needs to reflect and provide evidence of a continuous improvement approach to service delivery consistent with the Queensland Disability Service Standards. This presentation will provide practical examples.
About the presenter
Michele Walker has worked for Disability Services Queensland for a number of years as an operational manager within Accommodation Support and Respite Services. Michele is currently the Project Manager for the implementation of Active Support across Queensland.
3:30pm - 2. Just because we don't have "the paper" doesn't mean we are not doing the right thing by the people we support.
Sue Dixon & Rosemary Shaw, Yooralla Pathfinder Program
This paper will demonstrate how a skill disability support professional can develop an effective person centred plan for the person who doesn't want a plan in a world of administration and compliance and still meet important legislative organisational and departmental responsibilities.
The paper will address
- How the person came to request no plan. The issues this raised for residential and day services given their responsibilities
- How the skills and knowledge of the key worker from day services who supports the person on a regular basis played a pivotal role in the development, documentation and implementation of the person centered plan for his day service program without having formal planning meetings.
The methods used for gathering information for the plan, formulating the plan and evaluating its effectiveness.
- How the person with very complex high support needs is engaged in a meaningful community based program to achieve the goals he has identified goals
- How the plan is reviewed and adjusted to address the person's dreams and aspirations
About the presenter
Rosemary Shaw. Pathfinder DSW. Rosemary is an experienced DSW who has worked in a variety of day programs. She has used her vast skills and knowledge to develop this program.
Consumer Protection: Workshop
3:00pm - 1. Complaints Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS).
People with Disability Australia.
This presentation will provide an overview of the history and purpose of CRRS, having been established in 2002 as part of the Quality Assurance Strategy for the Disability Employment sector. Funded by FaHCSIA, CRRS is an independent service that acts impartially in the resolution of complaints raised by people with disability about their service providers.
The presentation will identify and explain services and areas which do and do not come under the CRRS jurisdiction. Statistics from the 2007 / 2008 financial year will provide data about the various types of complaints received, as well as identify systemic trends. An overview will also be provided regarding the various methods CRRS uses to resolve matters.
The second component of the presentation will look into complaints as an issue, including why people resist lodging complaints, identifying barriers people experience in terms of making complaints, and quashing the theory that all complaints are negative.This section will also identify unreasonable complainant behaviour, discussing what the behaviour may indicate, and providing some strategies to manage these situations.
3:45pm - 2. National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline (Hotline).
People with Disability Australia.
This presentation will provide an overview of the history and purpose of the Hotline, since its inception in 2001. Hotline operates independent of government, and was designed to take reports of abuse and neglect about people with disability who access government-funded disability services across Australia. It also takes reports of abuse that occur outside of these services. All reports are forwarded to the appropriate body for investigation.
Hotline is also required to provide information and education about recognising and preventing abuse and neglect. A significant component of the presentation will be about understanding what abuse and neglect is, how to recognise it, what can be done to prevent it, and what to do if it occurs.
Invited Speaker
03:00 - 04:30 - What’s so different about ABI? Understanding support needs after brain injury.
Abstract not available.
Challenging Behaviour Workshop
3:00pm - A Comprehensive Perspective of Challenging Behaviour.
Assoc. Professor Robert W Davis, Stella Koritsas & Alex Phillips, Cente for developmental Disability Health Victoria.
Challenging behaviours in people with intellectual disability are a relatively common and have a range of and often multiple determinants. Managing these behaviours as carers requires a multidimensional approach which can often be confusing and at times frustrating. This workshop discusses these determinants, their relative contribution and some of the management strategies directed at these behaviours. The presentation will use a number of case vignettes as points of discussion to look at issues from the carers perspective and highlight ways of overcoming some of the barriers to their management. Issues covered will include psychiatric diagnoses, drugs of restraint, human relations and medical causes for challenging behaviour.