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Discipline/punishment in the care setting

Sack_Jullivan

Hi everyone. I'm a support worker for adults with autism. They're non verbal and some can be quite hard to get to engage with things, even things like opening christmas presents with loads of chocolate and stuff they like inside. One of our residents enjoys using her iPad and is allowed it from 2pm until it dies (I personally think it's nonsense she can't just have it all day as she just watches tele the rest of the time or might do a puzzle with you but that's another topic. It has its pros, we can get her to go to the toilet before we give it to her or to go for a little walk before as she doesn't get much exercise. I'm sure she'd still do these things If she had her iPad in the morning too.) Anyway she will often have a bit of an episode often for not really any reason and hit a member of staff out of the blue that she really adores or her mum and then will get very upset and bite and hit herself. Mostly at the shock she just hit a person she loves I think and at someone shouting "oh my god No!". And then members of staff will say "right no iPad now then" and she will then lie on the sofa in the lounge for sometimes the rest of the day with her face against the back rest and it just makes me sad. I'm sure she doesn't understand why after lunch she then isn't allowed her iPad because of something she did in the morning that is over now. I feel that telling her what she did was wrong in the moment is fine, she signs sorry and genuinely is sorry. When she is punished it ruins the rest of her day and I feel like it doesn't improve the odds of her not doing it in the future at all. If we can't Learn that how can we expect her to learn?

I was just wondering if anyone thinks I'm wrong and the punishment is a valid behavioural technique. I have had absolutely no training at all on how to actually deal with autiatic behaviour and its been a year and a half now, i absolutely love the job and the residents. We have of course had studio 3 training on how to get out of being grappled which never happens. Punishment is the done thing at my work so I kind of feel like I'm the odd one of almost 30 staff

I'm certainly seen as quite liberal at work and have come to odds with other staff about giving them too many chocolate milks (maybe 2 in a 3 hour period) and other such things. I just feel like they should be allowed to have what they want. I eat a whole packet of biscuits when I buy a pack why shouldn't our bored residents indulge themselves every now and then. We don't even do pudding after dinner for goodness sake! What kind of institution doesn't at least do pudding?

Thanks everyone all advise would be welcome, I may show some answers to my boss. Thanks again 

Parents

  • Try to assess what triggers her outbursts. Is it when she is tired or hungry? Is it when there is a lot of noise? Is it in the morning when she hasn't yet had a chance to use her iPad to relax with and so is feeling stressed because she can't have it yet? Is it in the afternoon while she is using her iPad and she can't deal with the interruption of someone talking to her while she's concentrating on something she likes?

    Maybe she needs a mid morning snack, maybe she would do better having her iPad for a short period after breakfast and bathroom, then another short period after lunch and toilet. Maybe she needs to be told that If noise upsets her she can go to a quiet room. Maybe she needs to be given prior notice of a change of activity or that her mum will be visiting soon. Maybe she would benefit from a visual timetable.

    If she self harms after the outburst it sounds like she cannot control it and it causes her distress, so her carers should be trying to help her to avoid this behaviour. I agree with you - I do not think that punishment is appropriate in this case.

    There are some articles on this website that might help too - if you click on the 3 lines at the top of this page then click "advice and guidance" then choose the topic " behaviour" you will find articles which include one on distressed behaviour and another on meltdowns. I hope this is helpful.

Reply

  • Try to assess what triggers her outbursts. Is it when she is tired or hungry? Is it when there is a lot of noise? Is it in the morning when she hasn't yet had a chance to use her iPad to relax with and so is feeling stressed because she can't have it yet? Is it in the afternoon while she is using her iPad and she can't deal with the interruption of someone talking to her while she's concentrating on something she likes?

    Maybe she needs a mid morning snack, maybe she would do better having her iPad for a short period after breakfast and bathroom, then another short period after lunch and toilet. Maybe she needs to be told that If noise upsets her she can go to a quiet room. Maybe she needs to be given prior notice of a change of activity or that her mum will be visiting soon. Maybe she would benefit from a visual timetable.

    If she self harms after the outburst it sounds like she cannot control it and it causes her distress, so her carers should be trying to help her to avoid this behaviour. I agree with you - I do not think that punishment is appropriate in this case.

    There are some articles on this website that might help too - if you click on the 3 lines at the top of this page then click "advice and guidance" then choose the topic " behaviour" you will find articles which include one on distressed behaviour and another on meltdowns. I hope this is helpful.

Children
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