• Replies 20 replies
  • Subscribers 86 subscribers
  • Views 1334 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

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

  • Firstly, I think it's really worrying that you work in a setting like that and have had no training in autism. Makes me wonder how many others haven't either.

    Secondly, I believe you are right. If she doesn't have that level of understanding, then a consequence like that is not going to help. It sounds like a very impulsive behaviour. It would also be better if they were teaching and encouraging her to use kind hands rather than telling her no hitting. But any consequences that are used should be immediate and in level with her understanding. By the sounds of her level of understanding I'd say they should be pretty short consequences such as no iPad for 10 minutes, rather than no iPad for the rest of the day.

    As far as the iPad goes, I can see not letting her just have it all day but her watching TV instead doesn't make sense if it's about screen time so again I think you are right. I don't think her being on it solidly from 2 to when it does sounds great either. Personally I would say it was much better if she had a schedule for the day where for example she does an activity, does a task you need her to do such as go to the toilet and has the iPad for a while. So she can have her iPad time periodically throughout the day rather than in one long stretch. Screen time is a heavily debated topic. Some think it needs to be regulated as it can be over stimulating etc, others see it as a regulation tool in itself and think it should just be allowed. I lean towards the I think it should be regulated side.

    This is all just my opinion, others may have a different perspective.

  • in reply to Expecto_Patronum
    Expecto_Patronum said:
    Firstly, I think it's really worrying that you work in a setting like that and have had no training in autism. Makes me wonder how many others haven't either.

    Providing appropriate training for staff who support autistic people was finally - albeit woefully belatedly, in my view - made a legal requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022. Since July 2022: 

    "All health and social care providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must ensure that their staff receive training in how to interact appropriately with people who have a learning disability and autistic people, at a level appropriate to their role".

    CQC - All CQC-registered providers to ensure their staff receive training on interacting with people with a learning disability and autistic people

    Any legitimate formal complaints should lead to remedial action being taken, given that this is now a legal requirement.

    NAS - What can I do if formal support is not offered or is not enough

  • in reply to Bunny
    Bunny said:
    Providing appropriate training for staff who support autistic people was finally - albeit woefully belatedly, in my view - made a legal requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022. Since July 2022: 

    A good point   - it is worth noting that this only covers England and applies only to new companies/services or ones which undergo a change to their services (eg they start to provide care for autistic groups).

    Details on this are here : https://www.ajg.com/uk/news-and-insights/who-needs-to-register-with-the-cqc/

    I suspect this was to avoid a huge surge in applications when the Act began and I do hope they get around to retrofitting it to all care providers.

    If the OPs company was providing care to autistic groups prior to its enactment then they can continue without offering training or the other facets of GQC unfortunately.

  • in reply to Iain
    Iain said:

    applies only to new companies/services or ones which undergo a change to their services (eg they start to provide care for autistic groups).

    Details on this are here : https://www.ajg.com/uk/news-and-insights/who-needs-to-register-with-the-cqc/

    I suspect this was to avoid a huge surge in applications when the Act began and I do hope they get around to retrofitting it to all care providers.

    If the OPs company was providing care to autistic groups prior to its enactment then they can continue without offering training or the other facets of GQC unfortunately.

    I'm afraid that you have misunderstood a (rather poorly written) third-party resource. As the CQC itself explains:

    "Any person (individual, partnership or organisation) who provides regulated activity in England must be registered with us otherwise they commit an offence."

    "You must register with us if you carry on one of the activities we regulate."

    CQC - What is registration?

    Also:

    "Section 8(1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 describes a regulated activity as “an activity involving, or connected with, the provision of health or social care”.

    The activities listed in Schedule 1 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 are the regulated activities specified for the purposes of the Act.

    If you carry on any of the regulated activities specified in Schedule 1 in England, you must register unless an exception or exemption applies."

    CQC - Scope of registration: Who has to register?

    (From a legal perspective, The Health and Care Act 2022 effected its changes in respect of training about learning disabilities and autism by amending the Health and Social Care Act 2008).

Reply
  • in reply to Iain
    Iain said:

    applies only to new companies/services or ones which undergo a change to their services (eg they start to provide care for autistic groups).

    Details on this are here : https://www.ajg.com/uk/news-and-insights/who-needs-to-register-with-the-cqc/

    I suspect this was to avoid a huge surge in applications when the Act began and I do hope they get around to retrofitting it to all care providers.

    If the OPs company was providing care to autistic groups prior to its enactment then they can continue without offering training or the other facets of GQC unfortunately.

    I'm afraid that you have misunderstood a (rather poorly written) third-party resource. As the CQC itself explains:

    "Any person (individual, partnership or organisation) who provides regulated activity in England must be registered with us otherwise they commit an offence."

    "You must register with us if you carry on one of the activities we regulate."

    CQC - What is registration?

    Also:

    "Section 8(1) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 describes a regulated activity as “an activity involving, or connected with, the provision of health or social care”.

    The activities listed in Schedule 1 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 are the regulated activities specified for the purposes of the Act.

    If you carry on any of the regulated activities specified in Schedule 1 in England, you must register unless an exception or exemption applies."

    CQC - Scope of registration: Who has to register?

    (From a legal perspective, The Health and Care Act 2022 effected its changes in respect of training about learning disabilities and autism by amending the Health and Social Care Act 2008).

Children
No Data