Philosophy

Dignity aims to:-

• Provide support and opportunities for people with learning
  disabilities to lead, as far as possible, ordinary and fulfilling lives
 
• Provide services which enhance an individual’s ability to make
  real and informed choices ensuring that the person receiving
  the service is as fully involved in planning and designing the
  service offered to them as possible.

The philosophy of Dignity Group is:-

• To work alongside people with learning difficulties and facilitate
  them towards achieving a more ordinary lifestyle, to have more
  ordinary experiences and help them to achieve ordinary
  opportunities.

• We recognise the need to continue developing and changing in
  response to people’s changing needs & changing philosophies
  of care provision. Underlying this philosophy of change,
  however, is the need to provide a stable, homely environment
  where people can not only develop to the best of their
  individual abilities but also to feel relaxed and comfortable,
  enjoying their home.

• The priorities which Dignity adopts in order to promote and
  safeguard the interests and well-being of the service users &
  residents form the basis of our Code of Practice.

We believe that there are five principles which form the basis for good practice, which we work towards

Caring

People using our service should feel valued, safe and secure. A caring relationship is an individual one and the needs of each individual should be respected and supported.

Enabling Choice

People using our service have a right to exercise choice in daily life and this should be respected. People using our service should be given as much choice in all aspects of their daily life as possible. The constraints imposed by group living may mean that individual choices cannot always be exercised, but no choice should ever be dismissed simply because it is inconvenient. Staff should consistently try to extend the range of choices open to the people using our service by introducing new options. Staff should never impose their own cultural or moral values on choices made by people using our service. If they have difficulty in supporting certain activities because of their particular beliefs they would be supervised through it by their line manager.

Continuity

Both in consistency of care and maintenance of links from the past for people using our service. People using our service have the right to expect continuity of behaviour and support from staff. No agreed programme or activity should ever be changed or deviated from without the consent of all significant people. People using our service should be encouraged to maintain contact with family, friends and their former contacts unless agreed by all significant people that this would be damaging.

Capacity for Change

Awareness of the continuing development of people using our service and the responsiveness of staff to changing needs. Staff should be responsive and adaptable to changes taking place in the lives of people using our service. People using our service should be allowed to take risks so that they may gain new experiences as part of their development; any risk which may involve any aspect of danger should be discussed with all significant people in order to minimise any perceived difficulties.

Common Philosophy

Practice should be based on shared philosophies and values. Staff should support any new practice or philosophy which is agreed by the team and significant people. Staff are aware that personal values can conflict with the needs and life styles of the people using our service therefore all staff need to adhere to this Code of Practice.