Staff Training

At Dignity Group we ensure that all our staff are appropriately trained to work alongside people who have learning disabilities. We have a diverse team representing different backgrounds & past experiences. Our staff have come to us from a variety of backgrounds, many having worked in nursing, social care and psychiatric services however we work closely in team even when we are delivering 1:1 support to make sure that we provide appropriate supervision, appraisal, on-going training and skills development.

Staff are enabled to take part in NVQ training to gain qualifications and we partner with Regis Training CTV to deliver the training necessary to cover all aspects of working with people who have learning disabilities & challenging behaviour. We have developed a staff culture that positively promotes learning, personal skills development, improving performance & adapting to meet good practice standards.

Staff are expected to work super-numerary to rota, shadowing existing staff for a period of induction during which time they are trained in our policies & procedures & receive tutoring in aspects of Health & Safety & risk management. This includes aspects such as food hygiene, fire safety & driving skills.

We hold regular training sessions delivered by MAYBO in Conflict Management & Conflict Resolution. In fact we were innovators in this specialist training that is now offered throughout many care settings and commercial industries. We do not use restraint or restraining techniques. We do not isolate people or use any form of physical force.

Working alongside the local Community Team For People with Learning Disabilities, CTPLD, including the new West Sussex Behavioural Team we take part in workshops & bring in professional specialists to support our team in developing understanding & knowledge to inform our working practice.

These are just some of the workshops we have held and/or attended to date:-

Social Role Valorisation/Normalisation
Person Centred Planning
Epilepsy
Diabetes
Autism
Challenging Behaviour
Fragile X
Downs Syndrome
Relationships for people with learning disabilities
Sex & sexuality
Using I.T. for people with learning disabilities
Conflict Management
Supporting people who have no verbal skills
Eating Disorders
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for people with learning disabilities
Bereavement Support
Anger Management Skills
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Sensory Awareness

...during our weekly team meetings we update & highlight areas of practice encouraging the sharing of skills & experience, promoting reading research materials, manuals & newsletters. We try to keep updated through our membership of societies and groups with specialist interest in learning disabilities and associated issues.

We regularly offer placements for students who are undertaking Social Work training at Chichester University.