Many of our service users have generously allowed us to use their stories to illustrate the work we do. In the following examples we have changed names and details that would breach confidentiality.
A success story at Vancouver Road
‘Tony’ had lived in residential care for many years, suffered a serious decline in his behaviour and general health.
This had resulted in aggressive manner towards his friends and staff team. Despite interventions from a private psychiatrist and the local CLDT, nothing seemed to alleviate his problems. He was autistic and his anxiety levels were extremely heightened causing him to constantly pace around the home and hit out at people. He required 2/3 staff to escort him in the community and 2 staff to support him in the home.
Eventually his care management team were considering a section under the Mental Health Act for a period of assessment in a psychiatric hospital which, given his autism he would have found extremely distressing.
However, an opportunity arose at Vancouver Road, one of CareTech’s newly refurbished services in South East London. A self contained ground floor flat became available which meant that Tony could have his own space.
The staff team’s positive, non-confrontational approach resulted in a reduction of Tony’s anxiety and he settled very quickly.
The hard work of the staff and their positivity combined with the extra space ( his flat consisted of a bedroom, living room and bathroom), had the effect of reducing Tony’s angry behaviour to a minimum enabling him, in a very short space of time, to enjoy the local community resources and indeed his life again. He is still happily living at Vancouver Road.
Supporting health needs
We were asked to plan a supported living service for a Gentleman (CC) who had been detained under section in a secure facility (Hospital A) for over 4 years.
A key issue identified during a CPA was the lack of choice he had in how he led his life. The structures in place at Hospital A were not focused on the promotion of independence.
We were keen to allow CC the opportunity to develop his own package of support, with help from us and those that knew him best, in a way that enabled him to understand some of the challenges he would face.
We structured a detailed transition plan, introducing staff members to CC and at his proposed new house. We were able to help CC understand the implications the move would mean and enabled him to assess his own needs in this very different environment.
We ensured that a support network would be in place prior to the final move. This included family and friends as well as other external professional services. This caused CC to retain a sense of security whilst building the foundations of a positive support package in the community.
Diversity
We were asked to provide a support service to a gentleman (PP) with a moderate learning disability who was living in community based warden controlled accommodation while receiving day to day support from members of his extended family.
Although born in the UK, PP speaks little English. His family is from the Pakistani region of the Himalayas and PP's first language is Pahari. PP was mocked and verbally abused on a daily basis by the children in the area he was living, causing him great distress. He socialised exclusively within the local Pakistani community and had limited social skills within the wider community.
PP had numerous personal, social and health needs that were being neglected as a result of his circumstances. We recognised that, while the local community offered a positive support network, PP would need to develop wider community links to enable him to live as a valued member of society.
We liaised closely with PPs family and community elders in order to secure their ongoing support for PP and for us (particularly with regard to translation services), as support providers. In an environment of shared learning, we are able to slowly break down some of the barriers that existed within the local community and began to understand some of the social stigmas associated with learning disabilities, and the involvement of statutory services in this community. Ultimately we achieved a sense of mutual respect.
With the security of retained family and social links, PP became increasingly trusting of his support worker and slowly began building his independent living skills. PP enjoys a wider circle of friends through participation in a range of activities, while continuing to regularly attend his Mosque and local community centre.
Risk management
We received a request to support an individual (LL) with, amongst others, the following complex needs:
- Enduring mental health:
- Recent history of fire setting: and
- Life shortening heart and lung condition.
We worked in close partnership with local health services to ensure primary and tertiary health needs were met. This involved the management and containment of oxygen cylinders off site and referral to (and liaison with) local mental health services.
In addition, given the seriousness of the threat of fire setting, it was essential to work with the local fire and police services to make them fully and consistently aware of the potential threat. The fire service assisted us in completing a full risk assessment of the proposed property and local area. The result was the identification of a suitably located property that had its own outdoor space for oxygen storage and sufficient fire risk management measures in place.
As we were also asked to provide the property, we had to enter into detailed negotiations concerning the proposed tenant and the measures in place to manage the potential risk and consequential liability.
Working with our client's neighbours presented another challenge. The required outcome was to inform them sufficiently, in a sensitive and tactful manner, of the nature of our service, without breaching confidentiality. We were able to successfully achieve this and, in fact, our client developed an enduring friendship with her immediate neighbour.