Why Get LMP to Assist?
In-depth personalised assessments are carried out by experts in their field who will listen to and encourage input from the individual and their identified advocates to ensure the service offered is bespoke and suitable for their current and future needs.
Develop detailed plans that can be altered and adapted in accordance with the individual’s changing needs, apprehensions and wishes to ensure a safe and suitable package.
Offering support and development opportunities to care providers, family/support staff/authorities, ranging from bespoke training for an individual’s specific needs to a full package of business growth and development. Support staff are the cornerstone of the care and support needed; therefore, we work hands-on in areas staff find difficult, such as assistance with debriefing and modelling techniques to increase staff compliance and programme efficacy.
Provide training sessions, knowledge workshops and meetings to guide and support clients and their advocates through potential changes, what to expect, advanced planning, etc.
Develop and maintain professional relationships across all disciplines, both internally and externally, ensuring that we are ahead of the game on potential changes/requirements and are able to share knowledge and experiences to enhance everyone’s quality of service.
Excellent communication, transparency and actioning identified improvements as a matter of urgency.
some Case Studies
Not Sure I want to be here!
Andrew is a young man who is non-verbal and has a diagnosis of Autism, a severe learning disability and Fragile X syndrome. Andrew was living in a supported living service with five others who also had a similar diagnosis. Andrew presented with behaviours that included destruction towards property, self-injury, and high levels of physical aggression towards staff and other supported individuals. Staff were struggling to support Andrew safely due to his physical aggression and believed they could not meet his needs, using phrases such as “he does it on purpose,” “he enjoys hurting people; he finds it funny" and “He shouldn’t be with other people.” The placement was at risk of breaking down, and LMP was asked to provide support.
LMP spent a week in the service and noticed the following information:
Prior to mealtimes, there was a high likelihood that Andrew would show physical aggression towards staff or engage in self-injurious behaviour.
Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., there was a marked increase in physical aggression towards others.
Using the data that had been gathered prior to the week and the information gathered during the functional assessment, it was noted that incidences prior to mealtimes were potentially due to pain and not just hunger. Looking at Andrew's medical history, he suffered from acid reflux, which can lead to pain and discomfort, especially when hungry. A midmorning and afternoon snack were added and mealtimes were moved to 30 minutes earlier. There was a marked decrease in aggression throughout the day.
This did not change the frequency and intensity of the behaviours seen in the evening, but it was noted that Andrew would appear tired, and the outcome was always the same - he was supported to leave the communal area and return to his own lounge and bedroom. It was noted that once he was away from the communal area, he became relaxed, happy and would play in his lounge before going to his bed. This led us to believe that the function of the behaviour, in this case aggression, was serving the purpose of escape and tangible - to leave the communal area and get access to his lounge and toys in his room. Andrew was not able to communicate that he wanted to return to his flat but had learned that hitting others meant he was taken there.
It was added to his planner that Andrew would be supported in his own rooms after dinner, and there was a dramatic decrease in aggression towards others.
Most people would be happy with this; however, we believed that we were still not allowing Andrew choice and control over where he wanted to be; we hadn’t supported him in learning a way that he could communicate appropriately that he wanted to be in his own space, away from the communal lounge.
LMP continued working with the service and Andrew to introduce a communication system that Andrew could use - we knew he could press a button and knew he had used PECS whilst in school. A sound button was used that said, “Andrew’s room!” and a photo of his room was placed on the button. Staff and LMP worked with Andrew to associate pressing the button with being supported to his room.
More buttons were introduced so that Andrew could communicate more choices - even if that choice is “Go away!
Who should be involved?
LMP assisted in the turnaround of a failing care organisation, three of the locations had received an inadequate rating from CQC.
LMP worked closely with the organisation, engaging with stakeholders, creating templates, work processes and compiling quality assurance assessments to further pin point route causes and create an achievable plan for improvement with timescales.
Training, mentoring, supervision, and communication were implemented and improved for staff at all levels. A large segment of this approach involved including staff, clients, and their families in creating values which promoted mutual respect, by giving others accountability for what they feel is important the culture quickly changed to a positive and supportive environment.
Following review all services had achieved good and had continued to build positively upon the work that LMP had implemented.
You WON'T cope in the community - he is too dangerous!
Michael had been eligible to move out of hospital for several years. He had been in a secure setting for over 7 years.
Due to his behaviour, as the hospital saw it, he was a very dangerous person. The paperwork clearly said it took 5 - 7 people to hold him down when he became distressed.
In the past several companies had considered taking on his care however anxiety and fear become considerable when the staff at the hospital repeatedly tell visitors they would never be able to cope on the outside. A forward thinking care charity asked for assistance from LMP.
With a good amount of assessment and interactions, a functional behavioural assessment forged by LMP led to Michael being able to return to the county he had been brought up in all those years ago.
In-depth training and consulting assisted the charity in building a team around Michael. As a forward thinking charity they asked LMP to assist their in house PBS lead. It was agreed that LMP should run team days and training specific to Michael's team at regular intervals throughout the first year.
Much to the amazement of a lot of professionals and the original hospital staff, Michael is enjoying trips out every day from his own house with his own team, 2:1 days with a sleeping night staff member.
