SPECIAL NEEDS POLICY Wide Bay Respite Services
Contents Policy: 3.1 Special Needs... 3 Policy: 3.2 Individual Needs... 5 Policy: 3.3 Participation & Integration... 7 Policy: 3.4 Valued Status... 9 Policy: 3.5 Decision Making... 10 Policy: 3.6 Advocacy... 12 Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 2 of 13
Special Needs Policy Policy: 3.1 Special Needs Policy Statement: Wide Bay Respite Services will structure appropriate flexible service delivery for special needs groups. Rationale: To ensure clients cultural, linguistic & religious needs are addressed & to maintain appropriate, individualised support to special needs groups including: Process People of non-english speaking background People of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander descent Rurally isolated People with dementia Financially disadvantaged people. This organisation: Allocates additional resources (i.e. staff hours etc) to those of special needs groups to ensure they receive services that meet their individual needs. Utilizes a variety of options (i.e. written, verbal, advocate) to ensure clients of special needs groups fully understand: o o o their rights & responsibilities, how to access an advocate, organisation service standards in relation to privacy & confidentiality (i.e. multidisciplinary case conferencing & client consent) Takes into account the needs of carers & the additional support that may be required for some clients in special needs groups (i.e. clients with intellectual disabilities Ensures staff have the appropriate skills through attending in-service & workshop training sessions to assess & negotiate services for clients with intellectual disabilities. Ensures an appropriate person is available to act as an advocate to reinforce service options for clients who have dementia. Acknowledges the need to develop personal goals for clients with intellectual disabilities Identifies support groups & respite options to link clients & carers to enhance their quality of life. Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 3 of 13
Ensures that staff employed as respite carers are matched to the individual to best meet the client s needs (particularly for younger disabled clients). Relies on feedback from staff & advice from clients for tailoring of individual care plans & the development of broader service delivery models to meet the needs of special needs groups. Has a developed network of service providers & key stakeholders in the community to advise & refer clients of special needs groups. Ratified by the Board of Management: Circulated to staff: To be reviewed: Signed... Signed... Manager President Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 4 of 13
Individual Needs Policy Policy: 3.2 Individual Needs Policy Statement Wide Bay Respite Services is committed to ensuring that all clients of the Association receive services that are designed and delivered around their individual circumstances, needs and preferences. Rationale: Wide Bay Respite Services recognises each client as having unique skills, lifestyle preferences, personal aspirations and support needs. Action: The following process enables this organisation to meet its objective of designing and delivering services around clients individual circumstances, needs and preferences. Process: Wide Bay Respite Services will: Involve the client, their primary carer & other significant people in the client s life, in the development of his/her Individual Plan. Ensure the client, their primary carer & other significant people in the client s life; have input in the determination of his/her specific needs. Every Individual Plan will detail the client s: Personal details Disability & Medical information Communication needs Daily living skills Meal preferences & Nutritional requirements Personal Hygiene needs Health & Well Being needs Epilepsy Personal interests Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 5 of 13
Short & Long Term Goals Information Checklist Priority of Service Consent Form Seek the client, their primary carer & other significant people in the client s life, input in implementing an Individual Plan that meets the agreed needs. Ensure the Individual Plan reflects the preferences of the client in a manner sensitive to his/her age, sex, and cultural, linguistic and religious background. Fully document the Individual Plan and offer a copy to the client &/or their primary carer & other significant people in the client s life. Commit the organisation to delivering services in accordance with available resources & the agreed needs. Each Individual Plan of the person accessing respite will be reviewed by the client, their primary carer or other significant person in the client s life. Staff will complete a communication book for each client during their stay at respite, which will detail each day s activities, meals & other relevant information. Ratified by the Board of Management: Circulated to staff: To be reviewed: Signed... Signed... Manager President Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 6 of 13
Participation & Integration Policy Policy: 3.3 Participation & Integration Policy Statement: This policy ensures that the organisation s services are designed and delivered in ways that offer opportunities for the physical and social integration of its client s in the general community. This policy applies to staff involved in the delivery of consumer services. Rationale: Wide Bay Respite Services is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible and practicable, our clients will: Action: Have access to the same places as the rest of the community. Receive their services in community settings alongside other members of the community. Have the opportunity to socialise and build relationships with members of the wider community. The following process is to be implemented to enable the organisation to meet its policy objective of ensuring that Client s enjoy maximum participation and integration in and with the community. Process Wide Bay Respite Services will: Structure services to be provided in a way that facilitates the integration and participation of Clients with other members of the community; and Build into its programs & strategies to make the best possible use of community facilities and services; and Use community facilities and services in a manner and at times that coincide with those of the wider community; and Avoid large group activities for clients that are likely to have the unwanted effect of stigmatising or excluding them from community contact, acceptance or involvement. Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 7 of 13
Content Wide Bay Respite Services will: Select volunteers on the basis of their own involvement and connection with the wider community, amongst other attributes; and Involve other members of the community in the integration of clients in participative community activities; and Collaborate with other community groups, and their members, to facilitate the inclusion of clients in their activities. Ratified by the Board of Management: Circulated to staff: To be reviewed: Signed... Signed... Manager President Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 8 of 13
Valued Status Policy Policy: 3.4 Valued Status Rationale: Wide Bay Respite Services promotes a belief in the ability of people with a disability to fulfil valued roles, develop and maintain skills of service users and to fulfil valued community roles. Process: Wide Bay Respite Services will: Ensure services are provided with consideration to the preferences of the client in a manner sensitive to his/her age, sex, and cultural, linguistic and religious background. Deliver services in the least restrictive and client centred manner Promote an inclusive approach to services for people with disability through strong commitment to positive relationships in the wider community. Advance the valued status of individuals by developing & maintaining skills, capacities and lifestyle with support. To integrate into the community and facilitate the acceptance of people with a disability Apply the following performance standards to ensure that these processes are implemented effectively: o All clients and their families or advocates have been provided with a copy of Wide Bay Respite Services Family Information booklet which refers to this policy. o All employees have been provided with a copy of Wide Bay Respite Services Policy on Valued Status and a staff copy of the policy is kept at each house. Ratified by the Board of Management: Circulated to staff: To be reviewed: Signed... Manager Signed... President Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 9 of 13
Decision Making & Choice Policy Policy: 3.5 Decision Making Wide Bay Respite Services is committed to ensuring that all clients have the opportunity to participate as fully as possible in making decisions about their daily lives and the services that they need, want & receive. Rationale: Wide Bay Respite Services is committed to ensuring that all clients retain maximum control over their own lives by having primary involvement in, and influence over, decisions that affect them. Action: The following process enables this organisation to meet its objective of designing and delivering services around clients individual circumstances, needs and preferences. Process: Each client of this service will be given the opportunity to participate as fully as possible in making decisions about the events and activities of their daily life in relation to the services they receive. Clients will be encouraged and supported to exercise their right to make informed decisions and choices about the individual services they receive, the activities they would like to participate in and the lifestyle they would like to follow. This would include the exploration of other service delivery options within the constraints of available resources. Support Workers are to encourage and support clients to make informed decisions & choices, however in some circumstances this must balanced against the organisation's responsibility not to participate in decisions by a client that might pose a significant and foreseeable risk to: the client s safety or interests; the organisation s ability to assist other clients and the safety of the organisation s staff and volunteers. Involve consumers in the development of their individual plan and invite them to review their plans at each visit to respite. Clients will be invited to participate in the organisation s strategic planning activities Wide Bay Respite Services will involve clients in the development of the organisation s policies and procedures. Some examples of the ways in which clients can participate are by - Becoming members of the organisation and exercising voting rights at Annual and Special General Meetings Standing for election to a position on the Board of Management. Completing the organisation s formal service-related feedback forms Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 10 of 13
Making suggestions via the Quality Service Improvement suggestion process Providing feedback, when invited, via specific focus group activities and individual consultations undertaken during the formulation of new policies or planned events. Ratified by the Board of Management: Circulated to staff: To be reviewed: Signed... Manager Signed... President Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 11 of 13
Advocacy Policy: 3.6 Advocacy Policy Statement: Wide Bay Respite Services will encourage clients to utilise an advocate of their choice to ensure that clients receive the best possible service. Rationale: All clients, and potential clients, may choose to involve an advocate to represent his or her interests at any time as accepted practice by this organisation. Action The following process enables this organisation to meet its objective of designing and delivering services around clients individual circumstances, needs and preferences. Process Wide Bay Respite Services: Content Offers each client the opportunity to nominate an advocate. Accepts the involvement of an advocate of the client s choice whenever this is the wish of the client. Has developed links with advocacy groups in its area and informs clients of the availability of such assistance. At point of first contact with a potential client they are verbally advised of their right to have someone to represent their interests and help them with complaints, disputes or any aspect of service delivery if they wish. An advocate may be a relative, friend, neighbour or someone from an advocacy service. The organisation maintains a register of service providers and agencies that provide advocacy services. Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 12 of 13
Clients are to be reminded of their right to use an advocate on subsequent visits and contacts, along with their other rights associated with the services they may receive. The organisation documents informal feedback as a quality assurance measure to ensure the service provided to the client meets their needs Ratified by the Board of Management: Circulated to staff: To be reviewed: Signed... Manager Signed... President Last reviewed: 9 November 2017 Page 13 of 13