20 March 2007Meriden Conference Valuing Families Working with families when parents have learning disabilities.

20 March 2007 Meriden Conference

Valuing Families

Working with families when parents have learning disabilities

Meriden Conference20 March 2007

FWA’s direct services:

“work with individuals and families, helping to build on each individual’s strengths to overcome obstacles and to provide practical and emotional support when they are at their most vulnerable.”

(Annual Report 2005-06)


What do we do?

Work in people’s own homes: Engage with and build relationships Provide models of behaviour

Prevent crisis Contain Monitor – alert other services if needed

Befriend Value and increase self-esteem

Involve Opportunities to develop


Valuing People: a new strategy for learning disability (HMSO 2001)

“People with learning disabilities can be good parents and provide their children with a good start in life, but may require

considerable help to do so.”


Valuing People: a new strategy for learning disability (HMSO 2001)

“ …in some circumstances a parent with learning disabilities will not be able to meet their child’s needs.

However, we believe this should not be the result of agencies not arranging for timely and appropriate support.”


Barriers for parents Stigma Fear (disability/losing children) Uncertainty & complexity Feeling “on trial about parenting abilities” Support for parenting skills and/or

capacity Impossibility of parenting without family

and social networks Access & reuniting with children Recovery impeded by anxiety


‘Valuing Families’

Supports families when parents have learning disabilities

We work with : Parents Children Other family members School Other agencies


Entrimonh jifomt Mcusny hsin hshstg

Social Services8 Dhfkjd Road

Town

Mr and Mrs FreerAddress

Dear Mr and Mrs Freer

Fu: Kelly Freer 3.3.02

I write thfi trh you hsuin fjdoin mef a aksldui fdjiun fghd playgroup Mrs Smith. Dfsgu nsonub hjdky bshjki oshk time. Also nchim hjskut thsiung strangers snjkdth. Mrs Smith also hdkld nshkslworried hsjskelcmdh ksnhuj hjdye hhehglice (nits). Mkajuo losju hinsu gdhtj whsiuny dhsun coat. Hsjit snhe talk hfjudy social services shfkjdl gdfbncjek jo help.

Agshi ndjku njkjhgfdfeio ldskjv ldsk dhdjo visop jk on Tuseday 1.30 p.m.

Ghusim jsnjkd lejahty fsji your jsndhu .

Best hwishd

J. JohnsonSocial worker


Three things parents with learning disabilities tell us:

“I didn’t know what they meant”

communication is often poor and written info is inaccessible

“They didn’t help, just told me to do better”

unrealistic expectations of them but no practical help

“They were waiting for me to get it wrong”

feel set up to fail


What we do

Not what but how we do it Get alongside and agree how we’ll work Befriend and reassure Visit often and cheerfully Get to know the children


Befriend and reassure

Agree goals Agree with the family what we’ll

work on together


Visit often and visit cheerfully

Family

A B C D E F G H I J K

Output

Home visit 25 22 1 1 54 4 15 31 8 1 9

Telephone 28 10 1 16 450+ 14 18 28 12 1 5


Get to know the children

and help them to: understand their situation have more fun control the things they can control

(belongings, school uniform etc)


For example - how might this help?


Find out about people’s learning styles

Not too complicated: Some people learn best if you do it with them Some if you show them first Some if you tell them how and leave them to it

But you have to get to know them to find out


Break things down into manageable chunks

Help break down routine tasks into their component parts

Reinforce learning so it sticks Give praise and encouragement Be firm but kind Believe in learning possibilities not just

disabilities


An example ‘Joe doesn’t like putting

his uniform on’ ‘do you lay them out for

him or does he have to get them himself?’

‘I get them for him’ ‘have you tried getting

him to lay them out on a chair after his bath and before he goes to bed?’

‘his bath??’…

NB this information would not have emerged without a trusting relationship between parent and worker


A first bathtime at 6 years old Session 1

The worker and Mrs B: went to the shops and bought ‘Spiderman’ bubble

bath, shampoo, bath toys etc bought Joe some ‘character’ underpants (so he could

choose which ones to wear when he was getting himself dressed – reducing conflict and increasing his motivation to get ready for school)

talked to Joe about having a bath – he was wary but interested


“Splish splash…Session 2

the worker made sure Mrs B had a clean towel ready she showed Mrs B how to run the bath (cold in first) and

how much bubble bath to put in they encouraged Joe to get into the bath with the lure of

the bath toys the worker showed Mrs B how to wash his hair without

it hurting his eyes Joe enjoyed his bath the worker made sure Joe’s pyjamas were ready for

when he got out and the worker read a bedtime story


I was having a bath…”

Session 3 the worker got Mrs B to run the bath and to check

the temperature Joe needed no encouragement to get in the worker reminded Mrs B how to wash his hair they both enjoyed the bath-time


Family stability Fewer arguments and conflict Parents not involving children in adult decision-

making Mealtimes, with reasonably healthy meals Reasonable levels of cleanliness and hygiene Times when the family have fun together Better relationships with neighbours Better working relationships with the agencies

involved with a family – e.g. school, G.P etc


Finally

Life is more predictable

there is more order

there are more times when family members have fun with each other


EVALUATION


Evaluation of services

Building Bridges model Working with families affected by parental

mental ill health (& learning disabilities where appropriate)

Data collected since 2004 6 month pilot Adopted recognised evaluation tools


Evaluation: outcomes and feedback from other professionals:

"They work with families that most other voluntary sector agencies don't - people who have complex problems - and they provide the kind of service which really helps."

“FWA Building Bridges use the practical, flexible and partnership approach which research indicates is valued by parents.”

(Building Bridges evaluation interim report June 2006)


Evaluation: early outcomes 62% decrease in family relationship stress 71% increased satisfaction for parents 60% children improved self-esteem/reduced

depression At start, over 50% show clinically significant

stress At close: 78% show reduction in stress



Evaluation: outcomes and feedback

“BB projects exhibit characteristics found by research to be key to successful interventions.”

These include: close attention to ‘getting’, ‘keeping’ and

‘engaging’ parents a strong theory base more than one method of delivery working with both parents and children



Health & social care professionals say:

“You sigh with relief when they get involved because they do what they say they’re going to do, and they go at the family’s pace.”

“BB family support workers give positive messages to families - they don’t get many of those.“


20 March 2007 Meriden Conference

Valuing Families

For more information, please contact:

Rose de Paeztron, Head of Strategic Development

Family Welfare Association

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 07958 681555

20 March 2007Meriden Conference Valuing Families Working with families when parents have learning disabilities.

Documents

disabilities slide

anxiety slide

court slide

learning disabilities

johnson social worker

parents children

learning possibilities

learning disability