Case Study - supported living services

Customer

Staffordshire County Council

Challenge

To provide a supported living service for four young adults with learning disabilities, in transition from residential college.

Result

The service users soon settled into their new home and filled their lives with an abundance of activities which included college, gym membership, running club, visiting friends and family, and days out, in addition to the responsibilities of running their home with support from staff. Family members and Social Services praised Care UK and noted the improvements in behaviour and general well being including the wide range of activities and opportunities that each service user had.

The Client

Staffordshire County Council currently provides services for their resident population of over 800,000. Under the Social Care and Health Directorate one of its main functions is providing help and support to adults who are vulnerable because of their age, disability, mental or physical health. Their aim is to help this group live as independently as possible, if that is their wish and it’s in their best interests. They achieve this together with local providers of health services and housing.

The Need

Staffordshire County Council was required to provide a service for four young adults in transition from residential college. The service users needed to move into their new home in September of 2006. A property had already been identified managed by a local housing provider.

The Solution

Care UK learning disability services division was awarded a contract from Staffordshire County Council to provide a service for four young adults in transition from residential college. The contract was awarded in June 2006 with a view to the service users moving into their new home in September that same year. A property had already been identified and we were introduced to the housing provider. We set up a management agreement with the Housing Association and planned a series of meetings to work together to ensure that the service users would be able to move into their new home on time.

Following the award of the contract we set up a project team headed by the Service Development Manager and including the Regional Manager, Service Manager, Human Resources Administrator, Quality Assurance Manager and Training Manager from Care UK. We shared our draft project plan with commissioners, a fundamental tool that we have used previously in ensuring a smooth transition. This plan includes a wide range of tasks with given timescales and responsibilities for completion. Commissioners agreed to the plan and this signalled the start of the process of consultation and transfer.

The project team met with staff from the service users’ previous college placements and carried out a thorough holistic assessment to enable the transfer team to set up support plans, risk assessments and behavioural management strategies so they would be in place prior to the move and would form part of the new staff members’ induction program. We advertised for suitably experienced staff, led by a House Manager, and devised a program of induction and training to be undertaken before the team member’s commenced working with the service users. We staggered the staff start dates to reduce the set up costs and to facilitate the introduction of new staff to the service users at a pace that would not cause anxiety.

We commenced a series of visits. We supported each service user to spend time in their new home, visits ranged from a few minutes to an overnight stay once they had gained enough confidence to do so. We supported them to choose the décor and purchase new furniture and fittings for their own bedrooms and communal areas. Unfortunately the move in date was delayed by six weeks because of a problem with a gas meter. The young people had been living with family members since June and the pressure of the delay resulted in anxiety and inconvenience for the family members. In order to offer support to the families during this time we deployed our staff team to support the service users within their family homes and out in their local communities for several hours each day. We also provided a live in service with sleep in support for one individual. This time provided service users with the opportunity to try a wide range of activities including college, work experience and activities of daily living such as banking and shopping, using facilities within what would soon become their local community.

It was with great anticipation that two service users moved in as soon as their new home was ready. The other two individuals had needs that fell within the autistic spectrum and required more time to adjust to their new support staff and home environment. They moved in following further introductory visits within two weeks.

Each person had a dedicated key worker who worked with them through the transfer stage and thereafter. The key workers supported them to initiate the person centred planning process, to send invitations to those in their circle of support and to hold a meeting. This process enabled the service users to set goals and provided a forum to ensure that those involved were committed to playing their part in making things happen. The service users soon settled into their new home and filled their lives with an abundance of activities which included college, gym membership, running club, visiting friends and family, and days out, in addition to the responsibilities of running a home with support from staff. Family members and Social Services praised Care UK and noted the improvements in behaviour and general well being including the wide range of activities and opportunities that each service user had.