Support for Adults with Learning Disabilities and Autism

Aster Care is an established domiciliary care organisation providing up to 24 hour support at home to people with complex long-term conditions , and has now expanded its range of services to include support to adults with mild learning disabilities and autism. We have the skills and knowledge to support these needs along with defined training pathways to support people living in their own home, or in a larger supported living accommodation facility where we may be asked to carry out specific tasks separate to their tenancy and basic support arrangements there. Our aim is to prepare the person to either live alone as an independent adult, or give continued support when they do.

Our staff undergo an intensive basic training programme to include a 12 week induction period, followed by a Learning Disability & Autism  pathway. Many of our team have delegated clinical skills, i.e., can carry out tasks generally undertaken by trained nurses. These additional skills can support those with both a learning disability and autism who may also have heath needs.

Our Learning Disability & Autism training Pathway is as follows: –

• Working within the Care Quality Commission, Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture guidelines
• Oliver McGowan standardised training Part 1 & 2 (as appropriate)
• Autism – to understand how this is a spectrum and will affect people in different ways
• STOMP – awareness of over-medicating people with a learning disability and autism and to prevent this
• Mental Capacity & Deprivation of Liberty Standards – to ensure our staff understand how people can make decisions
• Accessible Information Standards – to ensure people receive information in a way/format they understand 
• Prevention of Constipation – up to half of all those with a learning disability can suffer from constipation
• Dysphagia and IDDSi – where people have swallowing difficulties and require special diets

Positive Behaviour Support

Our approach is to use Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)  to reduce the use of any restrictive practice.  All staff working with those with a mild learning disability or autism will complete a 2 day course on PBS, delivered by trainers from the Intensive Support Team at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare Trust. This training will focuses staff on the following  4 principles of Person Centred Active Support (PCAS): –

1. Every moment has potential

2. Little and often

3. Graded assistance

4. Maximising choice and control