Service Model
Our service model is underpinned by the principles of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) to enhance the lives of our service users.
We have a dedicated Behaviour Support Team including UKBA(certs) – Certified UK Behaviour Analysts – previously known as BCBAs. Our PBS Team have undergone extensive training and supervision in a range of areas of expertise and is led by a clinical director with over 20 years of experience in the field.
PBS is embedded throughout the company, with a focus on person centred care, skills teaching and increasing independence and choice. This is threaded throughout care/support plans, risk assessments and stakeholder involvement. Co-production and reducing restrictive practice is at the forefront of what we do – being members of the RRN, pledging to continue to do even better.
PBS is important for the whole team as well as the people we support – supporting the staff team allows the people we support to receive the very best of care.
Our Behaviour Practitioners are registered with the UKSBA, which is PSA regulated and ensures an extremely high level of care and integrity. The team follow a strict Ethical Code of Conduct and are subject to scrupulous checks and ongoing monitoring.
PBS and Outcomes
Where commissioned, our specialist team will use their skills to develop a range of plans and interventions to support our service users to thrive in their home. This may involve being supported to turn on their washing machine, apply for a job or try a new food.
PBS is about understanding behaviour, building trusting relationships, and creating a supportive and engaging environment. By teaching skills such as communication, service users can begin to communicate safely what they want (or don’t want!). By teaching skills – behaviours of concern may naturally reduce to safer levels.
Our team are dedicated to supporting individuals with a variety of needs. They will conduct Functional Behaviour Assessments, run a variety of skills assessments and assess other needs to create bespoke plans. The person is always at the heart of these – contributing as little as much as possible.
The team are able to share magical outcomes with stakeholders, including first haircuts, new jobs, first disco, travelling by public transport for the first time and putting on their own washing.
Transitions
We recognise the importance of ensuring that the individuals we support have a seamless transition back into the community after hospitalisation or residential care.
During the transition we will take into account of any sensory needs as well as ensuring the service user feels safe with the new staff. Rapport building and shadowing is a huge part of the transition, and each step is carefully co-ordinated. Our PBS team are involved from the start, ensuring all needs are met and the team and service user have the support they need.
High Quality staff
The support the service users get would not happen without the hard work and dedication of the staff team. All of our staff have the opportunity to access continuing education through our training and career progression programme. They have daily access to members of the behaviour support team and get in vivo training via modelling when on shift.
Well-being is a key factor in supporting and maintaining a strong and resilient staff team – this is a continuing and expanding focus at Community Living.
The staff team are heavily involved in the planning and goal setting alongside the service users they support. They have high expectations and take positive risks in order to move from surviving to thriving.
Understanding our Service Users (ASD and beyond).
ASD is the primary diagnosis for many of our service users, along with some co-morbid diagnoses including ADHD, Mental Health diagnoses and LD.
We recognise that despite a diagnosis (or more!), all individuals diagnosed autistic will present in their own unique ways and will need equally unique support. Our teams are trained in Autism (and other diagnoses) and use individualised support and PBS Plans to ensure they have their needs met. Many of our service users have sensory needs and are still learning to communicate safely – careful planning and step-by-step teaching supports this with the use of various resources and preference assessments.