Block 5 Unit 17 : Concepts

Block 5 Unit 17 : Concepts

1. INTIMATE CARE

   • Embarrassing and uncomfortable
   • Service users should be asked about preferences
   • Crosses boundaries of normal social interaction
   • Direct physical touch / nakedness / emotional closeness
     • Characteristics of sexual contact / relationships
   • Social Taboo
     • In residential care home
     • Those who do care work
   • Risks
     • Safety of service user / severe disability could hinder there right to complain or report a worker intentionally exploiting them
     • Not reflected in work inductions or training

2. NEGOTIATING BOUNDARIES

   • Naked in front of stranger
   • What is care and what is sexual contact?
     • Boundaries between care and sex are blurred (Twigg, 2000)

3. HIDDEN ASPECTS OF CARE WORK

   • Washing and dealing with the genital regions
   • Not prepared / inexperience
   • Usually carried out by junior staff - less experience = problems
     • Needs appropriate supervision

4. CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR

   • Difficult for workers to manage
   • Shift responsibility from service user to service provider
   • A B C Chart
     • Antecedent (Before an outburst)
     • Behaviour (during)
     • Consequence (afterwards)
   • Finding the function
   • Staff need to learn new behaviour, e.g. Makaton signing system - to be able to deal and communication with those with learning difficulties

5. BEHAVIOUR PROGRAMMES

   • Expand a persons skills and communication to help them develop different ways of expressing their feelings - non-disruptively
     • Should we control how others act?
   • SAFEGUARDS
     • Staff need to feel safe expressing views and concerns
     • Staff could provide unsafe, inadequate or abusive care if not supported
     • Minimum force
       • Protocols and guidelines prevent force from becoming abusive

6. DEPERSONALISATION

   • Ignoring service users / not being polite / moving around accommodation without permission
   • Auxuillaries can work quickly, efficiently and cope with challenging behaviour
   • Hard approach / punishment = abuse?

7. ABUSE

   • Physical / Sexual / Psychological / Financial / Material / Neglect / Omission / Discrimination

8. CODES OF PRACTICE (SOCIAL CARE WORKERS)

   • Challenge and report dangerous/abusive behaviour / inform employer of colleagues performing unsafe care

9. WHISLEBLOWING

   • Reporting bad practice and getting dismissed - Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998