Postive Options - Consultancy :: Training

Positive Options Direct Delivery training.

Positive Options can directly provide all of the education and training as an external provider, with all of our programmes carrying the BILD accreditation.

All education and training is designed and tailored specifically to each service, taking account of the needs of the service users, the needs of the staff and the needs of the organisation.

Bespoke courses can also be designed to provide the relevant underpinning knowledge and performance evidence for aspects of the NVQ award in Direct Care at level 3.

Additionally, education and training provided by Positive Options supports organisations in being able to demonstrate that employees have achieved occupational competence in accordance with national induction and foundation training (TOPPS and LDAF):

(i) The needs of service users.

It is essential that staff and carers are provided with appropriate knowledge and skills to meet the specific needs of service users. Inappropriate or inadequate knowledge will leave staff vulnerable by being unable to work positively and effectively with service users. Likewise, inappropriate or ineffective skills may place service users in vulnerable positions where they may be subjected to unethical and unacceptable practices. Any care strategies and/or skills used should be based upon sound professional aims and values that are congruent with current service philosophies.

Positive Options are strongly opposed to any holding strategy that is aversive, painful, punishing or destructive to the therapeutic relationship between the carer and the service user. Positive Options consider that such approaches are unacceptable and should not be used, regardless of the nature of the service user's behaviour. Above all, carers should be able to workwith service users, including aggressive and violent people, in a manner that always promotes and maintains legal, professional, and ethical standards as well as the individual's humanity and dignity.

(ii) The needs of staff and carers.

It is essential that any support, education or training provided is appropriate and sensitive to the specific needs of the people who work or support aggressive and violent individuals. Staff and carers require appropriate knowledge and skills that are effective and easy to use i.e. skills that enable them to deal with the everyday difficulties that they face. At the same time, professionals and carers are often responsible for vulnerable individuals and require knowledge and skills that are legally, professionally and socially acceptable e.g. strategies and responses that are not designed to cause pain or discomfort, and facilitate positive and therapeutic interactions. It is necessary for all staff and carers to possess sufficient knowledge and skills to be able to support individual service users and meet their needs. However, it is also appropriate that staff and carers’ knowledge and skills are sufficiently flexible and adaptable to account for the differing needs of their everyday work, whilst also assisting them to manage a variety of situations including emergencies, whenever proactive strategies fail.

(iii) The needs of the organisation.

It is essential that the organisation can demonstrate that the type of support, education and training provided to staff and carers has the appropriate level of professional support, as well as meeting the legal, professional and statutory requirements. Positive Options’ education and training programmes operate in accordance with nationally agreed standards (e.g. Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, Royal College of Nursing Institute, and the British Institute of Learning Disabilities) and this is particularly important wherever physical responses and interventions are included.

How education and training is arranged.

Positive Options works hard to ensure that any services provided are appropriate and tailored to meet the specific requirements of our clients. All education and training is value-based with the relevant underpinning knowledge and information to ensure that the programme content is fit-for-purpose and meets the ethical, professional, and legal standards required of professional practice. Wherever there is a physical skills component included within the programme, this will be enveloped and underpinned with relevant knowledge and information to ensure that staff and carers are suitably educated and prepared to engage in appropriate and professional practices that address the challenges of their work. The exact duration and content of programmes varies greatly between organisations and is dependant on the identified needs of the service. Nevertheless, many programmes typically include a combination of the following:

Values and attitudes.
Interpersonal communication.
Theories of aggression and violence.
Legal, professional and ethical issues.
Health and Safety legislation.
Team working and team building.
Risk assessment and management.
Intensive engagement skills and planning support.
Classroom management.
Working with children and young people (including child protection).
Proactive intervention strategies (including verbal and physical de-escalation techniques and redirection methods, behavioural appraoches, interactive and engagement styles).
Crisis management and responding to emergencies.
Personal safety at work.
Restrictive physical interventions within the scope of the MAPA^® model of holding and disengagement skills.

Positive Options recognise the differing needs of our clients and therefore we always discuss and agree the right strategy for education and training on an individual basis.

Education and training cannot be considered as a ‘one-off’ approach and it is strongly recommended that participants attend regular refresher courses to update and consolidate their knowledge and skills. Upon completion of each Positive Options education or training programme, participants receive a certificate of attendance (valid for 1 year) and performance evidence towards National Vocational Qualifications at level 3 in Direct Care if required.

The Positive Options approach is based upon offering our clients a complete integrated service and therefore, we automatically offer (at no additional cost) a 12-month on-going support and advice package by telephone, email or post with regard to the specific services or programmes purchased.