Research reveals benefits of personalised support

An initiative designed to personalise the ‘day support’ individuals with profound and multiple learning disabilities received has improved people’s health, wellbeing and happiness, according to research.

Walsingham Support, a national charity, was approached by Kent County Council in May 2012 to propose an alternative to the day support ten individuals received at the charity’s residential care service in Dartford, Kent.

Sarah Miller, director of operations and development at Walsingham Support, said: “Kent County Council contacted us as they wanted to respond to a Government white paper, ‘Valuing People Now,’ that required people receiving support to have the best services possible to lead a full and meaningful life.”

Walsingham Support recommended a new plan of day time support activities, based on the interests of each person, which would be run by the charity’s staff. The proposal was favourably received by the council and introduced in November 2013, following consultations with each individual and their family.

The day services offered to individuals included: engagement in the wider community, person-centred support, increased flexibility, continuity of twenty-four hour support and shorter travelling times to events in the community.

The ‘Walsingham Support: Evaluation of Turnbull Close day services’ report was compiled following an extensive research process, which involved interviewing relatives, health professionals and Walsingham Support staff on the new day services.

The report revealed numerous positive outcomes including improvements to people’s health, wellbeing and happiness as well as developments in relationships, social skills, speech, language and mobility skills.

Case studies within the report have shown that individuals had a very positive experience and were very satisfied with the services.

A relative of one of the individuals said: “(My family member) has been helped to develop his social skills and is now much happier to communicate with people in the community and seems much more confident doing so. He is supported to go to work and build more relationships with people he comes into contact with.”

The report has also found improvements in relationships between support workers and individuals supported at the service.

A support worker said: “People enjoy their jobs more because they are more involved, you are able to develop a bond with the individuals. We support each other and we all work as a team. As a team we have grown stronger.”

Commenting on the success of the changes, Ms Miller added: “It’s been well over a year since the changes were made and we wanted to have an independent evaluation to clarify our achievements.

"This report conclusively shows the benefits providing tailored support can have and enables us to share our findings with other organisations and local authorities who may be investigating changes to the day time support provision that they provide."

Director of learning disability and mental health at Kent County Council, Penny Southern, said: “As part of our modernisation programme, we approached Walsingham Support to see if they could propose an alternative to the current day service for the people they support in Kent.

"We are very happy with the solution they have implemented and are looking to build on this model to deliver more support services in the community.”

Walsingham Support is a national charity providing highly personalised services for over 400 people with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries and complex needs.