**NEW** Whose Life Is It Anyway? A reflective practice workshop for support workers in learning disability services

10am – 3pm, 6th June 2023

Venue: Real Life Options, David Wandless House, A1 Business Park, Knottingley WF11 0BU

For frontline staff and managers

The aim of this workshop is to improve the quality of life of supported people by focusing on reflective practice and developing it as an essential skill required of people employed to provide support. The training then covers how to apply this within a team setting.

Self-reflection is a key characteristic that has been identified by people with a learning disability as one that staff require in order to be able to provide good person-centred support to enhance their quality of life. Other traits identified by supported people that they like support workers to have are sensitivity, knowledge, patience and being friendly, caring and empathetic.

This training is not about the practical aspects of delivering support that allows people with a learning disability and autistic people to live the lives they want to live. Instead, we focus on ourselves and the personal and individual aspects of how we are and how we act when we are working. Social care workers face daily challenges, changes, and uncertainties. Working with individuals who have unique wants and needs requires us to adapt quickly, so it is therefore important to reflect on our practice.

“The principle is that good practitioners do not simply do things; rather, they continually learn, develop and grow their abilities” (Jarvis, 1992). This method of learning can promote a better use of skills and knowledge while providing a space to discuss feelings, thoughts, values and the impact of these on actions thus ensuring competent accountable practice.

This is a session that creates a space for the people who work in learning disability support services to:

• reflect on your values and beliefs
• become more aware of how these affect the people you come into contact with in ways you may not be conscious of (this includes supported people, peers, managers and families)
• learn about and model the behaviours that ensure that supported people are always treated with humanity, kindness and compassion

At the point of booking, we welcome the chance to arrange a phone call or meeting with the leaders and managers in delegates’ services about how to support their staff when they have completed the training and how to embed the learning.

Cost

• ARC Members £90
• Non-members £120