Sustainable Hub of Innovative Employment for People with Complex Needs (SHIEC)

1
Sustainable Hub of Innovative Employment for
People with Complex Needs (SHIEC)

• Carl Johnson
• Sarah Cooling
• Frank Proctor

2
WHY SHIEC?

• To ensure that people of all ages with complex
  needs are properly supported to have the same
  life opportunities as everyone else, including
  employment, home life, education and leisure

3
The HUB - A meeting of minds

• a shared recognition from carer, academic, policy
  and service perspectives that for the most part.
• employment for people with learning disabilities
  who have complex needs is not happening
• we know this from research but most directly
  from our lived experience
• within the region (and beyond) it is
  exceptionally rare to find any example of people
  with complex needs in employment.

4
Why is this the case?

• Employment for people with learning disabilities
  and further complex
• needs is
• Highlighted as a goal in policy (Valuing People
  Now/ Employment Now)
• Evidenced as theoretically and practically
  possible in research (Gold)
• What carers and those with disabilities want and
• have a right to

5
How can we change this?

• We need to find new ways of working through
  partnership. The skills, knowledge resources
  are available but not being used effectively.
• We need to keep a definite focus on bringing
  about social change for people with the most
  complex needs through employment
• If we can ensure change for this most complex
  group, a ripple of positive influence will be
  generated for those with other needs, including
  people with milder learning disabilities
• It is not about re-inventing the wheel, but
  moving it in a different direction about working
  together to build on current systems and ensure
  sustainable support.

6
The innovative nature of the project

• ensures commitment to a frequently neglected
  group of individuals
• maximizes and enhances existing resources
• draws stakeholders together in a fresh context
• reflects the diversity of employment needs and
  opportunities within the region
• allows for adaptation and creation of new
  resources and approaches to support people with
  complex needs who are socially excluded

7
Definition of Complex Needs
1. People with profound and multiple learning
disabilities Have more than one disability,
the most significant of which is a profound
learning disability. All people...will have great
difficulty communicating. Many...will have
additional sensory or physical disabilities,
complex health needs or mental health
difficulties...All...will need high levels of
support with most aspects of daily life
8

• 2. People with severe-profound learning
  disabilities and challenging behaviour
• Participants within this sub-sample must have a
  severe-profound learning disability and display
  behaviour that meets the following criteria
• Behaviour can be described as challenging when
  it is of such an intensity, frequency or duration
  as to threaten the quality of life and/or the
  physical safety of the individual or others and
  is likely to lead to responses that are
  restrictive, aversive or result in exclusion

9

• 3. People with mild-moderate-severe learning
  disabilities and a history of offending behaviour
  and / or significant mental health difficulties
• Participants within this sub-sample must have a
  moderate severe learning disability and either
• A history of offending behaviour that has
  required specialist forensic input
• A history of mental health difficulties that has
  resulted in a Mental Health Section

10
Hub Partners

• The Challenging Behaviour Foundation
• The Tizard Centre (University of Kent
• South East Coast Strategic Health Authority
• Linkage Community Trust
• Lincolnshire County Council
• United Response
• John Townsend Trust
• Castlebeck
• Oxford
• CMG
• Kingwood
• Avenues Trust

11
What are the Issues?

• Low Expectations
• Limited Opportunities
• Poor Employer Development
• Lack of Expertise in Identifying Individuals
  Employability
• Current Systems
• Fear of Change
• Always Last Group

12

• The need for a cultural shift within provider
  organisations
• Provider organisations often have limited
  experience or training directly
• relevant to supporting employment for people with
  learning disabilities in
• general, let alone those with additional complex
  needs. As such there has
• historically been a lack of both aspirations and
  systems to support people
• with complex needs into work. In response to
  this, SHIEC has aimed to raise
• expectations and organisational commitment
  regarding the employment of
• people with complex needs, by challenging
  traditional models of care.
• SHIEC aims to provide further clarity regarding
  the DWP Benefits systems and flexible use of
  Individualised budgets, to
• enable people with complex needs to secure and
  retain employment whilst
• maintaining appropriate levels of support.

13

• The need for a responsive and adaptive approach
• Pathways to employment for people with learning
  disabilities and complex needs are likely to be
• lengthy and require sustained commitment and
  motivation from those who provide and structure
• support. Throughout the initial stages of the
  SHIEC project, the physical, mental and
  behavioural needs
• of individuals has fluctuated requiring ongoing
  adaptations to planned systems of support.
•  
• At times this has meant changing direction
  following considerable investment of time and
  resources to
• develop employment opportunities. Within this
  context, SHIEC has aimed to sustain the vision,
• motivation and ability of all stakeholders to
  meet the needs and employment aspirations of
  individuals
• with complex needs.
•  
• The need to engage in relationships of trust with
  employers
•  
• At a national level, exceptionally few employers
  have considered the potential of supporting
  people
• with learning disabilities and complex needs
  within the workplace. SHIEC has recognised the
  need to
• present a business case to organisations that
  promotes the benefits of employing people with
  complex
• needs and resolves any concerns they may have.

14

• The Story So Far
• Following an initial period of development, the
  SHIEC project began in May 2010.
• Since this point the following milestones have
  been reached
• Identification of 61 people across the UK who
  have learning disabilities and complex needs and
  are seeking employment.
• The formation of a supportive network comprising
  of provider organisations, educational services,
  family carers, policy makers and academics. SHIEC
  members meet on a regular basis to discuss
  progress, barriers and solutions regarding
  pathways to employment for people with complex
  needs.
• This has proved invaluable in terms of sharing
  learning, helping to solve problems encountered,
  providing continuous encouragement to those
  involved and maintaining the integrity and aims
  of the project. Further ongoing facilitation of
  the network and direct support is provided by a
  Project Manager.

15

• SHIEC members have sought innovative ways of
  approaching and engaging with employers
  (including running an employers breakfast
  briefing forum and targeting large employer
  organisations at a senior level). SHIEC members
  have also shared learning with other supported
  employment organisations and projects.
• SHIEC members have worked together to develop,
  share and complete materials for identifying and
  supporting the aspirations of people with complex
  needs to work (through systems of vocational
  profiling).
• 12 people with complex needs are now engaged in
  some form of paid employment. Another individual
  has achieved 16 hours of paid work (see case
  example). A further 25 people with complex needs
  have been supported to access voluntary or work
  experience placements.
• Organisations involved in the project have
  reported further positive outcomes among staff
  teams in terms of changing expectations and
  putting employment on the agenda for people with
  learning disabilities. Within one organisation,
  at the time the SHIEC project commenced, 3/31
  people with learning disabilities but not complex
  needs were in voluntary work placements. Since
  then, 16/31 are using voluntary placements as a
  stepping stone to paid employment.

16
My story by Carl johnson
17
A little bit about me
20
I have a Moderate Learning Disability
I am
years old
I communicate through using makaton signs by
using hand gestures e.g. pointing at what I want
or to indicate what I am talking about.
I was born in Kent.
I am non-verbal however have the ability to say a
selection of words e.g. Yes, No, Bye, Hello.
I have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy
Epilepsy
18
Before CMG

• Although I was offered the chance to go to
  college, I did not want to carry on full time
  education and the options available were limited.

• I went to St Nicholas School in Canterbury,
  Kent.

• I started to become frustrated living at home
  and this was affecting my relationship with my
  family.

• While at school I was offered no work experience
  placements employment was not suggested as an
  option.

• I lived at home with my mum and step-dad in
  Faversham, Kent. I chatted to my mum about my
  future and I was excited about moving out of
  home and becoming more independent .

19
Now within CMG

• I was then told about SHIEC and their
  involvement with CMG. I began having meetings
  with Frank to look at possibilities and how to
  begin getting into employment.

• When I moved into The Ridgeway, a supported
  living home, I had a meeting regarding my Person
  Centred Plan.
• I was asked about my future goals and employment
  was raised as an option.

• I was really interested in getting into paid
  employment in a job that I would find interesting.

• I started by searching for voluntary employment
  to gain some more skills to put on my CV.

20
Voluntary Employment

• Volunteering at Wellgate Farm
• Job Role Includes
• Cleaning out, feed, pet give water to rabbits.
• Water the plants.
• Brush the kids (baby goats)
• Hold chicks move them from outside in to the
  warm.

• I loved looking after the rabbits so much I got
  my own named Boo.

21
My First Paid Employment
Lilliputs Cafe

• I have been there for just over 2 months and I
  really enjoy it.
• I work 2 hours a week during cafe opening hours
  which are 11am-1pm every Thursday I earn 7.20
  per hour.
• I help to lay the table cloths and set the table.
  I clear the dishes and clean up after everyone
  has finished eating.

• I was successful in my interview for the
  position of assistant waiter, my first job
  interview!!

22
Future Plans
Dagenham Redbridge Football Club

• A number of football clubs have been approached
  and I got a response from Dagenham Redbridge.

• I absolutely love Football really want to work
  in the Football industry.

• I have been offered the chance to sell Match Day
  Programs on the day of football matches and any
  other additional positions.

• This will be on a voluntary basis.

23
here are some videos of me at work!
Thank You!
24
Real Life Stories
25
Real stories

• SARAH
• CARL

26

• Issues facing SHIEC Members which outlined the
  structural barriers involved in the
• process (e.g. finances and mobility) as well as
  outlining staff anxieties surrounding
• supporting someone with complex needs into
  employment and the need for realism
• to deal with knockbacks and the slow pace of the
  process.
• Sometimes you go into a place of employment and
  you can see that people are just seeing the
• wheelchair, they are not looking at the person
  (5, 4)
• Some mental health issues, so we take three
  steps forward and a step back (10, 3).
• I worry about the knock on effects for the young
  people because you know, we all suffer with
• disappointment but we are setting these guys up
  to fail if we continue on the same cycle. (10,
  2)
• Job centre disability employment advisor only
  works half a day per week (5, 3)
• Its like the 11th phone call and no-one has rung
  back, I sometimes think I dont know how I
• am going to get through this (7, 1)
•  
• Well I have thought of a lot of things and
  anything we have thought of we have pursued

27

• Commitment which depicts how staff and service
  providers needed high levels of commitment in
• order to support people with complex needs into
  employment. This included being resilient to
• knockbacks, maintaining a positive attitude and
  thinking creatively about employment solutions
• as well as being emotionally invested in the
  project personally.
• We have got to keep looking and thinking of
  other ideas, there has got to be a job somewhere
• that he can do (5, 5).
• You have got to be prepared to put a lot in for
  maybe a little return at times (6,8)
• You have got to stay positive because I think if
  you start to be negative then it impacts on the
• service users (3,2)
• Look at outcomes, be positive and see how you
  can get the best out of people (5, 8)

28

• Working together, which outlines the benefits of
  SHIEC as a support network. The need for
• organisations to work together to make employment
  possible for people with complex needs was
• expressed. This involved the need to engage
  frontline staff and specified that staff need
  certain
• characteristics in order to maintain the search
  for employment. Within this, the need for
• leadership within organisations is emphasised as
  well as the fact that SHIEC provides a social
• network which encourages working together.
• Getting the staff more focused on employment as
  a priority rather than something that just
• might happen (3, 1)
• It is a really motivating and really rewarding
  project to work in, it is pioneering and
  exciting
• (2, 4)
• The key is having a shared goal I suppose
  because I think if it wasnt for that, it
  wouldnt have
• had the same priority even for me (6,5)
•  
• Networking with other people has been useful
  and learning from the way they have done
• things (1, 4)

29

• Positive Pay Offs is a theme which highlights
  individual outcomes arising from the project. The
  
• majority of participants also described being
  surprised with some of the outcomes at some
• stages in the SHIEC process.
• The skills that service users have got have
  really surprised me (2, 4)
• It surprised me how a lot of the service users
  want to work full time, you know, they are keen
  for
• full time work (2, 4)
• He is a lot more communicative, when I first
  worked with him I couldnt understand him at
• allnow you can sit down and have a chat with
  him (2,3)
• She feels more comfortable and I think she is
  more confident (1,3)
• The Ripple Effect which outlines the positive
  outcomes on staff members involved in the SHIEC
• project which included a buzz which was reported
  within organisations and a general raising of
• expectations contributing to cultural change
  within organisations. It was also expressed
  however,
• that there were some ongoing goals related to
  organisational change and the ripple effect.
• Staff there are starting to ask questions now
  about why isnt this person being considered for
• employment (6, 3)

30

• Questions Please!
• Carl
• Sarah
• Frank Proctor frank.proctor_at_thecbf.org.uk