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Residential Staff: How They View Their Training and Professional Support
Author(s) -
McVilly Keith R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.1997.tb00004.x
Subject(s) - agency (philosophy) , professional development , service (business) , residential care , training (meteorology) , work (physics) , psychology , medical education , nursing , learning disability , training and development , medicine , business , sociology , engineering , management , economics , psychiatry , physics , meteorology , mechanical engineering , social science , marketing
The needs and views of 86 community residential staff, supporting people with a learning disability, were investigated. Questionnaire items were developed from the agency's induction program and NVQs for residential, domiciliary and health care services. They were divided into four categories: direct support skills, background knowledge, values and philosophy of service provision, organisational/operational knowledge. Items were rated along three dimensions: importance, preparation and usefulness. Staff also reported on opportunities for professional development, appraisal processes and support structures, their expected tenure, the operation of the agency and the needs of clients. The findings highlight the priorities that staff attach to various aspects of their training and the degree to which they believe they have been prepared to undertake their work. Suggestions are made for the planning of induction and in‐service training and the development of staff support structures.