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Staff Views of the Importance of Relationships for Knowledge Development: Is Training by Specialists a Waste of Money?
Author(s) -
Bradshaw Jill,
Goldbart Juliet
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1111/jar.12020
Subject(s) - training (meteorology) , business , employee development , psychology , knowledge management , medical education , operations management , marketing , economics , computer science , medicine , geography , meteorology
Background The provision of skilled support is dependent on staff knowledge and understanding (Beadle‐Brown J., Beecham J., Mansell J., Baumker T., Leigh J., Whelton R. & Richardson L, unpublished data). Influencing staff knowledge and understanding is an important component of interventions. Materials and Methods Fourteen individual semi‐structured interviews elicited staff views and experiences of knowledge development. These were analysed using a thematic network analysis (Attride‐Stirling 2001, Qualitative Research 1, 385–405). Results Three global themes were identified; skills are developed from experience, service aims influence service delivery and practice is more important than theory . This article focuses on the first of these themes. Relationships between staff and service users played a central role in enabling development of knowledge. Although some skills were seen as transferrable, experience of a particular service user was described as being essential. Conclusions Support staff may not see the relevance of research findings, professional knowledge or training, unless these have involved direct work with the service user in question.