DISABILITY JUSTICE PROJECT
Management course:
Supporting Staff Through Difficult Situations
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
Time Period / Session Content / Session Details / Training resources9.30 – 10am / 1. Welcome and Introduction /
- Trainer to acknowledge country unless there is an Aboriginal person from that country present, where that person could appropriately be requested to provide a welcome. Acknowledge traditional custodians of the land on which we meet. Facilitators should find out what country the training is being held upon and how to pronounce. Facilitators can acknowledge the country upon which they live and also name elders from that country if they know them and have permission to say.
- Direct attention to information on Disability Justice Project and Framework for managers to read in own time
- Trainer to introduce themselves, acknowledging any elder relationships they have (Aboriginal or familial)
- Ask managers to introduce themselves with their name and what they do.
- Develop a group agreement from the standard Group Agreement as given in the Notes. Make note of self and other care strategies and specific requests.
- Trainer to lead Activity 1:Neuronal Pathways (Appendix 1)
- Discuss how this activity, where both parties may be activated, and Score’s quote support managers in working with staff who are experiencing distress.
- Discuss workshop content and overview
RB:
10-10.30 / What is a ‘difficult situation” / Using sticky notes write down at least 3 things from your work experiences, that you would describe as ‘difficult situations’.
Take the sticky notes to a table in the room, mix them up
Faciliatator to put them up, grouping any that are similar
Sticky notes activity is trying to drawn down on the range of experience in the room. There may be people in the room who work in complex environments and have very different scenarios or ideas about what is difficult. Also discussion around whether or not something is ‘difficult’ is individual and based on a range of things eg past experience, familiarity, resilience. As managers it is important to be aware that you cannot judge what is difficult/easy for someone else based on what you believe is difficult/easy for yourself.
Could any of these situations be recognised as ‘traumatic’? Are all of these situations necessarily traumatic? Discuss.
Talk about the need to be mindful of the principals of a trauma informed approach (Appendix 2) / PP: 7
Different coloured sticky notes
Markers
Sheet/s paper to put display.
Values, beliefs and attitudes / Discussion examples to consider: (just a guide, chose a couple of these)
What are my My values/beliefs around:
People who drink and drive
People who abuse children
Injecting drug users
People who don’t practice safe sex
Men who are violent towards their partners
People with a mental illness
Pregnant women who use alcohol, tobacco or other drugs
People with HIV/AIDS
People who have deliberately spread HIV
People who have Hepatitis C
Women who stay in violent relationships
Parents who misuse alcohol and/or other drugs in front of their children
People who commit crimes such as armed robbery to finance their alcohol and/or other drug habits
Zero tolerance on drugs
The Injecting Centre at Kings Cross
The use of Methadone as a form of opiate replacement / PP 8
Diversity / Discussion: What does diversity in the workplace mean?
What effect/impact does diversity have? What does this mean re values, beliefs, attitudes? / PP 9
Desired qualities of staff supporting people in contact with the CJS / Barinstorm first then show slide / PP 10
Safety / Given the criminal justice system’s dismal record regarding its treatment of victim-witnesses and offenders, this trauma informed approach applied to prosecuting crime can only be a step forward which offers at least the opening for more creative, and hopefully more transformative, interventions into the lives of people affected by crime.’
(Randall & Haskell; 2013)
Diiferent components of safety: Bloom (2005) refers to four domains of safety in her Sanctuary Model – namely physical, psychological, social and moral safety. The Taking Time Framework includes a fifth domain of cultural safety. Give examples from each level of safety E.g. Environmental Safety. Your agency has a policy which says that you (as the manager/worker) must be closest to the door when working with people who are distressed. However, when you are working with a distressed individual, they feel safest when closest to the door. How would you work with this? Does the policy support regulation and safety?
E.g. Cultural safety. Your agency has a policy which says that Standard Australian English must be used for all interactions within your agency. When working with an Indigenous member of staff, they use Aboriginal Australian English when they are distressed. How would you work with this? Does the policy support regulation and safety?
Consult: given this exercise, do you think the policies and conceptions you have/your agency/organisation have, support regulation and safety?
(Appendix 3)
Foundational Principals of the Taking Time Framework, A trauma-informed framework for supporting people with intellectual disability.
Discussion around parallel between experiences of clients and staff “ parallel processes”: Highlight need to understand that in distress, people use ‘default’ strategies to cope (learned default actions). Highlight importance of understanding presence of history and potential impact/connection between then/there and here/now.
Congruence / PP 11-16
11 am-11.15am / Morning tea break
Stress / The Stress Response
- Highlight the need to understand the stress response for all who are present to any situation
- Stress response and regulation: Draw back to regulation/deregulation, highly triggered stress response. Stigma/discrimination are triggering for people with ID, MH and acquired brain injury. Talk about intergenerational trauma-reference back to values discussion.
- Highlight that depending on an their history, type and severity of trigger and coping strategies, individuals –begin at different levels of homeostasis - return to different levels of homeostasis – dysregulation and regulation can take very different amounts of time.
- Effects of stress on the brain
- Window of tolerance (Ogden and Minton): Develop understanding of the ‘window of tolerance’ and how it might be used to effectively support staff.
- Video or demonstration: Dr Daniel Seigel’s hand model of the brain. Consult: how does this relate to the stress response and issue of regulation? (Slide Hidden)
Impact of stress
Do this as a brainstorm activity:
people with intellectual disability may have more difficulty in understanding why a traumatic event occurred, the consequences for themselves and others, and how to use coping strategies to assist in dealing with the trauma
(Saunders (2008), in Taking Time Literature Review p. 92) / PP 21
Coping Strategies/ adaptations:
Group discussion - other coping strategies/adaptations? Write up on board
How do you/I/we self-regulate
Informal coping strategies to minimise dysregulation WITHIN THE AGENCY/ORGANISATION
Adaptations: Discussion in pairs: Over achieving/people pleasing
Self harming
Numbing techniques
Avoidance techniques
Relational strategies
Reframing Dysfunction into resilience: Discuss: Highlight the need to look for achievement rather than dysfunction when working with staff – aim for maintaining regulation without utilising strategies which result in disregulation. Consult: how could staff be supported to maintain and enhance their regulation skills, have their strengths recognised , and move away from disregulation, within a work environment? / PP 24-26
Attunement / Trainer choice: Optional activity
Attunement (EPI Horse Visualisation) (see Appendix 4). Consult: how does this activity model attunement and how does this reflect on supporting staff? / PP 27: (Hidden)
Stress in the Workplace / Barinstorm: What are some of the souces of stress in our workplaces? / PP: 28
Whiteboards/Markers
WHS: some facts about our industry: Discussion around psychological injury and your role as a manager / PP 29
Roles and Boundaries / Knowing your role and its limits: Discussion around Position Descriptions, classifications of role as per the relevant award (eg SCHADS)
Boundaries, Trauam informed boundaries
Risk aversion. Reiterate that many policies are focused on minimising risk, and do not necessarily support regulation and safety. Discuss how some policies may have evolved as “blunt instruments” or one size fits all policies that may not achieve regulation and safety. / PP 31-34
Reportable Incidents / Discussions:
Mandatory Reporting:
What age group does this cover? (0-15 years, Mandatory reporters are not obliged to report risk of significant harm to unborn children or young people (those aged 16-17 years). However they are encouraged to make a report if it is appropriate)
Does Mandatory reporting apply to an adult with an intellectual disability?
(no, but other policies/guidelines may require this)
ADHC Abuse and Neglect Policy: Who is bound by this? (mandatory for paid workers of ADHC operated disability support services. ADHC funded non-government disability support services may adopt or adapt the Procedures to meet the organisation’s needs.)
Who do you report to? (police then ADHC)
Your organisational Policy and Procedures
Are you familiar with them? do they align with what we have discussed?
Discussion:
What could be a managers role in supporting a staff member who has allegedly committed a reportable offence?
What could be worker’s role is supporting a clients who has allegedly committed a reportable offense against another client?
What could be manager’s role in supporting their team if there is any allegations of a reportable offence within the workplace? / PP 35-36
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, Secondary trauma, vicarious trauma
Countertransference / These slides are optional and dependent on the time available-they are also in the participant manual.
If used the following discussion for each topic: as a manager what contributing factors do you have influence over? / Hidden slides PP 37-41
Self assessment / Important to acknowledge the source (this is part the usage permissions)
Complex realtionships
Using the porQOL tool: Importance of a manger being able to recognise these things in themselves and in their staff.
This tool needs to be included in the participant workbook. / PP 43-44
proQOl seld assessment too with scoring explnanations
Secnarios / 3 different scenarios. Could be done as a whole group activity or by splitting inot 3 groups and feeding back. / PP 44 then 45-47 (hidden)
Scenarios in the participant manual
Lunch Break
Support in the Workplace / Support sthat are inavailable in workplaces:
- Good time to mention DJP communities of Practice
- Differences between coaching/mentoring
- Strengths based supervision
- A PRAISE ALL (not a tool for disciplinary action)
What effects to inhibitors have on motivation?
Nourishers and Toxins Discussion: What effects do catalysts have on motivation?
What effects to inhibitors have on motivation? / PP 50-53
Challenges of supervision: balanacing act discussion / PP 54
Strengths based supervision: Discuss in pairs or self reflection exercise:
How do I notice and celebrate success with my supervisees?
How do I talk about service users in supervision? What am I modelling about expectations of success and change?
Does our supervision model match the way we approach our professional practice?
How often do we highlight what is working well and the times of exceptions to problems?
What different kinds of power do I utilise in this relationship and what is the impact of this? How important is it for me to be an expert? How do I invite feedback from challenging supervisees and respond to it?
How do we talk about issues?
How do I reflect on my own supervision process? What goals do I set for myself?Davys and Beddoe (2010) / PP 55
Employee Assistance Programs / PP 56
Strategies to assist staff who are struggling, to identify achievement. Discussion around ‘snakes and ladders tools. Trainer choice / PP 57 (hidden)
Brainstorm: what supports are currently available in your workplace? / PP 58
Narrative Practice / This activity may need to be modified or even omitted dependent on time availabale. (the full activity takes apporx 1 hr)
- Discuss: Narrative Practice Principles. Relate points back to trauma knowledge. Intersubjectivity, regulation. Highlight that people in distress revert to dominant stories about who they are. Role of managers is to consult with people about alternate stories (subordinated stories) about who they might otherwise be should they be able to step aside from stories that have become capturing of them.
- Discuss: Narrative Practice continued. Highlight that co-authoring (intersubjectivity) is important in supporting commitment to dialogue.
- Talk through Steps in Narrative Practice
- Consult “what methods are you currently using to engage with people through these skills that resource staff to approach and garaduate their approaches to problems?”
- Talk through Methodology
- Discuss Naming the Problem/externalising questions. Highlight that naming the problem supports the person addressing the problem (with support from a manager) to re-cognise the problem as (at least potentially) outside of them. Highlight that problems can and are best named using the language of the person e.g. anxiety= ‘I get shaky’
- Briefly discuss internalising questions (which are often concieved around interpretations) (ask for an example, model, discuss why they may be less helpful in dealing with problems than externalising questions (which more often evoke descriptions). Support participants to understand the exercise, ensuring that they understand that the last two questions are particularly focused on Unique outcomes. Highlight that unique outcomes come from alternate stories and offer broader perspectives and ‘landing points’ from which to view/explore/interogate problems. Not solution focused.
- Activity: Externalising Questions. (Appendix 5 ) Pairs or threes. Encourage participants to DO the activity, rather than talk about it.
- Check that people have found a unique outcome
Finishing / Consult: Vicarious resilience.
How has work with (or knowing) people involved in the criminal justice system enriched your life?
What have you learned from the people that you work with?
Final reflection. Questions? Reflections? Predictions for Practice Change?
Pair & Share: What is one personal prediction you will take away from today? What is one organizational prediction you will take away from today? / PP 69-70
1
Disability Justice Project
Appendix 1
Activity 1: Neuronal Pathways.
Ask participants to put their hands together with the fingers linked. Demonstrate. Ask participants to note which thumb is on top. Ask who has R thumb on top, and who has left thumb on top, suggest we do not know what this means (always gets a laugh). Now ask participants to rapidly separate and re-join their hands, noting which thumb naturally falls on top and where their fingers most often fall together. (Usually people find that their hands link the same 9 times out of 10). Now ask participants to consciously join their hands, so that the non-dominant thumb/thumb which is usually on the bottom is on top and their fingers are arranged accordingly, one rung up. Demonstrate. Ask the participant how it feels. “Does it feel natural or strange? Does anybody have any churning in their tummy or other noticeable reaction?” State the theory “This is a physical and emotional neuronal pathway. What you are experiencing in terms of discomfort is called affect, which is the non-verbal expression of physiological and emotional state.”
Appendix 2
The differences and commonalities between trauma specialized services (Psychotherapy) and Trauma Informed Recovery Practice.
In Psychotherapy it is generally conceived that there are three phases of delivery: safety and stabilization, processing historical material, and integration. These phases have all traditionally been the day-to-day activity of therapists.
In Recovery work it has been generally conceived that recovery workers are guides and mentors to people who experience mental health challenges and to set goals, develop rapport, advocate both for and with the person to enable a recovery journey. Recovery practice more often than not takes a task orientation and has traditionally centred self-direction, choice and hope.
As postmodern understandings of Recovery have become central conversations in Mental Health and trauma informed practice has been taken up by services, the first phase, safety and stabilization, has become increasingly a shared domain between Psychotherapy and Trauma Informed Recovery work.
Trauma informed practice puts a strong priority on enabling personal, interpersonal (relational), systems and cultural safety. Moving the focus from self-directed Recovery, Trauma Informed Recovery Practice expands Recovery by understanding that it is through safety in these four domains, and in particular the relational domain, where stabilization occurs.
When safe relationships are fostered within the context of safe environments and cultures, Trauma Informed Recovery Practice has greater utility for sustainable engagement and inclusion for consumers, carers and staff in Mental Health and other services. Interdisciplinary practice between psychotherapists, occupational therapists, Mental Health nurses, medical practitioners and Recovery workers is supported through this shared focus on safety and stabilization, although different disciplines will have their own methods for creating safety and stabilization e.g. a medical practitioner might promote the use of medication.
Nonetheless, a firm boundary remains between the scope of Recovery workers and that of specialist service providers (therapists). A trauma informed Recovery worker can support a person to make connections between previous trauma and how this may be influencing their current experience without needing to know the trauma material, whilst the therapist is qualified to support the person to process and integrate the trauma material.