Stepping Out specialises in accommodating and supporting clients with challenging behaviours. We pride ourselves on supporting such service users to become less challenging and more constructive via our semi independent living projects and our specific outreach support services. Based on years of experience, we’ve compiled a 3 point plan to combat challenging behaviour and promote productivity, and eventually independence.
Stepping Out has recently been inundated with referrals. Mainly, our referrals consist of young people and adults displaying severe challenging behaviour. It seems these referrals are being made after various placement breakdowns have taken place. Stepping Out continues to support the ideology that prevention is the key to ensuring a placement is successful.
Here are some Important factors to consider when choosing a provider for clients displaying severe challenging behaviour, or who have a history of repeated placement breakdown:
Stepping Out work with various local authorities on a national scale and offer small, homely, semi-independent living projects staffed 24 hours per day and accommodate no more than 5 service users per project. Our risk assessments ensure that many incidents are prevented and our polices are continually updated in order to reduce incidents occurring.
Example Incident:
Service user alleges that his Laptop was stolen by another service user, an incident occurs causing a placement breakdown; the laptop may not have existed.
Stepping Out’s Solution:
All service users must sign a valuable belongings policy, stating their possessions, a staff member must confirm that these possessions exist. This policy is updated regularly in order for us to keep record of any new valuable items. False allegations pertaining to the loss of valuable items are greatly reduced.
Working to reduce placement breakdowns:
Usually a placement breaks down because a client is involved in an incident and or the client displays behaviour that could not be managed, reduced.
Stepping Out ensures their staff members pay regular attention to potential triggers and any patterns that may form prior to an incident. We cannot guarantee an incident will not occur, however Stepping Out will work to find out why the incident occurred, take note of the triggers and engage the client directly, we are open minded and use a relaxed approach. Our clients will be challenging and we are aware of that, therefore we must engage with them so that we are able to ascertain why the client became challenging.
Our experienced approach usually means that a client will inform us that they caused this incident because of x, y or z, they may even tell us what the exact triggers were and in most cases will highlight how regularly occurring incidents can be reduced. Making a placement with Stepping Out will ensure you know as much as possible about the client and their needs.
Types of clients we support:
Stepping Out specialises in offering small, homely, semi-independent projects to young people and adults mainly with severe challenging behaviour which usually encompasses many differing traits to include those diagnosed under the autistic spectrum disorder, generalised learning difficulties, sexualised and sexually harmful behaviour and those whom have suicidal tendencies, self-harm, gang violence, substance misuse etc.
Stepping out offers service user specific projects, the projects are also gender specific and have differing set ups, for example some of our projects will only accommodate 1 client whereas other projects can accommodate up to 5. Importantly, our main priority is to set realistic boundaries and proactively aid our clients move on to a more independent setting.
Feel free to contact us if you have a client whom you feel would benefit from our services.
0208 342 7217.
If you’re looking to place a service user under a Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA), then look no further than Stepping Out. We possess vast experience when it comes to managing high level MAPPA cases, and service users displaying sexually harmful, or sexualised behaviours.
Stepping Out are experienced in managing high level MAPPA cases, and those displaying sexually harmful, or sexualised behaviours.
MAPPA stands for: Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. There are different categories and levels of MAPPA classification.
MAPPA Categories:
MAPPA Levels:
Stepping Out are well practised in all levels and categories of MAPPA, having managed numerous cases in the past. For more information on how we can help, call 0208 34 7217 or emil us at info@stepping-out.org
Dementia and its symptoms
Dementia’ is a term used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. It is an umbrella term used to describe the effects of closely linked diseases. These include Alzheimer’s disease and sometimes are the result of a stroke. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. How fast dementia progresses will depend on the individual. Each person is unique and will experience dementia in their own way. There are approximately 750,000 people in the UK with dementia.
Symptoms and how we can help
Below are just some of the symptoms that our service will manage and seek to reduce where possible:
Stepping Out offers the client regular guidance, support and prompts; the semi-independent project will provide a 24 hour on site staff member whom is able to offer timely aid. In General the regular use of planning documents such as weekly activity plans, shopping lists, goal setting plans, timetables, visual image based tool etc. will aid the client remember important tasks. The plans can be posted around the client’s private living area in order to aid the client’s memory.
Stepping Out ensure its staff members receive regular training on effective communication, where they are able to understand a client’s feelings via certain behaviour and or body language, eye contact and tone of voice. Our staff are trained to actively listen to clients whilst positioning themselves accordingly as to not cause any distress, tension or anxiety to the client. Visual tools and other interactive communication aids are to be used in order to ensure effective communication. Staff members must employ patience and always ensure they communicate with respect towards the client.
Our staff members receive regular training on managing challenging behaviour. Importantly a client with dementia may display challenging behaviour due to feeling distressed, anxious and or frustrated. At such times, staff members must provide proactive, dedicated 1-1 support and use communication methods best suited to the client in order to alleviate the client’s anxieties. Various rules and boundaries have been put in to place that clients must adhere to. Our Company operates a no physical contact/physical intervention policy. This means we will not physically restrain and or challenge a client. If the clients behaviour becomes aggressive and or unmanageable and once we have exhausted all means of calming and effectively communicating with the client, our staff members are instructed to contact the local police whom will work to stabilise the clients behaviour. The client will be made aware of this and will be introduced to our project rules and the boundaries that must be adhered to on initial placement with of course regular reminders.
Stepping Out is a registered and regulated (CQC) independent social care provider delivering person centred care services to children, young people and adults meeting the range of low through to critical high support, high supervision needs.Stepping Out has built a great reputation for providing specialised up-to 24 hour semi-independent living options for adults and young people.
We provide Services to:
The type of clients we accommodate and support have varying needs to include:
In order to make a referral and or to obtain further information about our company please contact us using the information provided below:
Stepping Out, 439 Green Lanes, London, N4 1HA
020 8342 7217