Real Life Learning - Care Planning for Frontline Workers ...

Take a look at Realife Learning's resources. Developed by Alison Clare and Sharon Lee Cuthbert, the frontline practice series is a collection of three brochures which are packed with care planning tips, professional boundaries, values, attitudes and case studies. 

Easy to follow and without heavy layers of text, I found the books delightful in presentation. Presenting challenging situations which frontline workers meet on a day to day basis, the series offers a questioning format to help carers assess their own practice, understand and improve person-centred care.

A few words from Alison and Sharon:

Many managers are having to cope with the challenge of how to provide a better service with less money and it is often the budget for staff training that is cut first. Larger organisations are dealing with this by expecting managers to take on more responsibility for training and developing their staff. But this switch of role is not easy when managers are already overloaded and don’t have much time to plan and produce training sessions or handouts.

For example, many services have to continually work at ensuring the care planning system and records are used effectively. There are several aspects that usually need to be tackled including:

• Making sure there is a simple and user friendly recording system in place
• Giving staff tools to make it easier to involve service users and their families in the care planning process and talk about their needs and wants
• Teaching staff how to make the content of care plans really person centred.

All of this is important if it is to make any difference. For example you can have the most beautiful and well organised records in the history of care homes but if there is no evidence of involving residents it will appear to be a paper exercise.

Realife Learning specialises in producing simple and engaging booklets on some of the most essential skills in care and support work. Their resource on care planning can be given to staff to work their way through independently or used to run mini teaching sessions. It will teach staff how to work with service users to produce individualised plans with measurable goals and outcomes.

To find out more go to www.realifelearning.co.uk