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DHSC publishes guidance for carers supporting people with learning disabilities and autism during COVID-19
Guidance aims to help keep people with learning disabilities and autistic people safe
The Department of Health and Social Care has published guidance for care workers and personal assistants who support people with learning disabilities and autism.
The guidance aims to help care staff to:
- Keep people with learning disabilities and autistic people safe
- Support them to understand the changes they need to make during the COVID-19 outbreak
- Protect their own wellbeing
All care and support should continue to be given in the least restrictive way possible and continue to maximise independence wherever possible, says the guidance.
Updates to statutory duties, such as easements to the Care Act, are also linked to in the guidance. However, concerns have been raised by charities like Mind and Mencap who argue that the changes to the Care Act could severely impact the rights of people with mental health problems detained for hospital treatment.
DHSC: Guidance: COVID-19: supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Social Care Institute for Excellence: COVID-19: Supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities
Maybo perspective
- In addition to the practicalities with regard to infection control, this guidance addresses the importance of being proactive in supporting people through changes to their normal routines, which many will find difficult to understand.
- While lockdown and ongoing restrictions have brought their challenges and much anxiety, many of our clients have taken the opportunity to strengthen relationships. With limitations on regular planned activities, support teams have been able to find more one to one time to really get to know the people they support and be more person-centred.
- We have seen ‘Active Support’ in practice, with greater creativity in meeting individual needs.
- You can find more on Maybo’s leading-edge eLearning and taught courses on Active Support and Trauma-Informed Approaches here: click here
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