Exploring Staff Perceptions and Experiences in Services Providing Different Levels of Active Support

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Healthcare Quality
• Human Services

Background:

• Quality of support is crucial for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), especially those with complex needs.
• Staff perspectives on skilled support, training, and experience are vital for understanding support quality in IDD services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore staff perspectives on skilled support in relation to their training and experience.
• To examine the relationship between staff views on skills and the observed quality of support provided.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of questionnaires from 93 staff across 28 supported accommodation services.
• Content analysis of staff responses regarding experience, training, and skilled support.
• Statistical analysis to explore relationships between staff responses and observed support quality.

Main Results:

• Staff primarily associate skilled support with experience and training, aiming to improve quality of life for those they support.
• Receipt of training or length of experience did not statistically correlate with higher observed quality of support.
• Specific training and practice leadership were infrequently mentioned by staff.

Conclusions:

• Staff demonstrate awareness of policy principles but their self-perceptions of skill do not align with observed support practices.
• A disconnect exists between staff reflections on their skills and the actual quality of support delivered to individuals with IDD.