OUR STAFF
Direct Care Resources believes that our model of care is unique. Firstly, we only employ care staff with recognised qualifications in Disability Care, Youth Work, Aged Care and similar disciplines. Most have worked as Assistants-in-Nursing or in similar roles in either community or institutional care settings. Some of our staff also have qualifications and comprehensive experience in areas such as health, education, social work and psychology.
TRAINING
Our staff also have additional training in a range of areas including management of challenging behaviours, medication management, lifting and transfers and have worked with adults, teenagers and children who have conditions such as Acquired Brain Injury, Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia, Angelman Syndrome and similar chromosomal disorders. All staff receive Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training.
OUR MODEL OF CARE
DCR's model of care does not involve multiple care staff delivering care to a client on a rotational ‘short shift’ arrangement.
Our ‘Extended Care Model’ features a dedicated Care Team of two staff (with one reserve to cover staff illness or other emergencies) each of whom work on rotation with a client on a ‘live-in’ basis on average for 5-7 days. DCR has in operation a Collective Agreement approved under the Commonwealth legislation which permits staff to work under this arrangement.
Selection of DCR care team members is based on a range of factors including client profile information provided by funding agencies, matching of specific staff with appropriate skills and knowledge to the client’s profile and, most importantly, compatibility and rapport between the client and team members.
Our model of care provides clients (especially those with challenging behaviours and/or a disability) with certainty, consistency and continuity of staff within a stable and modern living environment.
DCR’s experience over a number of years of using this model of care is that it results in both settling the client quickly and achieving a marked moderation in behaviour over a relatively short time period.
The small staff team also means that a comprehensive Care Management Plan including developmental and lifestyle support activities and behavioural boundaries can be established jointly between the Care Team in consultation with the client, their family (if applicable) and the appropriate funding agency. This can then be consistently applied throughout the time the client is in DCR’s care.
Our model of care is currently utilized by DCR in the provision of care and support in single, co-tenancy and multiple tenancy arrangements with staff/client ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and, in cases where client and staff safety can be assured, 1:3.
Our model of care also incorporates clients living in a fully-furnished modern residence in a locality where community-based services including health, transport, shopping, educational, leisure and sporting facilities are readily available.
In essence, our model of care is designed to establish a living environment of a standard which not only reflects community standards but also offers care support, supervision and assistance to clients to develop and achieve their particular life goals and aspirations.
Of course, our model of care is underpinned by comprehensive policy and practice framework which ensures that quality care can be provided to clients in accordance with their behavioural profile, disability, funding source and legislated quality assurance requirements.