Needs Assessment (1-2 days)

This course aims to provide learners with awareness of current Good Practice in Assessment in a variety of settings.
It also aims to advance the establishment of skills in order to best conduct Assessments.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course attendees should understand:

• What is meant by the term Assessment
• How assessment is shaped by the nature of the work being conducted e.g. Short term work, residential work,
  day provision, street work etc
• How Assessment fits into the Support Planning process
• Current good practice (incl. Person Centred Planning)

The Person Assessing:

• The qualities, knowledge, skills and resources needed
• How we need to be equipped in order to lead assessment
• How our personal motivation impacts on Assessment outcomes
• How we could be shaped by our unconscious processes
• Issues of power, choice and control
• Misuse and abuse (to include references to “No Secrets”)

Professional, Team and Agency Issues:

• Principles of Good Practice
• Confidentiality, access to information and Data Protection
• Working appropriately in the framework
• The use of Supervision
• Accessing agency resources to promote your practice
• Recording
• Anti Discriminatory Practice

Engagement:

• How to engage-the challenges
• How to establish a working alliance in the shortest time possible
• How to develop rapport
• The need to establish appropriate boundaries
• The need to keep to task
• How to approach the “resistant” service user

The Assessment:

• How to establish the purpose of the Assessment
• How to gain a history
• How to assess immediate needs
• How to assess immediate risk
• How to approach addressing immediate needs

Skills required:

• The need to develop Active Listening Skills*
• The need to develop interviewing skills (verbal and non verbal)*
• The need for objective and accurate recording*

Training Methods:

• Group building exercises
• Learning contract
• Tutor presentations
• Large and smaller group work
• Pairs work
• OHP/PowerPoint presentation
• Role Play
• Word shower method
• Handouts

* Please note that these themes cannot be fully explored in a one day course. Learners will be provided with a ‘taster’.

CP163/5.9