Night Support – Mental Health (1 day)

This course is suitable for support staff who have undertaken the introductory Mental Health Awareness training or equivalent.

The course outlines the range of possible night care needs of service users and the essential skills and working methods that enable effective support. Participants will benefit from of an understanding of how to prioritise the competing tasks of night care work, how to utilise support plans and manage risk during the night and how to maximise good communication between night and day staff to provide the best possible coordinated service.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course learners should understand:

• The range of typical needs there might be for service users at night
• The essential differences between night and day support objectives
• The difficulties service users may experience at night
• What would be appropriate and effective responses to night care needs
• How to respond to a distressed service user during the night
• The importance of the Support plan at night
• How to use the Support Plan at night
• How to contribute toward the plan
• The importance of the Risk Assessment at night
• How to use and contribute towards the Risk Assessment
• How to get the most from the night handover
• How to handover to day support staff
• How to prioritise competing needs and tasks during the night
• The importance of effective record keeping
• The key issues in lone working/co working
• Appropriate boundaries– good practice at night
• The potential fallout from poor boundaries
• The organisational emergency procedures
• How to ensure good communication to effect an overall coordinated service
• The use of Supervision for the night support worker
• The importance of looking after yourself – the physical and mental health needs of the night support worker

Training methods:

• Tutor presentations
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Group Work
• Word shower method
• Exercises
• Handouts

CP131/5.9