Leaf Complex Care

➡️ The Mental Health Bill is being prioritised right now, and the Human Rights Joint Committee needs our input on the key points they've listed here. ➡️ Please submit your views around the human rights element of this Bill - the more voices are heard, the more fit for purpose the Bill will be. Thank you for sharing Ashleigh Fox! #humanrights #learningdisabilities #autism #homesnothospitals

📝Care coordinators are central to the success of communication care plans. Their role as mediators ensures that people’s voices are heard while supporting clinicians in implementing plans. “Care coordinators are the bridge between support workers and those we support. They pull together care plans, ensure they’re implemented, and adapt them as needed. Training care coordinators was a natural step to improve communication outcomes across the organisation." - shares Jodee Simpson, our Speech and Language Therapist "Through targeted training sessions, I’ve seen remarkable transformations. For instance, one coordinator shared how understanding a person’s preference for non-speaking cues like gestures and rhythms changed how they approached care. This shift enhanced communication and deepened trust and the emotional bonds between the person and their care team.” Read the second article from the blog series 'In the Heart of Care': Getting the Right Support in Place: Communication Care Plans That Work. https://lnkd.in/dWNbBbCx

🎄South East Open Day and Midlands Christmas Party! This holiday season, we celebrated with an Open Day and Christmas Party for our incredible team. It was a day filled with laughter, connection, and festive cheer – a perfect way to come together and reflect on 2024. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and made the day so special. Here’s to a bright and joyful year ahead!🌟 #Teamwork #FestiveSeason #CareCommunity #Christmas2023

Are we asking the right questions? Jodee Simpson, our Speech and Language Therapist at Therapy Team - Catalyst Care Group, shares her reflections as a parent on the importance of context in recognising emotions. When her son was young, she thought he was feeling angry because of the way he expressed himself, but it turned out he was feeling something else entirely. ‘’We’re often told to label the emotions we see, but this can be a problem with autistic people because their facial expressions might not match what we think the emotion is. My boy, Gideon, struggled to fall asleep at night, often staying up until 1 or 2 a.m., speaking loudly, which kept everyone awake. When he was younger, I’d go to his room and say, “I’m going to switch off your brain so you can sleep,” just as a metaphor. But he’d get visibly upset and tell me to go away. As a speech therapist, I was taught that with small children who are not very good at labelling their own emotions, we should look at their emotions and label what we see. So, I would say, “You look angry. To me, this emotion is anger. What’s making you angry?” But he’d respond, “Nothing,” and still couldn’t sleep. I then used an app with images of different emotions and asked him to pick the one that matched his feelings. Surprisingly, he chose “worried.” He explained he feared that if his brain were “switched off,” he wouldn’t wake up in the morning. This taught me that often, a lot of the people that we work with, especially if they’re autistic, their facial expressions might not match what we think the emotion is.’’ So, are we asking the right questions? Experience a fresh and unique viewpoint and join us in discovering what compassionate support and person-centred care truly mean in the opening blog post: The Language of Difference: Understanding Autistic Communication Differences https://lnkd.in/di5Ak2gG #therapyteam #leafcomplexcare

Harley is a 9-year-old boy who loves visiting amusement parks, swimming, and enjoying ice cream with his carers. He is autistic and also lives with ADHD and learning difficulties. When we first met Harley, the initial assessment was thorough, with the team working closely with his mother to co-create a personalised care plan. Over time, Harley has built strong relationships with his carers, founded on trust and friendship. This progress has allowed him to enjoy a higher quality of life, communicate and participate in the activities he loves the most with great ease. Hear more of his story: https://lnkd.in/dNMsB49s

💬‘’I worked with a young man who used phrases from Thomas the Tank Engine to express distress. When he said, “Oh no, there’s a cow on the track,” it was his way of signalling that he needed help, often preceding a meltdown. As a speech and language therapist, I focus on understanding how people communicate their distress, which can sometimes stem from pain. Collaborating with family members is crucial, as they can provide insight into these communication cues." - shares Jodee Simpson in the blog post - The Language of Difference: Understanding Autistic Communication Differences. "For this young man, we created a communication dictionary to clarify the meanings behind his phrases. Though it might seem complex to others, it made sense to me as someone who shares similar experiences. Ultimately, our efforts to decode his communication helped everyone understand his needs better.’’ Therapy might include supporting people to understand and fully participate in the world around them, express their views meaningfully using their preferred communication style, and promote self-awareness, autonomy and self-advocacy. This might involve working directly with a person or coaching/training their care, support team, and family to meet their communication, sensory or swallowing needs.  Read more: https://lnkd.in/di5Ak2gG

The Capable Environments Model provides a holistic framework for effectively supporting growth and well-being in today’s world. Whether in the context of education, health and social care, or community development, this concept serves as a guiding principle for creating a world where every person has the opportunity to flourish. Read more in the blog post below: https://lnkd.in/d93vrJX3

📝Are we asking the right questions? Jodee Simpson, our Speech and Language Therapist, shares her reflections as a parent on the importance of context in recognising emotions. When her son was young, she thought he was feeling angry because of the way he expressed himself, but it turned out he was feeling something else entirely. ‘’We’re often told to label the emotions we see, but this can be a problem with autistic people because their facial expressions might not match what we think the emotion is." - Jodee S. Experience a fresh and unique viewpoint and join us in discovering what compassionate support and person-centred care truly mean in the opening blog post: The Language of Difference: Understanding Autistic Communication Differences https://lnkd.in/di5Ak2gG

Harley is a 9-year-old boy who loves visiting amusement parks, swimming, and enjoying ice cream with his carers. He is autistic and also lives with ADHD and learning difficulties. When we first met Harley, the initial assessment was thorough, with the team working closely with his mother to co-create a personalised care plan. Over time, Harley has built strong relationships with his carers, founded on trust and friendship. This progress has allowed him to enjoy a higher quality of life, communicate and participate in the activities he loves the most with great ease. Hear more of his story: https://lnkd.in/de7KaHpS

Harley is a 9-year-old boy who loves visiting amusement parks, swimming, and enjoying ice cream with his carers. He is autistic and also lives with ADHD and learning difficulties. When we first met Harley, the initial assessment was thorough, with the team working closely with his mother to co-create a personalised care plan. Over time, Harley has built strong relationships with his carers, founded on trust and friendship. This progress has allowed him to enjoy a higher quality of life, communicate and participate in the activities he loves the most with great ease. Hear more of his story: https://lnkd.in/de7KaHpS