January 2017

Support with Confidence Training

‘Becoming a Personal Assistant’

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Unit 3 – Videosand Questions

Please watch the short video clips mentioned in our email to you –please click on this linkTraining for Personal Assistants to access the clips which areonline on the Support with Confidence website

Then answer the following questions. You may find it easier to watch each clip separately before answering the questions on that clip. If you have any problems accessing these files please contact

This exercise is to introduce you to some of the issues that can arise in a social care setting. During the exercise, please consider your learning from this activity and how this will influence the support you provide to individuals. This series of videos is to support your development as a Personal Assistant. These videos have been produced by The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) whose vision is to “improve the quality of care and support services for adults and children”.

Please watch each clip and answer the following questions in order to consider the messages being delivered. Don’t worry! There is not usually a ‘right’ or a ‘wrong’ answer.

Please answer the questions in the spaces provided. If you run out of space, continue on a separate sheet and indicate which question you are answering.

Linda Rounds’ Story
This film follows the story of Linda Rounds, who needs constant care after a car accident. Linda’s teenage daughter was looking after her. Following a visit from a social worker Linda found out she was entitled to direct payments. She used the money to pay her friends to be her personal assistants, helping her to feel comfortable with her carers, and giving her daughter more freedom.
Important note: This clip shows Linda being assisted down the stairs by her personal assistant, for reasons of safety to both the individual and the personal assistant, it should be noted that people requiring assistance on stairs should be referred for an occupational therapy assessment as this is considered high risk practice.
Q1.What was the emotional impact on Linda and her family of her deteriorating health?
Q2.Linda felt more comfortable being supported by someone she already knew. If you were supporting someone who didn’t already know you, what steps do you think you could take to make them feel more at ease?
Q3.As Linda employed friends as her personal assistants they already had positive relationships. What are the benefits of developing positive relationships?
Q4.What was Linda’s expectation of her carers?
Emily’s story
This film portrays Emily, who at 94 is a new resident of a care home and the staff who care for her. Emily wants to continue making tea for herself each morning but the staff team are anxious to ensure that arrangements are made which keep Emily safe.
Scene by scene, the film introduces some of the key principles of the Mental Capacity Act. Tensions are explored around whether or not Emily lacks capacity to make a decision. In the final scenes a best interest decision is made on Emily’s behalf.
We all have a duty of care to the people we support and should take reasonable steps to prevent people coming to harm. However, we also need to balance this duty with understanding what is important to people and enabling them to do the things which matter, where possible. It is a delicate balance of safety and quality of life which, for reasons of safety, often results in people doing things differently, more safely.
Q5.What are the risks associated with Emily making tea?
Q6.Why is making tea important to Emily?
Q7.If you were supporting someone living at home who wanted to prepare their own food and drink what steps could you take to make things safer for them?
Philip’s story
The film focuses on the personal story of Philip who suffered abuse in the family home for many years. Philip has learning disabilities and cerebral palsy. He was however supported to leave the family home and has gone from strength to strength. Philip continues to live a full and independent life.
Important Note: Abuse within the family home can go undetected for many years with limited opportunity to talk to people outside of the family network. Safeguarding means protecting an adults or child’sright to live in safety free from abuse and neglect.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. If you have any concerns regarding the welfare of an adult or child you should contact Nottinghamshire County Council telephone 0300 500 8080, or the Police telephone 101 - in an emergency 999.
To find out more about Safeguarding in Nottinghamshire go to Safeguarding Adults and Children Information and select Adults or Children
Q8.What types of abuse was Philip victim of?
Q9.What were or could have been the signs that Philip was being abused?
Q10.Abuse was an ongoing part of Philips life, how did this make him feel?
Q11.Philip and his personal assistant now have a very positive relationship. What aspect of this relationship did the personal assistant feel most important to ensure Philip was getting the supported he needed?
Q12.What has the impact of independent living been on Philip?
Q13.Philips personal assistant has a very clear and simple view about providing care and support to people; if it would not be acceptable for you then it is not acceptable. How do you feel about this view?
Q14.If you suspected a person you support is being abused by a family member, what would you do?
Stephen’s story
This video introduces Stephen Page, a man with Multiple Sclerosis. Maintaining his social and cultural life is very important to Stephen and he has been enabled to continue to attend events which help him to lead his chosen life. He is a creative and talented person who needs to maintain his interests and activities for his own well-being.
Q15.What did being given the opportunity to have a personal assistant, as opposed to agency support, mean to Stephen?
Q16.What are the issues for personal assistants, particularly those who have not previously worked in social care, when providing intimate and personal care?
Q17.The term ‘person centered care’ is used a lot in social care. How do you think Stephen’s care was ‘personalised’ or tailored around his needs and wants, and why do you think this is so important?
Q18.What did Stephen see as the underlying principle of ‘person centered care’?
Anne’s story
Anne, a disabled person, describes the barriers facing disabled people, discusses the issues involved in employing personal assistants and talks about her own work to bring about positive change. Anne believes things are beginning to change for the better for disabled people. Noting a historical lack of participation in services by disabled people, she describes how she led a group to gain control of spending on the services that they require. Anne is playing a key role in bringing about positive change in services for disabled people.
Please note the ways in which Anne was moved by her personal assistant should not be considered good practice, for reasons of safety to both the individual and the personal assistant. When assisting people to move you should incorporate the principles of safer moving and handling and if necessary seek further advice.
Q19.Access to public places can be a problem for disabled people. Bearing this in mind how would you plan when taking the people out who you support?
Q20.Anne talks about the social model of disability, this model argues that people are disabled for reasons associated to society and the environment. For example someone in a wheelchair being unable to access the cinema as there are only steps at the entrance and no alternative, would be disabling. Can you think of other things which are disabling?
Q21.Before being supported by a personal assistant Anne received care through the local council. What was it about this service Anne did not like?
Q22.What are the key skills required of a personal assistant?
Q23.Anne talks about the difficulties of sorting out problems with her personal assistant. Sometimes it can be quite tricky for the people who need support to talk to their personal assistant about the way in which they are cared for. How can you make it easier for the people you support to discuss their care with you?

My learning and what I will do with it (optional)

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Identify the key areas of learning for you from this activity
Please note ALL of your learning
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How will this learning assist me in my role as a Personal Assistant?
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Further Training Needs
Record any other areas of training that would support you in your role as Personal Assistant
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January 2017