The Referral Process

Pre-admission assessment preparation and on-going support input during the first six months following admission are vital to the success of the a person's placement. For this reason, each referral to HQL is processed according to the following steps:

• Comprehensive Pre-admission Assessment and Report
• Person-Specific Fee Analysis
• Preparation of Positive Behaviour Support Interventions, Risk Assessment & Management Plan and Joint Care Planning meeting prior to admission
• Individual Transition process
• Agreed Goals and Focus Areas

In addition to preparing the service at HQL to meet the person's needs effectively, the steps in this process aim to build partnerships between significant people in the person's life at HQL. The strength of these relationships can also be a significant factor in the success of the person's placement.

On receipt of a referral this stimulates an effective and efficient response. Within 48 hours a team of dedicated professionals will be allocated to make contact with the referred individual and significant others.

Within 7 days a preliminary visit will occur between the individual, a behaviour specialist and Service Manager from HQL Within 14 days an initial referral assessment report will be received by the referring agency. The report is brief, but concise, with relevant and useful information.

At this stage we will make various recommendations, proposals and make a decision on whether we feel HQL is offering its services to the individual. Also an initial fee analysis is provided to the referring agency.

Following agreement for our services to be provided, we will commission a further visit to undertake a more in depth assessment of the person’s specific needs. This is carried out by the Behavioural Specialist, Service Manager and a staff member from the service, who will have a special role as a Key person with the individual. At this stage, assessment is commenced which identifies daily routines, staffing, transitions, communication systems, primary health care, psychological and behavioural needs are identified, and the initial assessment commenced. Meetings occur between our staff and significant others, typically these would include teachers, family and care staff. Following this stage an action led meeting(Joint Care Planning Process) is convened between all parties to discuss and agree the following: -

• Transition
• Positive Behaviour Support Guidelines
• Personal Physical Interventions - (if required)
• Communication System
• Person Specific Goals and focus priorities

Following the person moving in to their new home there is a period of getting to know each other. Weekly evaluation meetings are held and progress is monitored and recorded. At 3 months an informal meeting is held between all parties.

The behaviours that are sometimes displayed by service users, sometimes as a last resort, require personal physical interventions, and to the end all our staff are fully trained. All our managers are Instructors and the strategies used by HQL are included within the Accreditations Scheme administered by the British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD)

Our enthusiastic and skilled staff team achieve truly great qualities resulting through their understanding, commitment and perseverance in implementing our approach. Given the nature of our work and the need for support we place emphasis on the provision of support to our staff; simply a valued individual staff member leads to a happy team, which leads to a good team.