Course Introduction
Hello and welcome to the online Hi-Vis UK Level 3 Certificate in Specialist Deafblind Assessment and Support, a Care Act (2014) compliant course. This new accredited online course builds on our highly successful in-class training. It is built so the learning can be done in bite-size chunks and slotted around busy work schedules with its flexible learning format.
As local authorities and commissioners seek to fulfil their duties under the act and find new ways to deliver advice and support in ever challenging times, a wider range of professionals and employees are providing the face to face contact and support to local people. This extends to and includes local organisations commissioned by the local authority under their market shaping duties.
It is important that local authorities identify all staff who are public facing, including specialist and non-specialist social workers and their partners’ staff, and make sure they all understand the indicators, the impact on wellbeing, and their duties under the Care Act (2014) related to this condition. Enrolling them on this course makes that achievable.
A brief note on terminology:
Section 6 of The Care Act (2014) talks about deafblindness covering all ages, congenital and acquired, the latter mostly through ageing. In Part 1 we show how it is helpful and practical to distinguish between congenital and acquired as the impacts and interventions are different in important ways.
One key difference relates to identification. Congenital, by definition, is identified at birth or very early years. Being known to service providers at diagnosis means support and life skills training is usually provided early and at key life stages.
Acquired mostly emerges in adult years and is especially prevalent in later life, 60 years plus. Most have to face this life changing condition without the benefit of informed, expert support, and the new life skills they need to adapt as the condition gets worse. The majority of people with acquired deafblindness are not known to their local authority. Yet it is one of the most common health conditions associated with ageing.
As we all live longer lives this group is expected to increase by 60% over the next 15 years. Making this training absolutely vital to help address the growing need.
Most older people often don’t recognise the condition in themselves, partly because onset is often gradual, making them even more at risk than those without it. For people whose sight and hearing deteriorates to the point it affects the quality and even the safety of their everyday lives.
Our course has 3 core elements:
Part 1. WHAT IS DEAFBLINDNESS – understanding the condition
Part 2. DEAFBLINDNESS AND THE CARE ACT (2014) – how to assess
Part 3. DEAFBLINDNESS AND WELLBEING – impacts and interventions
Part 1: What is deafblindness?
This is the essential foundation knowledge about deafblindness. It’s value to anyone in contact with an older person will be significant due to the very high prevalence of acquired deafblindness.
Here, learners find out how to spot the signs of undiagnosed deafblindness – one of the most significant and growing problems facing care and health providers. Learners will discover what hearing loss sounds like, what vision loss looks like and what happens when the two come together.
They will learn the indicators they need to know to help increase numbers identified with deafblindness and reduce the number of people struggling unaided with the condition.
Mobility – Access to information – Communication. The most widely recognised definition of deafblindess and DSI is the one adopted by the UK Government in 1995: “their deafblindness causes difficulties with communication, mobility, and, access to information.” We at Hi-Vis UK call it the MAC mantra to help people remember this practical definition of a largely misunderstood condition. See 1.2 of this course for more.
Part 2: Deafblindness, Assessment and the Care Act (2014)
Part 2 looks at the Care Act (2014), the specialist guidance, duties and principles relating to deafblindness. These include a legal duty for the identification, assessment and support of local people needing advice, guidance and care, and keeping a record of deafblindness in the local population.
The broad aims for Part 2 of the course are to help you:
- Embed the deafblindness learning from part one into your understanding of the Care Act (2014)
- Explore how best to prepare and perform a Care Act (2014) compliant deafblind assessment
- Embed deafblindness awareness into all aspects of the assessment and post-assessment journey
- Plan how to shape your local social and health care marketplace so they can also meet the Care Act (2014) and needs of individuals with deafblindness.
Part 3: Deafblindness and Wellbeing
The overall purpose of the Care Act (2014) is to promote and support wellbeing. Part 3 builds on parts one and two by looking in depth at the Wellbeing Principle in the Care Act (2014), looking at each of the 10 wellbeing outcomes, which form the care support eligibility criteria, working through common issues and challenges presented by acquired deafblindness then considering a range of tried and tested solutions and interventions matched to each wellbeing outcome.
In Part 3 learners also have the opportunity to apply their learning by undertaking a simulated specialist deafblind assessment task – resources and instructions are provided in Part 3.11.
Summary
Our course is designed to ensure all public facing local authority and commissioned external staff gain the crucial awareness they must have to successfully: find, assess, support and or advise these vulnerable people in their local community.
It enables a full appreciation of the impacts on wellbeing, avoiding mistakes made by underestimating the impact losing both sight and hearing can cause.
Everyone who undertakes this course will have a clear understanding of the challenges people with this condition face every day and what, practically, can be done about it – the legal imperatives, the life changing benefits that can be realised.
The course includes online learner support available on request throughout the learner’s journey. Learners will be able to take away our specialist deafblind assessment tools and resources in Part 3 to use in their work.
Completing the course, assessing your learning, support during the course and getting your results
Assessment of your learning:
This is done through a quiz at the end of each section in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. To progress through the course you must first successfully complete the section quiz.
In addition there is an exercise at the end of Part 3 – 3.11, where we ask you to conduct a simulated specialist deafblind assessment using the tools and resources provided there for you. You will need to answer the questions and enter your “eligibility determination statement” (a summary of your findings) in the text box provided.
Supporting your learning journey:
If at any point in the course you get stuck or want to clarify something in that section, you can to talk to one of expert advisers. Simply use the CONTACT link at the top of the page to send us your query or problem and we will arrange a 1 to 1 video tutorial with you.
Getting your results!
Your course results will be sent to our awarding body for verification. Certificates are directly from the awarding body. This can take up to 8 weeks.
Timing your learning!
And remember, this is a flexible course. You can start and pause as many times as you need to fit around your work commitments. Once enrolled, access to the course is 24/7 until successful completion during your time limited access period.
Your Course Access Period
Your enrolment gives you time-limited-access to complete your course and to enable you to look at elements again over a fixed period after which your access will end. NB: time-limited-access may vary in duration, contact your training officer to find out when your period of access begins and ends.
And finally, your thoughts please
The final task is to complete our short feedback form via the SurveyMonkey link which is located at the end of section 3.11. When you finish the assessment exercise jut pop back to section 3.11 and complete the form. Thanks!
The Topic Tasks
The ultimate objective of this course is help you grow professionally and to improve the support you and your services give to local deafblind people. At the end of most sections in this course you will find a Topic Task (in a yellow box). These tasks have been specially devised by our experts to help you think about how to embed your learning into your work practice; to help you take the learning back into your workplace and team; ways you might share this with your colleagues. These tasks are not assessed and are not mandatory but hopefully you can see how they can help!
If you do decide to use one of our Topic Task ideas we would love to hear how it goes – please do tell us using the CONTACT link.
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FLIP-BOXES
About Our Flip-Boxes: hover your mouse over the green box below, the one with the jigsaw-piece icon - it flips! Look out for these as you work through the course.
