Certificate in Supporting and Working with Families

This accredited Special Purpose Level 7 course, Certificate in Supporting and Working with Families, equips the student a thorough understanding of family-centred ways of working so that the person being supported can achieve the universal good things of life.

Families are often the only constant in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities; regardless of the quality of the relationship between support staff and the person with disability, staff inevitably move on.

Everyone involved in the support of any person needs to recognise and appreciate the hugely important place held by families in the lives of people with ID, whether this is perceived as positive or negative these familial relationships need to be supported and nourished.

Who is the Working with Families Course for?

The course is aimed at staff in the disability sector whose role involves:

Interacting with or supporting the families of the people you support
Facilitating advocacy/person centred plans with people using the service; and/or
Performing a supervisory role within an organisation that supports advocacy/PCP

It is ideal for a practitioner with a social studies/care/community development qualification who would like to:

Gain an in-depth knowledge of this area
Critically reflect upon their role as a practitioner
Obtain academic recognition

What Will I Learn on the Working with Families course?

Learning Objectives

After completing this course you should be able to:

Critically discuss the nature and complexities of modern families and how cultural differences and legislation might influence attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Examine the experiences, challenges and opportunities of families of people with disabilities.
Critically examine the support roles expected and required of staff, services and families in supporting people with disabilities.
Elaborate on the skills required to work in a professional manner with families to effectively support people with a disability.

Course Content

Unit 1 explores the place of the family in Irish society and its legislative position in relation to both children and adults. The change in the role and status of the family as the person moves for childhood to adulthood is discussed and what this means for how families can best be supported to support their family member with ID throughout their life.

Unit 2 explores the experiences of families of people with disabilities and the impact of these experiences on them. The need for particular support for families around times of transition is discussed and the need for such support to be tailored to the strengths, needs and wishes of the family and the person with disability.

In Unit 3 examines the range of support issues expected and required by families and by the person with a disability, and the support roles that staff members and services can play in meeting some of these needs. The importance of actively listening to and empathetic communication with families is considered.

In Unit 4 we discuss the skills and competencies Social Care workers need to effectively support people and their families in a person-centred way. Helping ensure that the person and their family can develop a positive vision for and with the person demands that support staff are respectful and honest communication with families and that the real fears and issues of the family are addressed.

How Will I Be Assessed?

Successful completion of the course is dependent on undertaking a series of assessments. These involve:

Completing a practical project (2,500 words) that ties together your learning and professional practice
Critically reflecting on how the course has change your perceptions of your role
Participating in an online discussion with a learning community made up of fellow practitioners and tutors

You will be supported in your assessment through the OTC's innovative, award winning learner support model. Read more about the model here.

The Tutor View - Cathy Vaughan

What changes do you see in people as the course progresses?

Initially people can be hesitant and doubt their own capacity to support individuals and families but during the course you can clearly see people develop their capacity to deal with this. Developing competence helps confidence to grow too and at the end of the course you can see people are committed to a process that can lead to better lives for the people they support.

How do you think service users benefit?

Services users can expect a move away from a one size fits all approach, and a recognition of their own right to be fully involved in decisions about their life, toward a life that is more of their own choosing, with more of what is important to them as an individual in the same way that we all want to live our lives.

How will this Working with Families Course Support my Career?

This minor award is aimed at qualified practitioners who wish to ensure the people they support even those with complex needs have the best options based on the life they want to live.

The qualification enhances any CV where you may want to go into residential services, day services, community inclusion or empowerment.

Qualification

The course is certified by QQI as a Higher Education and Training (HET) Level 7 Award. Successful participants will obtain a component certificate in:

Supporting and Working with Families (10 credits) (7S20218)

How Do I Apply?

Applications for this course are accepted through our Online Application Centre. To apply for the degree, you will need to:

Satisfy the entry requirements for the programme
Provide a range of documents to support your application
Submit a personal statement explaining why you want to apply

What are the Course Entry Requirements?

To apply you must:

Be either 23 years of age when you apply, or
Have successfully completed a Leaving Certificate/QQI/FETAC Level 5 Certificate.

All applicants must be employed or volunteering in a service for people with disabilities for at least 10 hours a week.
International Applicants must provide appropriate documentary evidence of proficiency in English (i.e. IELTS 6.0).

What Supporting Documents Will I Need?

You will need to provide us with a range of documents as part of your application. These are:

Proof of identity. Common examples included scanned copies of a driving license or passport (for international applicants).
Employment Validation: Formal confirmation that you are working for more than 10 hours a week in a qualifying service is required. Please use the employer validation form we have provided for download below.
Volunteer Form: You will need to complete a Volunteer Form if you are currently working as a volunteer. This is available for download below.
Personal Statement: This document essentially explains why you want to take the course and how you see it helping you achieve your professional and personal goals. You can learn more about it below and download a simple document that will help you write it.
International Applicants: International applicants are required to provide documentary evidence of proficiency in English and eligibility to study in Ireland before beginning an accredited course. A document explaining why it is necessary and what documents are required for a successful application can be found below

Forms

PLEASE NOTE: We’ve also provided a checklist to help with your application. We generally recommend you gather together all the documents you will require to support your application before you begin but our online application system will allow you add documents as and when you have them once you’ve begun submitting your application. You can learn more by visiting the Online Application Centre.

At a Glance

AUDIENCE

Care Workers, Health Care & Personal Assistants, Family or Home Support Workers, Community Care Workers

SCHOOL

Continuing Professional Development, Social Care

FORMAT

Blended

AWARD