communication skills

Common core competences and principles for health and social care workers working with adults at the end of life

Document detailing competences and principles applicable to all workers involved in caring for and supporting people at the end of life regardless of whether their role is healthcare related or social care related. These competences and principles are intended to support workforce development.

Barriers to communication

Through a scenario this resource enables the user to explore the potential barriers to communication that can exist in their everyday work. This resource will allow the understanding of how the following factors that can inhibit, interrupt or confuse the communication between social workers and service users, carers and others: time available; territory (environment and context); role and task; professional identity and use of self.

Becoming a carer : a booklet about looking after someone with dementia

This booklet, produced by the Mental Health Foundation, is for anyone who has become, or thinks they may become a carer for someone with dementia. This booklet explains some of the basic facts about dementia, gives ideas on where to get practical and emotional support, offers advice on how to plan for the future, and provides some tips on caring for people with dementia. Importantly, it also suggests some ways carers can look after themselves while they are caring. And finally, it recommends sources of further information and help.

Gathering information

This e-learning resource uses a video scenario to help the user develop observation, listening and interviewing skills and to become more aware of its own subjectivity. Different ways of asking questions will be considered in more depth and there is an opportunity to try out some creative approaches to gathering information using diagrams or art-based tools.

Abuse and Disabled Children

This course is a mixture of didactic input and case scenario exercises. It also includes a PowerPoint presentation called 'A Multi Agency Understanding of Child Protection Related to Disability'. The course offers information on the current state of knowledge about the abuse of disabled children and the challenges of their adequate protection. There is then an opportunity for participants to make use of this knowledge using some brief case scenarios. Exercise can last approximately 2.5 hours and is appropriate for groups of 8-25.

Using play and the creative arts to communicate with children and young people

Children and young people communicate in ways which are different from or additional to those used by adults This resource begins by exploring some of the reasons why children and young people communicate in these additional and alternative ways. It then goes on to describe ways of using stories, art work, creative writing and music as forms of communication.