ECHO

ECHO Supported Living Services has appointed Amy Childs as Clinical Support Manager.

An experienced professional, Amy, who qualified as a Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities in 2006,has held positions withing hospital, residential and supported living services with her most recent role being Clinical Director supporting clinical strategy and support within the community. She implemented a clinical governance process for people with autism, learning disabilities and mental health and their staff teams.

Amy’s responsibilities will include strengthening the positive behaviour support ethos within ECHO Supported Living Services. This will involve monitoring quality of life and outcomes for the individuals supported including personal development, self-determination, interpersonal relationships, social inclusion and emotional, physical and material wellbeing.

ECHO Supported Living Services uses the PERMA model (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment) to support achievement of self-identified goals.

For individuals who are communicating through behaviours that may be a risk to self or others, assessments and analysis will be completed to ensure that the function of the behaviour is understood before strategies to support are implemented.

Strategies will include skills teaching for the person and their supporting team in how to replace the behaviour with a safer way of communicating the unmet need/want whilst ensuring the setting events, triggers and protective factors are identified and supported.

For the staff teams the role will include training, on-site support and coaching, skills development, reflective practice and systems to ensure effective post incident support.

The Clinical Manager Support role will also include monitoring of data such as incident trends, use of restrictive practice, outcome measures, people supported and family/carer involvement, risk management and staff support via the seven pillars of clinical governance.

Amy Childs said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join ECHO Supported Living Services, which is a growing company, already achieving fantastic outcomes for the people supported.

“Clinical support and governance is hugely important both for the people supported and the staff who support them.

“A key part of my job will be promoting positive behaviour support. This is not a behaviour intervention in itself but an ethos to support improved quality of life for all within the company which will have the secondary benefits of reducing behaviours of concern that can impact on an individual’s daily life whilst also increasing staff retention.

“I am looking forward to the challenges and successes ahead and working with colleagues and the people they support to further enhance their quality of life.”

Andrew Shelton-Murray, Director of ECHO Supported Living Services, said: “Amy will be an excellent addition to the team at ECHO Supported Living Services. Her skills and experience will be invaluable as the company grows and our planned new service in Stafford develops alongside the existing facility in Walsall.”

ENDS

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF ECHO SUPPORTED LIVING SERVICES LIMITED

Contact: Caroline Walker on 01325 363436

ECHO Supported Living Services supports people with learning disabilities, autism, complex behaviour and mental ill-health to live as independently as possible. The aim is to provide safe and supportive care that promotes empowerment, independence and choice, whilst enhancing service users daily living skills, enabling individuals to live effectively in their community.

Enhanced Community Healthcare Options (ECHO) provides specialist residential care services with nursing and supported living services for adults with a learning disability and other complex needs such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, mental health needs or physical conditions