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Previous research has highlighted that factors such as large workload, role ambiguity, lack of support from colleagues, and challenging behaviour are associated with higher levels of burnout within the disability support worker (DSW) population. The aim of this research was to investigate which factors contribute the most to the prediction of the three facets of burnout--feeling exhausted and overextended by one's work (emotional exhaustion), detached and callous responses towards work (depersonalisation) and a lack of achievement and productivity within one's role (personal accomplishment). The factors chosen for analysis within this research were analysed within four categories linked to theories of burnout development (individual, interpersonal, organisational and demographic). A sample of 108 DSWs completed a questionnaire booklet that contained standardised measures of burnout and job stressors related to disability work. Results highlighted the importance of predictors such as challenging behaviour (interpersonal), workload (individual), supervisor support (individual), work-home conflict (individual), job feedback (individual), role ambiguity (organisational), low job status (organisational), role conflict (organisational), gender (demographic) and work hours (demographic) when predicting one or more of the facets of burnout. In conclusion, disability services and organisations may benefit from focusing on remodelling their staff-related organisational practices in order to prevent the development of burnout in their DSWs (e.g., increase supervision and support practices)., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

While disability is recognised by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as an evolving concept, the language of positive behaviour support has not kept pace with the current human rights-based approach. The widely-used terms 'challenging behaviour' and 'behaviours that challenge' imply that the behaviour is inherent in a person with disability. Words have power in shaping practice: when the behaviour of the person with disability is framed as the problem, this leads to a pathologisation or labelling that can provide a rationale to medicate and restrain as a way of 'managing the challenging behaviour'. Many behaviours seen as being challenging could be better understood as 'adaptive behaviours to maladaptive environments', or legitimate responses to difficult environments and situations. In this paper, we argue that the language and implementation of positive behaviour support should better take into account the CRPD and contemporary evidence on behaviour change interventions, which support a shift away from focusing on individuals' behaviours towards putting environments front and centre. We outline how the social-ecological model could be used as a framework to more explicitly address 'environments of concern' in developing tailored and system-wide responses to behaviour support needs. We argue there is an urgency for this paradigm shift to better reflect the views of people with disability and improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are a vulnerable population in all aspects of access and participation, abuse and neglect, and being subject to the use of restrictive practices. Accordingly, they are a group whose human rights can be impacted where equal access to supports, services, and accessible information is compromised. The current COVID‐19 pandemic is a global humanitarian emergency that has had a devastating impact across the world, for all people. Growing concern has been raised about the impact of the COVID‐19 virus on the health of people with disabilities and there has been subsequent development of strategies and protocols to promote equal access to information, health supports, and services. People with IDD have high levels of underlying comorbidity that increases their risk of contracting COVID‐19 and measures to protect them from infection are critically important. However, those measures may trigger behaviors of concern and increase the risk of being subjected to restrictive practices. While some attention has been paid to the health impacts of COVID‐19 on people with disabilities, there has been less paid to the impact on the human rights of people with IDD who present with behaviors of concern. The aim of this paper is to provide a hypothetical exploration of the impacts of pandemic prevention measures on people with IDD and behaviors of concern in the context of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In the absence of available guidance for working with people with IDD with behaviors of concern during COVID‐19, we suggest behavior support response plans that aim to ensure that people with IDD with behaviors of concern are supported properly in a time of significant disruption for them, thereby safeguarding their human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Research shows that up to 43% of disability support workers (DSWs) report poor psychosocial work outcomes (e.g., stress, job burnout, low job satisfaction). This study examined whether the job demand-control-(support) model offers a valid explanation of DSW burnout and work engagement. Method 325 DSWs completed online measures of burnout, work engagement, workload, job control, and supervisor or colleague support. Results Significant three-way interactions between workload, control and colleague support were found for emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment (burnout), and vigour (work engagement). High workload, low job control and low colleague support was related to higher burnout and lower work engagement, and high colleague support or job control reduced the impact of workload on these outcomes. Conclusions Given the promising findings in relation to the job demand-control-(support) model, organisations looking to enhance DSW wellbeing in the workplace should address issues around job control, workload and support in combination as opposed to separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Quality behaviour support plans (BSPs) are critical for achieving positive outcomes for people with intellectual disability who exhibit challenging behaviour. This study measured the quality of BSPs for technical accuracy and appropriate readability.Method Ten disability support organisations provided 139 BSPs for evaluation using the Behavior Support Plan Quality Evaluation (BSP-QE II; to assess technical accuracy) and Flesch readability scores (to assess readability).Results The mean BSP-QE II score (M = 6.53) classified the BSPs analysed as “weak.” Of interest, the elements of the BSPs that were subject to specific statutory regulation displayed greater quality. The readability scores indicated that plans were written using language that may not be understandable to typical direct support staff.Conclusions Poor quality BSPs, or those too complex to be readily understood, may not be implemented fully. Statutory regulation positively influences BSP quality; however, a more detailed focus on training and quality assurance is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family having to relinquish the care of their family member with a disability is a situation that is often dealt with by disability services. In precipitous situations, the relinquished individual usually is placed in respite care until suitable permanent accommodation is organized or he or she is able to return to the family home. To examine to what extent the literature has discussed the issues associated with the need for urgent respite and how this need may link to relinquishment of care, the authors undertook an extensive review of relinquishment of care. The literature indicated that many families and carers feel that their respite needs are not being met and that certain individual and family characteristics are associated with need for urgent respite (such as severe disability, poor support, and carer distress). The dearth of studies on relinquishment of care makes it difficult to draw clear, validated statements from the literature about this issue. However, extrapolation from the literature on respite and relinquishment involving other client groups' points toward increased requests for respite being an early warning sign for relinquishment. The literature also notes that challenging behaviors, poor coping and lack of support, dire financial concerns, and carer distress are factors that often lead to relinquishment. The literature also notes that interventions such as active support and cognitive behavioral therapy can support families who are considering relinquishment or have relinquished care. The authors conclude that trends reported with regard to respite inadequacies reinforce the belief that for families and carers to receive maximal benefit from using respite, their respite allocation must be regular and planned in accordance to their needs. Overall, empirically based information regarding relinquishment of care involving people with intellectual disabilities is limited; hence, increased research on this issue is needed to expand the current knowledge base and the identification of strategies to more effectively support families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]