Working effectively with people with Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health difficulties- Martha Mc Ginn National Institute of Intellectual Disability Studies

This is a series of four half-day virtual workshops;

Participants must book all four together,

Date: 15th/16th /29th/ 30th November

Time: 9.30 am till 1pm (approximately)

Cost: €20 SCI Member/ €80 Non member

This is an introductory programme which will prepare learners to be able to understand and clearly identify their role in supporting the needs for this very vulnerable and complex group of service users.  It will also prepare learners if they wanted to undertake a more comprehensive programme with the National Institute of Intellectual Disability Studies.

Aim: The aim of this programme is to provide Social Care Workers with a framework for understanding and addressing problems that may arise when an individual has both intellectual disabilities and mental health difficulties and possibly a personality disorder. People with Intellectual Disabilities who have Mental Health disorders are currently posing real challenges to both the Intellectual Disability and Mental Health services with many falling through the net with undiagnosed and untreated conditions.

Learning Outcomes:

Social Care Workers will learn and develop skills in the following areas:

• Learn how best to provide a safe and supportive service to meet the challenges presented by people with Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health Difficulties
• Explore Intellectual Disabilities and mental illness, prevalence, indicators, common syndromes, characteristics, vulnerability factors, similarities and differences between MI and IDD.
• Understand and develop support strategies for people with Intellectual Disabilities who have conditions such as Depression, Anxiety, Mood Disorder, Psychosis and Personality Disorder
• Better understand people with Intellectual Disabilities in the context of their history of trauma, and Social Care Workers own emotional and behavioural responses.
• Understand terms such as ‘personality disorder’ ‘mental health’ and ‘behaviour of concern’
• Understand the ‘traumatised carer’ and the difficulties of working competently with people who have complex emotional needs.
• Improves Social Care Workers understanding and confidence in supporting service users with complex emotional needs

Facilitator: Martha Mc Ginn is one of the Company Directors of the National Institute of Intellectual Disability Studies. Martha completed her Higher Diploma in Learning Disability studies at UCD and is a Registered Nurse for people with Intellectual Disabilities (RNID). She has a B.Sc.Hons Degree in Professional Social Work specialising in working with People with Intellectual Disabilities. Martha also studied under Valarie Sinason (World-renowned psychoanalyst and psychotherapist in the field of Intellectual Disability study) completing a specialised course in Psychodynamic Therapy at the Tavistock Centre London. Martha’s practical experience includes working with both children and adults with complex needs.