Part B (1000 words maximum)

Construct a professional development plan which identifies the professional capabilities which you wish to develop (if relevant draw on professional standards) and how you will do so. Include reference to clinical supervision.

Submission format

Please upload your assessment response as a Word document

 

 Who I am-   I studied a bachelor’s of psychology and Enrolled Nursing and currently in a leadership role (Community Mental Health-Specifically Autism) and casually working as a community service worker in homeless shelter (Constantly dealing with mental health clients, drugs and Alcohol)?

I am also a WHS representative and a Restricted Practice Reporter and Notifier (NDIS)- This involves monthly reporting of any authorized and unauthorized practices of restriction; Environment or, and seclusion, chemical and physical.

Interests – Forensic Science (Psychiatry Care)

Skills to develop

• Mental health assessment skills
• Psycho social skills (General Mental Health)
• Psychiatry pharmacology in terms of psychokinetic and dynamics
• The ability to gain a forensic patient’s trust.
• Counseling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach (Forensic)

How to achieve

• I hope to volunteer or Enrol in training programs
• I hope to involve in research projects to gain deeper understanding.
• Note; Recommend measures that others have used to achieve similar goal

Personal Skills I believe I have

• Leadership Skills
• Person centered Support skills (Aware of Diversity and other psycho social needs of an individual)
• Communication Skills (Additional – Nonverbal communication and constantly dealing WITH Challenging behaviours.)
• Excellent observation skills
• Assessing and supporting patients
• The ability to stay calm in difficult situations.
• Time management
• Patience- (Re- Working with children with Autism, ADHD and other comorbidity.
• Ethics and professionalism

I take care of children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (High functioning with severe behavioural challenges) I have proven ability to change their lives and I am frequently dealing with children at their vulnerable state. Ensuring that they have access to services, they are safe in the community and their general well being is taken care of- I achieve this through training, researching evidence-based literature, reflecting on practice and referring to the codes of conduct

• Problem solving skills

Having worked with Children with Autism, these are the qualities I would have (Copied and pasted for guidance)

1. Underpinning values and attitudes needed to enable workers to provide people with

autism with a service which values their right to:

• Be independent.
• Be regarded and treated as individuals.
• Make choices for themselves.
• Be treated in an equal and fair way.
• Be treated with respect, dignity and confidentiality.
• Access specialist support to realize potential.
• Receive compassionate and non-judgemental support, and to give it in their own roles as

parents, carers, workers or volunteers.

2. Basic autism awareness should include:

• The notion of autism as a spectrum, including the fact that it is a life-long condition.
• A brief synopsis of the theoretical models developed by Kanner and Asperger in identifying

autism.

• Key characteristics – understanding the main differences found in people with autism (often

referred to as the ‘triad of impairments’).

• Common sensory differences experienced by people who have autism.
• Common co-occurring conditions.
• Basic understanding of the complexity surrounding diagnosis, which includes:

– getting a formal diagnosis

– lots of different diagnoses within the ‘autistic spectrum’

– reasons for avoiding, or barriers to, diagnosis.

• Prevalence of autism in the general population.

3. Intermediate knowledge and skills. The worker will be able to:

• Use appropriate communication skills when supporting a person with autism.
• Support families and friends and make best use of their expert knowledge of the person.
• Recognize when a person with autism is experiencing stress and anxiety and support them

with this.

• Recognize sensory needs and differences of a person with autism and support them with this.

• Support the development of social interaction skills.
• Provide support with transitions and significant life events.
• Understand the issues which arise from co-occurrence of mental ill health and autism.
• Support people with autism to gain and maintain employment (where appropriate).