I’ve grabbed the following from an NDS newsletter. I think it is only for Victorian group homes.
Do you know of any great group homes for people with intellectual disability and high support needs?
The ‘culture’ of group homes has long been recognised as being important in realising a good ‘quality of life’ for people with intellectual disabilities, but has been little researched.
The School of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University and the Tizard Centre in the United Kingdom have been awarded funding from the Australian Research Council to learn about the ‘culture’ of highly performing group homes for people with high support needs. We want to understand what the staff culture in good group homes looks like, how it emerges, how it changes over time and what supports it. Our findings will help to inform organisational development, policy and practice in group homes.
The project brings together key researchers in this field, Professor Jim Mansell, Professor Chris Bigby, Dr Julie Beadle – Brown, Dr Marie Knox and Dr Tim Clement. Together we have much experience in investigating quality of life in group homes.
Do you know a group home for people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities that you regard as being one of the best of its kind? You may work in such a setting or know one that you consider to be a flagship service.
If you are able to recommend such a service in the broadest terms,( i.e. without breaching confidentially) that might be invited to participate in this research, please contact Professor Christine Bigby, phone: (03) 9479 1016 or email: c.bigby@latrobe.edu.au. Alternatively, you could bring this newsletter item to the attention of a manager in the relevant organisation.