AGOSCI Virtual National Tour 2021

Is There A Better Way?

Exploring the role of communication for people with complex needs and behaviour that challenges

Background

Awareness of issues relating to challenging behaviour is growing around Australia especially as the NDIS and the Quality and Safeguarding Framework are being rolled out. However, thinking about the reasons why individuals with complex communication needs can behave in challenging ways, and the best ways to support, continues to be complex to negotiate. Families, schools and services can often struggle to respond to the needs of individuals with many individuals continuing to experience behaviour that challenges despite everyone’s best efforts.

Workshop Overview

This workshop will explore the common factors experienced by people with a disability, their families and support network which often lead to the continuation of complex issues and behaviours which interfere with the person’s quality of life and wellbeing. With an increasing focus on planning and goal attainment, how communication support and skill acquisition are approached is critical in creating sustainable positive outcomes.

It is well acknowledged that engaging in behaviours that challenge is a form of communication, but what does this actually mean in terms of understanding the reasons for behaviours and how we respond? Jaquie and Debbie will address how different perceptions of behaviour functions will influence how we view the role of communication and therefore our approach to communication support.

Who can benefit from attending?

The workshop may be helpful for people supporting individuals where a number of approaches have been tried, and failed, to address a person’s needs and reduce the likelihood of behaviour.

Learning Opportunities

Jaquie and Debbie will take participants on a journey to reflect on the experiences of others as well as their own practice to explore:

• A human rights and wellbeing approach to understanding the underlying needs of people with complex needs, with particular focus on the experiences of people from a neuroscience, biological and social perspective.
  
  
• Why creating a communication accessible environment is only part of the solution.
  
  
• Supporting the communication needs of people with behaviour that challenges from a systemic and underlying needs perspective.
  
  
• Challenging our perspective of what is important when partnering with people, families and support people in working towards communication success.

Delivery Method

This is a National Tour with a Twist! Participants will go on a learning journey with Debbie and Jaquie, accessing 6 hours learning content followed by 3 hours of online coaching and individual exploration. All delivered online via Zoom.

Learning Content:

The workshop content will be live-streamed nationally over 3 x 2-hour online modules. These will run 1 week apart, over 3 weeks.

Online Coaching:

In summary:

Participants will receive the following:

• 6 hours of module content presented live by Jaquie and Debbie
  = 3 x 2-hour sessions (Over 3 weeks)
• 3 hours of small group coaching sessions with Jaquie and Debbie
  = 3 x 1-hour sessions (Over 3 weeks)
• = 9 hours of total contact time (Over 4 weeks)

How will this look?

Zoom Details

All zoom links will be provided in your event registration confirmation emails.

National Live Stream events will be Zoom Webinars hosted by AGOSCI. For any enquiries about these zoom links (2, 10, 18 March) please email education@agosci.org.au

Small group coaching sessions will be Zoom Meetings hosted by the Presenters. For enquiries about these zoom links or any difficulties logging into your session, please contact Jaquie Mills directly on jaquie@microboards.org.au 

About the Presenters

Jaquie Mills is the parent of four sons, two with disabilities, with her eldest having complex communication needs. She developed the ‘Is There a Better Way?’ program which is now in its 6th year of helping families, schools and services to understand the needs of people who may experience behaviour that challenges and it’s relationship with wellbeing and human rights. Jaquie managed the development of the Graduate Certificate in Complex Communication Needs at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia which is now in its sixth year along with overseeing the addition of the new unit, behaviour support for student with complex needs. Jaquie facilitates a weekly communication and literacy group for adults with complex communication needs, and with them in 2018 developed a series of resources to support people with CCN to engage in their NDIS planning process. Jaquie is also managing director of Microboards Australia, an organisation which is leader across the disability sector in supporting people, families and services to approach support from a truly person centred approach. MA are also the only Australian organisation endorsed to support families to develop Microboards - a group of committed friends, family and community who support people with a disability to plan and achieve the life they want to have across their lifespan.

In 2016 Jaquie received the WA Community Citizen of the Year award for her years supporting people with disability and disadvantaged children, and in 2017 she was a finalist in 2017 West Australian of the Year awards in recognition of her work developing the microboard model and supporting people with complex communication needs and behaviours which can be challenging.

Debbie Lobb: Initially a Speech Pathologist, Debbie has worked with people with disability for over 27 years. During that time she has held many roles including AAC specialist, chair of WA branch for Makaton/Key Word Sign, Autism assessor and specialist. However the majority of Debbie's career has been in the area of working with families and service providers who support people with complex behavioural needs. She has been an instrumental leader in the development of WA sector wide collaboration for progressive service approaches and supports for people with complex needs and behaviour that that can challenge others. Together, Debbie and Jaquie have forged ahead with the establishment and refinement of the ITaBW model and framework for support practice, which is now online and bringing about considerable change for families and service providers alike. Debbie continues to be sought to consult across the disability sector for the development of service approaches and to advocate for family and individual needs. Debbie is the course developer and lecturer for the behaviour support unit as part of the Graduate Certificate in Complex Communication Needs, Edith Cowan University, which is now in it’s 3rd year with outstanding outcomes for students from education, allied health and family backgrounds.

Cancellations and Refunds

Registration is only confirmed upon full payment of fee. To access discounted rate for members you must be logged into your AGOSCI member account prior to registration. 

Please Note* All registrations incur a 3.5% paypal fee that can't be refunded

• 96.5% refund until 60 days before event.
• 46.5% refund between 8-59 days before event. 
• No refunds within 0-7 days of event start date.