Attendant Service Providers

Speak Up brought together managers within the attendant service sector and adults who use AAC in order to identify service needs and recommendations related to healthy sexuality and safeguarding for people who use AAC.

Focus Group Members
Service Needs
Guidelines
Resources for Attendant Service Providers:

• Sexual Health Issues for AAC Users
• Guidelines for Communicating with a Person who Uses AAC
• Speak Up Communication Displays
• How to Use Speak Up Communication Displays
• Speak Up Loan Kits
• Personal Stories of Adults who Use AAC

Focus Group Members   [Top]

Service Needs   [Top]

The following service needs and challenges were identified:

• There is a lack of consistent policies and practices, and standards of practices across and within service agencies relating to areas of sexual health assistance and safeguarding. This inconsistency creates increased risk/vulnerability for AAC users related to exploitation and abuse.


• There is no standard in place for training attendant care providers around communicating with AAC users about their services in general and specifically related to sexual health and assistance – including information about Sexually Transmitted Infections and safer sex devices.


• Attendant care providers are typically not trained in areas related to sexual assistance.


• AAC users report that they are frequently not informed or provided with accessible information about the agency’s policies and procedures related to sexual assistance, process for complaints and safeguarding procedures.


• AAC users report that they often do not know their rights, specifically relating to issues of dignity, and privacy within the context of attendant services.


• AAC users report that they do not have access to information about community services for sexual health, and disability.


• AAC users report a lack of privacy regarding personal activities requiring assistance by attendants.

Guidelines for Attendant Service Providers and Agencies   [Top]

The following statements are based on discussions with attendant service providers and persons who use AAC on the issue of sexuality and safeguarding within the context of attendant services. They are to be considered as ‘guidelines’ for the purpose of discussion.

1. Attendant agencies may require policy development and practice guidelines around sexuality and sexual assistance for attendant service providers. This needs to include provisions for rights and responsibilities of consumers as well as attendants.


2. Ongoing education on sexuality, sexual assistance and safeguarding as it relates to attendant services is required at management, front line and consumer levels.


3. A service model as it relates to the provision of attendant services, which includes sexual assistance, may be required as a pilot project for Ontario. National and international models that address the sexual assistance and safeguarding needs of people with disabilities who may or may not use AAC could be explored as a part of this process.


4. Attendant service providers could be trained in communicating with people who use AAC and be provided with sufficient time and resources to support the needs of people who use AAC.


5. Information about sexual assistance and safeguarding needs of people who use AAC and the role attendant service providers play must be highlighted at individual, agency, inter agency and provincial levels.


6. Clinicians who provide services to adults who use AAC could play a role in providing vocabulary and communication strategies to communicate about healthy sexuality and safeguarding.


7. Attendant service agencies could play a role in informing AAC users about accessible local sexual health, counseling services.


8. Agencies could consider providing information about their policies and procedures in accessible alternate formats for AAC users with reduced literacy skills or who may be unable to turn pages in a book. The format presented could be cited on their consent form to ensure that they have received the information. Agencies may want to explore ways to ensure that AAC users who have reduced comprehension skills have received appropriate support to assist them in understanding the content to which they are consenting. Guidelines for providing alternate access formats for policies and procedures are required in order to accommodate a range of needs for people who use AAC.


9. AAC users may want to document a service plan relating to how they want their services provided to them. Guidelines for writing service plans could be developed and shared with AAC users and/or their service providers. AAC users may want to have a personalized service plan binder, which outlines step by step routines to instruct those providing personal care to ensure competent and effective care delivery.


10. AAC users may require access to emergency call bells/alert systems within their homes. AAC users and their service providers may need to explore services and for funding for environmental controls, alert systems and telephone access.


11. Agencies could support and enhance responses to the safeguarding needs of new residents or clients for respite stays, by reviewing safety procedures such as locking doors, keeping personal property safe etc. This might comprise of a ‘safety plan’ to be reviewed with the person at time of orientation to services etc.


12. AAC users may want to provide agencies with a list of three or four names to in the event of an emergency situation. The procedure must include asking the AAC user to select the most appropriate contact in a given situation.


13. Agencies could have specific client centered policies and procedures, which outlines measures for responding to abuse disclosures, including sexual abuse. These policies would be separate from a general complaint process. Abuse disclosures could ensure that appropriate and safe supports are in place, criminal and civil options, when to call the police, when to call an AAC interpreter etc.


14. Agencies could engage people who use AAC and who are the recipients of their service to participate in the evaluation of their services.

Speak Up Resources to Support Attendant Service Providers:   [Top]

• Sexual Health Issues for AAC Users


• Guidelines for Communicating with a Person who Uses AAC


• Speak Up Communication Displays


• How to Use Speak Up Communication Displays


• Speak Up Loan Kits


• Personal Stories of Adults who Use AAC

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