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19. Experience and qualifications of staff.
There is a high staff to young person ratio at Prior's Court School, with a large
staffing team.
All staff are trained to create a consistent team who support the young people.
The Education and Residential Care departments are supported by on-site multidisciplinary
and therapeutic professionals and further supported by ancillary and
administrative staff.
The expertise within Prior's Court School is supported and developed with a
strong focus on training, from induction and ongoing with training through the
year, with further personal and professional development positively encouraged.
A core programme of training includes mandatory health, safety and medical
requirements; safeguarding; the methodologies and practices within our
approach including structured teaching, communication, sensory integration
therapy, Team Teach and other training linked to autism knowledge and best
practice; courses to support the curriculum; and supplementary options
appropriate to specific roles such as management training.
To ensure consistency and best practice, a strong emphasis is placed on training
staff in structured teaching. Prior's Court has strong links with the University of
North Carolina, where the TEACCH system was developed. Staff attend three-day
TEACCH training sessions on-site run by senior Prior's Court staff members and
will be able to access five-day courses run by the University of North Carolina at
Prior's Court supported by senior members of staff. A number of staff are qualified
to TEACCH Advanced Consultant level. All of the leadership team, Learning and
Wellbeing Managers, Team Managers and Learning Specialists are encouraged to
complete the 5-day TEACCH course to provide Prior's Court School with a very
high level of autism expertise.
Prior's Court School has developed a successful Diploma programme which
supports Autism Practitioners in qualifying and working towards a Level 3
Diploma in Residential Childcare or beyond in line with the government's Quality
Standards for Children's Homes - many staff members are qualified well beyond
this level.
Natalie Boothroyd; the Responsible Individual has more than 20 years of
experience in health and social care, specializing in autism, mental health and
Tier 4 services. Holding a Masters In Positive Behaviour Support, Natalie is also a •
Registered Learning Disability Nurse (with Mental health Top-up), is Level 5
Leadership and Management qualified and an ADI-R diagnostic practitioner.
Natalie also has experience in opening and developing new services for children
with autism, learning disabilities and complex health needs.