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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 regular
TEACCH training sessions on 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 Certified Trainers Practitioner level and Advanced Consultant level. All
of the leadership team, Home Managers and Teachers 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 care staff in qualifying or working towards a Level 3 Diploma for the
Children and Young People's Workforce or beyond in line with the government's
Quality Standards for Children's Homes.
In addition, Prior's Court offers the OCR Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for
Teaching and Learning in School for support workers in the Education
Department.
The Registered Manager has over 30 years of experience in social care, specialising
in autism, is a TEACCH Certified Trainer: Advanced Consultant level, Team Teach
Intermediate, Advanced and PLD Tutor, has NVQ 4 Health & Social Care Children
& Young People , NVQ level 4 Management, is a NVQ Assessor & Verifier, has
undertaken NSPCC Training for Trainers in Child Protection, is a Designated
Senior Person in Safeguarding Children trained (NSPCC), has completed Social
Care Top Leaders Programme and is studying for a MSc in Leadership &
Management in Health and Social Care.