Essex experts to revolutionise adult social care with KTP

Occupational therapy experts from the University of Essex are teaming up with a charity in a bid to revolutionise the adult social care sector.

Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), funded by Innovate UK, Minstead Trust will work with Dr Anna Pettican and Dr Simone Coetzee, from Essex’s School of Health and Social Care, to actively work with adults with a learning disability, their family carers, and accommodation support staff.

The project team will be joined by KTP Associate Alice Clarfelt who brings a background in participatory action research with the application of theatre techniques.

This KTP collaboration will enable the co-production of distinct new ways of working for Minstead Trust, to address issues relating to adults with a learning disability living in supported accommodation.

Minstead Trust, which operates along the south coast of England, is a charity that works in collaboration with people with learning disabilities and their family carers, to enable them to enrich their lives and achieve greater independence.

As they move into Minstead Trust accommodation support services, adults with a learning disability, their family carers, and support staff, have the potential to form a tripartite relationship through which support is planned and delivered.

Drs Pettican and Coetzee will support the charity by using innovative participatory action research methods, which will help to identify current communication issues and other shortcomings, from the perspectives of adults with a learning disability, their family carers, and accommodation-based support staff.

It is hoped that the co-produced new ways of working will not only improve the service on offer, but also be disseminated to achieve sector-wide impact.

Dr Pettican said: “We are so excited to be working with Minstead Trust on this KTP, which has the potential to bring about much-needed change in the adult social care sector.

“Research has shown that, in line with an overall UK ageing population, adults with a learning disability are also living longer.

"There is a paucity of research that explores the accommodation support services this population can and do access as they age, how such services can be developed and improved, and the extent to which commissioners are planning for the needs of this growing population.

"The KTP is an important example of how organisations such as Minstead Trust can work with academics to co-produce ways of working that will improve the lives of its adults with a learning disability, as well as develop the services they access.”

Minstead Trust is hopeful the influential work from the KTP will help it evidence solutions to sector issues, enhancing the lives of adults with a learning disability and improving staff wellbeing and satisfaction.

Minstead Trust CEo, Adam Dodd, said: “We are delighted to be working with the University of Essex on this Knowledge Transfer Partnership. Our early investigations into the project have shown that this is a burning issue with many support providers.

"There is no clear work underway to evidence the potential impact on both people with a learning disability and on family carers.

"We are delighted to have received support from The Association for Real Change for this work and have already been working with them, and with Learning Disability England and Centre 404 (a Charity supporting people with learning disabilities and Autism based in London) to shape the project.

"We believe that the potential benefits to long term adult social care could warrant a consideration of changing the funding landscape to recognise the value of better engagement with families.”

KTP’s are funded by Innovate UK and see knowledge bases, such as universities, share their expertise with businesses and organisations to support growth and find innovative solutions.

Picture courtesy of Minstead Trust