Encouraging inclusion and independence: Margaret’s mission

Realise

Support Worker Margaret embarked on a Level 3 Certificate in Understanding Autism to think outside of the box when it comes to supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Exploring new perspectives:

Margaret Heathcote, a Support Worker from Rochdale, was keen to pursue her interests and develop her knowledge around the subject of Autism. As a Support Worker with Mencap, Margaret provides personalised support to people with learning disabilities.

Having completed numerous courses about Autism, Margaret’s commitment to truly making an impact on the lives of those she supports is clear to see.

“I feel the added knowledge of a course enables a person to think outside of conventional thinking. This promotes better and improved communication and understanding and enhances the support I provide for all individuals and my colleagues.”

A Support Worker’s role:

For Margaret, her motivation as a Support Worker is simple: “to support individuals, to reach their full potential in the lives they choose to live.”

Living with a learning disability or spectrum disorder can sometimes present challenges to individuals, and Margaret’s role as a Support Worker is to be there to work through those challenges with them and help the individual reach their goals – in their own way.

Margaret told Realise that her role is multifaceted and often goes beyond working closely with just the individual, also connecting with their wider family and the community in promoting inclusion and independence for service users.

About the Level 3 Autism course:

Delivered online, the purpose of the Level 3 Autism qualification is to develop the learner’s knowledge and understanding of autism and how to best support those with it.

Over 10 weeks, Margaret explored numerous topics about Autism to further stretch and develop her understanding.

Topics include:

  • Understand the diagnosis and management of autism
  • Understand best practice in the context of autism
  • Legislation, guidance, information and support relevant to autism
  • Autism and behaviour
  • Living with autism in society

 

“The course was very well laid out, it enabled me to reiterate some already gained knowledge and then challenge me further to learn and understand different aspects of life.”

Margaret Heathcote

The true impact of learning:

Since completing the course, Margaret now uses her newfound knowledge to enhance the way she works.

Now equipped with the tools and confidence to deliver thoughtful care, Margaret told Realise that she can reflect on how her support can help an individual make their own decisions and changes to improve their situation and reach their goals in life.

There is still work to be done:

Whilst Margaret has taken a huge leap towards delivering enhanced care within her role as a Support Worker, she feels that more can be done to encourage inclusivity.

From her experience within the community, Margaret found that schools can sometimes be lacking when it comes to supporting those who have a spectrum condition, often prioritising paperwork and procedure above empathy and understanding toward the individual.

Margaret is keen to share her newfound knowledge from the course with others and understands that her goal of inclusivity for all will take time.

 

“I think there is much much more to understanding and enhancing the lives for people on the spectrum and others. Some of this will come from sharing knowledge and showing others what we have learned, it is a slow process towards a great inclusion, but we will get there.”

Margaret

A driver for change:

With this commitment, Margaret is set to become a catalyst for positive change and enhanced care delivery, proving that the ripple effects of knowledge can extend far beyond individual experiences.

 

 

Are you ready to make a difference like Margaret?

Take a look at our range of funded health and social care courses