Items 1 and 2
Items 1 and 2 are about the activities the worker offers and supports the person to participate in.
1. Offering activities to take part in
Good support means the worker offers and supports the person to participate in multi-step activities.
Multi-step activities often require time and effort to do. For example, making toast comprises multiple steps, which include:
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Getting two pieces of bread
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Putting the bread in a toaster and pushing down the lever
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Getting margarine and jam from the fridge
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Spreading the margarine and jam on the toast
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Putting the toast on a plate
Other examples of multi-step activities include cooking a meal, changing bed sheets, putting clothes in a washing machine and turning it on, writing a shopping list, or playing a board game with another person. Each of these activities have multiple steps.
On the other hand, simple activities comprise just one or two steps and can usually be done quickly or easily. For example, closing curtains or blinds, carrying clothes to a washing machine, checking for mail in a letter box, carrying rubbish to a bin, shutting a door, or watching TV. Each of these activities have one or two steps.
The first item is about the type of activities the worker offers and supports the person to do. This video shows a person participating in a multi-step activity.
RATING
3
The worker offered multi-step activities
The worker in the video provided the person with support to participate in making a coffee, which is a multi-step activity, and would be rated 3 for this activity.
The steps of the activity included:
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getting coffee from a cupboard
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turning on the kettle
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getting a cup
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getting a spoon
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putting coffee in a cup
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pouring milk into the cup
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pouring hot water in the cup
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stirring with a spoon
RATING
2
The worker offered single step activities
If the worker made the coffee for the person, then the person drank the coffee and afterwards the person took the empty cup to the sink, then the rating would be a 2.
RATING
1
The worker did not offer activities
If the worker was busy doing other activities, such as cooking or cleaning, and did not offer or support the person to participate in any activities, then the rating would be a 1.
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What activities does the worker offer, provide or support the person to do?
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Are they multi-step or single step activities?
When observing, pay attention to:
2. Offering choice
Good support means the worker provides the person with choice:
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presenting the person with two or more activities to participate in, such as cooking dinner or setting the table
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providing choice about the parts of the activity the person participates in, such as cutting vegetables or putting water in saucepans
Choice can also mean the worker provides options to the person about:
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when to do the activity: for example, now or later
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how to do it
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for how long: for example, respecting when have they have had enough and want a break
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whether they participate or not
How much choice the worker provides the person will depend on the person and the situation: how many options the person understands and the reasonable number of choices depending on the activity and what is happening.
This video shows a worker providing a person with choice about how to make a frame for her art.
RATING
3
The worker provided opportunities to make choices in most or all instances.
The worker in the video provided the person with many opportunities to make choices and would be rated 3 for this item.
The opportunities for choice included:
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the colour of the cardboard
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whether to frame one of the paintings
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which painting to frame
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which part of the painting to use
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which pieces of coloured cardboard to use for the frame
The worker offered two or more options and the person understood all the options and had choice and control in the activity.
RATING
2
The worker provided some opportunities to make choices, but there could have been more.
If the worker provided the person with choice about the colour of cardboard to use but no choice about which picture to frame, then the rating would be a 2. Or if the worker only offered one option when providing the person with choice, such as “Do you want the blue cardboard?"
RATING
1
The worker did not provide opportunities to make choices.
If the worker decided the colour of the cardboard and which picture to frame, but the person had no choice, then the rating would a 1. Or if the worker provided the person with very few opportunities to make choice during the activity, for example, only asking the person's preference once.
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How much opportunity does the worker provide the person to make choice?
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How many times does the person make a choice and what about?
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Were there missed opportunities for the worker to provide the person with choice?