All of us have a wide range of people who are important in our lives – family, friends, neighbours, work/college acquaintances. We extend our circle through meeting people, through where we live and our interests – new neighbours, club members, religious affiliation, social group, and so forth.
We recognise that staff support may play a significant part in an individual’s life as part of their circle of support. To this end we try to match the individual’s wishes, needs and aspirations with their staffs’ knowledge and skill, interests and experience. We commit to selecting staff, not only for their knowledge and experience but also as a right fit with the individual’s interests and lifestyle. Selection is also based on St. Margaret’s ethos, and the value and importance we place on intentionally working through a ‘right relationship’ approach based on mutual respect that facilitates the individual to develop natural long-lasting relationships with others.
Staff receive additional and intense training in relation to understanding the way we intentionally work- Supported Self-Directed Living- and how we support individuals to achieve the good things of life.
We work with, enable and support individuals to live a good life of their choosing, deciding where and with whom they wish to live, according to their changing life and lifestyle needs, will and preference.
Each of us move through the natural phases in our life with the support of parents, family, partner/spouse, friends, peers, teachers, employers and other significant people in our life journey. Similarly, for each individual we work with, we become one of their support partners, intentionally developing support pathways that will guide them through making choices and decisions about their life. This intentional work supports them through changes, like moving to their own home, making lifestyle choices, developing and sustaining relationships, dealing with challenge & loss, and so forth.
Today people are enjoying increased longevity and we support individuals experiencing age related changes in their abilities by providing services that flexibly respond to those identified by their updated assessment of support. We support individuals to engage with community groups and organisations who have established active ageing programmes. Where individuals experience on-set of dementia, we support them to link with community supports for people with Dementia/Alzheimer’s (e.g., Dementia Café Project, Forget-Me-Nots Choir, Living Well with Dementia). We continue to support each individual on their ageing journey to continue realising their will, preference and choices in their life.
The ethos and values of St. Margaret’s Network recognises that, as a fundamental right, the individual’s choice, will and preference is central to the decisions they make in their life.
We respect their autonomy, choices and decisions, and ensure they have a clear understanding of any implications or consequences that may arise from their decisions and actions.
We support and encourage them to seek an independent view and voice through accessing independent advocates – https://advocacy.ie/
Where an individual is dissatisfied or unhappy with any aspect of their services, St. Margaret’s encourage to use our Complaints Procedure, the HSE Confidential Recipient or Office of the Ombudsman.
St. Margaret’s Network implement a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of abuse. Staff are trained to recognise, report and respond to any concerns and are supported by a robust policies and procedures. Safety awareness training and education is completed with all individuals using the service with easy-read documents readily available to all. St. Margaret’s implements the HSE National Safeguarding Policy
St Margaret’s Easy Read Safeguarding Information
UNCRPD & ASSISTED DECISION-MAKING