Alan has worked in the field of learning disability since 1989 – This was firstly for Avon County Council Social Services and then South Gloucestershire Social Services – and has specialised in supporting people around social and sexual issues from 1991.
There was at this time, and still is, a huge gap in service provision for direct support and education around social and sexual issues for people who have a learning disability and especially that of working with men who exhibit unsafe and abusive sexual behaviours.
This is very much highlighted by the number of referrals Alan receives directly from psychiatrists, psychologists and community nurses who lack access within statutory services to training and resources as well as the time needed to develop skills and implement programmes of work.
Over time Alan’s work has developed into offering a service for all individuals who have a vulnerability and experience inequality within our society. This can include those with:
- Mental health diagnosis
- ASD
- Physical disability
- Acquired brain injury
- Drug psychosis
- A range of profound and significant support needs.
Alan has been working on a freelance basis since 1997 and provides a direct 1:1 service for men women and couples as well as a consultancy and training service for a variety of agencies.
See section on 1:1 work for more information.
Alan holds a Cert.Ed. in Adult Education and Training, a Diploma in Health and Social Care, a Diploma in Independent Advocacy and is an NVQ Assessor. He has undertaken extensive training in issues of Sexuality and Relationships, Sexual Health, Sex Education, Abuse, Communication and Counselling Skills.
Alan has worked for a wide range of agencies including SSD’s, Health Authorities, Care trusts, Charities, Education and private residential and day services.
Alan’s work uses a range of resources which pay particular attention to equal opportunities and can be used in a variety of ways which include Maketon, signs and symbols for individuals who have hearing or communication difficulties.
Approach/Method
The work is based on a psycho-educational approach exploring issues with clients and matching teaching technique to the corresponding preferred learning style of the individual.
In order to do this a wide variety of educational resources are used which have been sourced and developed over the last 20 years.
Alan also uses a collection of cognitive behavioral methods, and a developmental-integrative counselling model, to assist the men to use the learning in the sessions in practical and meaningful ways in social and community settings. – this includes either direct practical sessions with Alan, or requires liaising with and supporting staff teams to implement suggested strategies to assist the men in day to day situations and put their learning into practice.
Assessment is twofold. Firstly, it is based on the assessed learning outcomes in the sessions, and secondly by the observation and monitoring of any subsequent change in behaviour – in response to the strategies developed from the programme. These would usually be assessed over an 18 to 24 month period as the work recognises that behaviours and learning take time, and that, for some, mistakes need to be made, and are part of the learning and realisation process.
