We use cookies on this website. Cookies store information that allow us to improve our website and your browsing experience. By clicking agree and close or continuing to use this site (without changing your settings), you agree to our use of cookies To find out more about cookies (and to change your settings), please see our Privacy Policy.

Agree and close
Back
For Adults

Find the right support near you

Find support
For Adults Great Communities Residential Vacancies Day Opportunities Employment Registered Care Shared Lives Supported Living
For Children

Find the right support near you

Find support
For Children Academies Further Education MacIntyre School Residential Support Supported Living Transition
Our Approach

Find the right support near you

Find support
Our Approach Families Great Interactions Health and Safety Intensive Interaction Person Centred Approaches Positive Behaviour Support Safeguarding Voice of the people we support
Our Expertise

Find the right support near you

Find support
Our Expertise Autism Dementia Communication Health Learning Disability Transforming Care Resources
Get Involved

Find the right support near you

Find support
Get Involved Corporate Support MacIntyre Lottery Wills and Legacies FAQ
Careers
Careers Work for us Current Vacancies 10 best things about MacIntyre Employee Benefits How to apply How to write an effective CV Recruitment FAQs Safer Recruitment Students and Graduates Volunteer Working in Wales
News & Blogs
Events
Donate Search

No Limits to Co-Production

2 July 2019
News

Through MacIntyre No Limits, we support young people on the cusp of adulthood. Many come to us from restrictive backgrounds; schools where their timetables and access to spaces were strictly curtailed, or time spent out of education, where their world had dwindled to their bedroom or their computer.

The co-production experience for most No Limits learners begins during their transition period. Using a resource developed by our administrator, staff give learners a blank timetable and stickers, representing a huge range of activities. Learners are encouraged and supported to set themselves a draft timetable of activities that excite them.

Once learners begin their programmes, co-production is ongoing. Through weekly tutorials, learners are given the opportunity to express their feelings about their timetable and objectives.

For example, Dan expressed that he no longer wanted to go swimming. This was removed from his timetable immediately and replaced with an alternative session of his choice. On another occasion, Dan requested to learn domestic skills, so a session he enjoyed less was transformed to meet this.

Another key area of co-production within No Limits, is Positive Behaviour Support. Learners are supported and encouraged to take ownership of their behaviour supports and to contribute actively to developing these.

One great success was with Josh, who had been used to being given “behaviour charts” at school and in his residential setting. Josh's Key Worker identified that this was a restrictive practice and wished to phase it out, but Josh stated that he wanted to keep it. Therefore, control of the behaviour chart was handed over to Josh.

With staff support on the IT side, Josh created his own chart, complete with the ground rules he wanted to follow and the rewards he would receive. Staff were then able to support Josh to decide whether he felt he had earned his reward. This not only removed a restrictive practice but in significantly developing Josh's self-awareness and self-management, leading to a reduction in incidents.

Another co-production PBS success has been with Noah. When he started at No Limits, Noah used a very small range of words to communicate and often “froze” when uncertain about how to respond.

Staff who had some familiarity with symbolic communication created a symbol board to enable Noah to communicate some key concepts, such as emotions, personal space and basic needs. This took some time to take hold, but once it did, Noah grasped it eagerly.

As his communication increased, Noah and his staff were able to move into a co-production mode, adding to and changing the available symbols to suit Noah’s needs. For example, Noah did not like the “personal space” symbol that staff had used, so it was changed for one he recognised. Noah was also able to communicate that he wanted “sulking” added to the range of emotions, with a photograph of himself in a “sulking” pose instead of a symbol. Noah was then able to use this to communicate his need for emotional validation when things weren’t going his way.

Most recently, Noah and his staff developed a ‘switch staff’ symbol so that Noah could express anxiety about who was working with him. This gave Noah the ability to notify the staff member that he needed them to switch out. This has, as in Noah’s case, significantly reduced incidents and led to a much smoother package.

Using co-production gives us the power to engage new learners before they begin, to re-engage when they lose focus and ensure they reach their goals.

National Co-production Week: 6 - 10 July 2020

30 Oct 2020
News

Towards a Brighter Future

On Thursday 5 November, MacIntyre will be taking part in an online festival hosted by Social Care Future, titled 'Towards a Brighter Future'.

Find Out More
10 Jul 2020
News

Co-Production Online: The Friendship Group

Friendship Group in Warrington was launched in 2018 to provide people with a learning disability and/or autism with an opportunity to establish friendships.

Find Out More
8 Jul 2020
News

My Voice group Bromsgrove talk Co-Production

To mark the third day of Co-Production Week 2020, we hear from Karen, Jade, Jess and Debbie from our 'My Voice' group from Worcestershire.

Find Out More

Voice of the people we support

We know that we can’t make decisions about a person’s support, staffing changes or new activities without involving them and understanding what is important…

Find Out More
All Co-production stories
Important Links
Working Safely in Offices Slavery & Human Trafficking Policy Statement
Talk to us
Find Support Near You MacInStars Employee of the Month Shops Contact Us About us
Newsletter
Our Newsletter
Connect with us
Registered Charity No. 250840

602 South Seventh Street
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK9 2JA
© 2021 MacIntyre. All rights reserved Data Protection and Privacy Policy
Made by Grandad