Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities Study, March 2021

Warwick University: Coronavirus and People with Learning Disabilities Study, March 2021 Beechwood College survey feedback

Oliver Sanchez, Support Worker, March 2021

2020 has been a strange and tough year for everyone but little has really been mentioned about what it has been like for individuals in care, as well as the individuals providing that care, and how they have been impacted by Covid

During the first lockdown, blanket rules were issued for all students across Beechwood College to conform with government guidelines, e.g.: not going out in cars, not seeing family at all As we had never experienced anything like this, and there were no precedents, it was difficult to adhere to the person-centered care that we normally offer and in turn our students’ mental wellbeing was impacted.

What we witnessed ….. struggles with family contact For a while our students were unable to see their families in person and had to rely on Zoom or Skype

A lot of our students rely on touch and smell and sensory input from their loved ones, which couldn’t be replicated. This created confusion and heightened student anxiety

What we witnessed ….. breakdowns in relationships with staff For those lacking capacity to understand the restrictions, staff were to blame

This led to breakdowns in relationships that had taken so long to establish and develop

What we witnessed ….. community skills deteriorated Students who had worked hard at developing their social skills no longer had the regular access to the community that they needed to maintain these skills

The lack of community access impacted on confidence levels. With community access returning students feel as if they are starting from scratch

What we witnessed ….. communication problems Generally trying to communicate what COVID actually was and why the restrictions were in place and what the restrictions were proved a struggle.*

The increased use of PPE also confused our students; especially those who rely upon facial expressions and body language as their main source of communication

* Especially because staff were themselves also trying to adjust, understand and process all of this new information.

What we witnessed ….. staffing support levels

At times a significant level of staff were having to self-isolate. This meant remaining team members were stretched at a time when students needed greater support, plus students were having to interact with more unfamiliar staff.

Thank you for this opportunity to feedback our experiences