November 2011 to 2022 - Shared Lives / Adult Placement Carer
Often experts and trainers in the fields of health and social care significantly reduce their work as 'front-line' carers, resulting in them having no ‘real life’ experience of providing support for individuals on a day to day, ongoing basis. I made a conscious decision to keep engaging in a support role. As such, I was a Shared Lives Carer for the West Wales Shared Lives Scheme.
My family and I welcomed individuals into our home with varying backgrounds, situations and diagnoses. We have shared our lives with individuals on the autistic spectrum, those with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, Down’s Syndrome, acquired brain injury and substance misuse issues.
We all find that this role, although sometimes a challenge, is very rewarding, satisfying and fun. My family and I have shared our home and lives lovely individuals who were placed with us on a permanent basis.
I was also am one of two Pembrokeshire Carer Reps on the West Wales Shared Lives Consultative group.
September 1994 to July 2013 - Lead Trainer and Senior Behaviour Management Consultant for Studio III Training Systems.
Lead Trainer
QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
Along with the UKBA(cert) & BCBA I also have a MSc in Psychology, I have qualifications in Hypnotherapy, am a Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming and have a number of postgraduate qualifications including: child development; research methods; cognitive psychology; cognition - damaged brains and neural networks; digital communications.
I have a current First Aid Certificate and Epipen training.
I maintain my enhanced DBS certification (Disclosure and Barring Service, previously CRB), for both children and adults, as part of the DBS update service; this can be accessed upon request.
2023
Various Online CPD courses
2022
Various Online CPD courses
Introduction to Process Based Behaviour Therapy
Mastering Clinical Conversations - Relational Frame Theory
2021
Various Online CPD courses
First Aid Training
2020
Various Online CPD courses
Prosocial Facilitators Training
2019
Various Online CPD courses
Personality Disorder Training
Mental Health Awareness
Responsive Communication: sensory processing,communication and autism
UK-SBA Speakers Series with Andy Bondy (PECS)
2018
Various Online CPD courses
Social & Emotional Learning in Schools
Board Certified Behaviour Analyst
UK-SBA Speakers Series with Professor Greg Hanley
First Aid Training
2017
Advanced Topics in Behaviour Analysis
Ethical and Professional Conduct of Behaviour Analysts
Targeted Topics in Behaviour Analysis: Essentials of Organizational Behaviour Management
Positional Asphyxia Course
Decreasing, Eliminating, and Replacing Problem Behaviour
Introduction to Ethical & Professional Conduct of Behaviour Analysts
Developing, Strengthening and Maintaining Behaviour
Sensory Process Disorder Awareness Diploma
Risk Assessment Training
2016
Basic Elements of Applied Behaviour Analysis
Foundations, Concepts, and Principles of Behaviour Analysis
CTLLS
Dementia: Understanding and Managing Challenging Behaviour
Adults at risk (Safeguarding – Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA))
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Learning Disabilities and Dementia
Epipen
2015
PTLLS
Learning Disability Equality awareness training
Mental Capacity Act training
Quality Management System Training
Emergency First Aid
2014
Epilepsy Awareness Training
Epipen
Food Safety and Hygiene Course
Skills for Care (original member of physical interventions focus group)
SCIF (Social Care Induction Framework – working group in West Wales)
2013
Adult Placement Award - 3 day
Epipen
Adult Placement Award – Medication
Mental Capacity Act
Food Safety Awareness
Safeguarding Essential Awareness
Epilepsy Awareness
Learning Disability Equality
prior to D8
Neuro Linguistic Programming – Master Practitioner
The Open University
Master of Science in Psychology (F15)
Postgraduate Diploma in Social Sciences (D41)
Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education (C27)
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Open (BD)
Diploma in Information Technology (D38)
Exploring cognition: damaged brains and neural networks (DS871)
Cognitive psychology (D309)
Child development in families, schools and society (ED840)
Introduction to research: basic skills and survey methods (DT840)
The challenge of the social sciences (D820)
Digital communications (T305)
Information technology and society (THD204)
PERSONAL
Work affords me the ability to enjoy travelling and seeing new places.
I live on a smallholding in rural Pembrokeshire with my wife and son, Miles, who was home educated. I have spent a lot of time in the last few years studying; every spare moment I enjoy learning something new. I also love to code and wrote the software that the D8 admin system runs on.
2023 is time to consolidate my learning, as well as find more time to enjoy a bit of wakeboarding and cycling. For all areas I work in please see descooke.me
