VR sessions offered to social care staff
As part of safeguarding week, staff members within the Adult Social Care & Homelessness Service took part in Virtual Reality sessions to immerse themselves in topic areas such as trauma and safeguarding.
By embarking on a journey through Virtual Reality, practitioners experience a series of films closely following the lives of children and young people from pre-birth to adolescence, helping to get a better understanding of areas such as trauma and neglect and how this might impact in later life.
This technology allows an immersive learning environment and helps promote active learning and development, deepening empathy and a focus on individual outcomes.
The Virtual Reality training is also used as an intervention tool in any safeguarding context to improve the lives of children and young people and provides professionals, parents, guardians, or care providers a unique perspective of the lived experience for someone working to manage trauma.
Kevin Jarvis, Team Manager, Business Support said: “Based on direct experience of social care and the key issues facing individuals who have experienced traumatic life events, this unique approach to learning is proving popular and engaging and establishes a strong forum for discussion and reflection on the roots of trauma.
"In Denbighshire we view the use of Virtual Reality as a progressive approach to learning and development which will complement our current delivery models and promote conversation on how we can all be more trauma informed in our approach to work.”
Laurel Morgan, Team Manager, Therapeutic Team said: “Using VR has been a helpful tool to enhance reflective practice, generate further insight and develop our thinking around trauma informed practice.
"We have used VR within Children Services, with partner agencies and with the families in Denbighshire. It has been a helpful tool to promote engagement and understanding”.
Councillor Elen Heaton, Lead member for Health and Social Care said: “It is important that our staff have the best understanding of their specialist areas.
"This Virtual Reality training will further enhance staff knowledge and understanding towards more vulnerable individuals, helping to nurture better and more informed responses.”
Electric vehicles for social care staff
The Council has been working to support the social care sector and reduce its carbon footprint by facilitating the use of electric vehicles, as well as access to driving lessons for staff who will be providing care in people’s homes.
With funding secured from Welsh Government, the Council now has ten electric vehicles available for staff providing care and has also made grant awards to providers for driving lessons.
Following an application process, two independent domiciliary care providers, Co-options and Alexandra House, have been awarded five-year zero cost leases for two e-vehicles. The Council has also provided Co-options with an e-bike for non-driving care staff to use.
The remaining vehicles are being used by Council domiciliary care staff.
The e-vehicles, as well as the number of driving lessons that have been awarded to care staff, are supporting domiciliary care workers to provide much needed care to citizens across Denbighshire.
Council vehicles are replaced with e-vehicles as existing fleet vehicles come to the end of their life. They are then replaced with reduced carbon Vehicles.
Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “These vehicles not only help our environment, but also the staff who are using them to provide important services and care to the people of Denbighshire.
"It is great that independent domiciliary care providers have also been granted access to the vehicles, as use of e-vehicles helps to reduce the amount of carbon that is produced.”
Councillor Elen Heaton Lead Member for Health and Social Care said: “We’re very grateful for this funding provided by the Welsh Government as reliable transportation for our social care teams is vitally important.
"They play a huge role in supporting and caring for the people within our county.
"Not only does this initiative support our mission to provide high quality care and support to our community, it also contributes to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for our country which is vital.”