When Robert first arrived at Progress House, he was withdrawn and disengaged. With support from his core staff team, Robert has come out of his shell and has achieved some amazing outcomes.
Support at Progress House
Robert is autistic and has a learning disability. Initially, he was unable to communicate his needs due to his limited vocabulary. This would lead to frustration and daily incidents of self-harm. He preferred spending time alone in his bedroom, and did not want interact with his support team, family, or fellow residents. Staff were concerned about Robert's wellbeing, and quickly recognised that he would benefit from support with his communication skills.
They worked with him on a one-on-one basis, providing prompts based on topics of interest, such as Disney, and responding with verbal praise. Robert was particularly responsive to tactile learning strategies. His team organised a range activities where he would interact with objects and learn their names. As Robert’s use of language improved, so did his self-esteem and confidence.
Robert’s positive outcomes
This positive approach has transformed Robert’s life. He has learnt to speak in sentences, enabling him to communicate his thoughts and feelings. This means he can ask staff for help in moments of difficulty. As a result, self-harm incidents have become less frequent, and his quality of life has improved significantly.
Robert is now more confident when it comes to socialising. He cracks jokes with his team, and enjoys taking part in social activities such as quizzes and karaoke. This change has also enabled him to build meaningful relationships with his family. Their time together has progressed from short visits to extended trips to the family home, as well as out in the community.
Robert is inquisitive, curious and eager to learn. He loves talking to staff, reading books, accessing his iPad, and visiting new places. Recently, the team at Progress House supported him on his first holiday abroad in over 20 years, to Disneyland Paris. This marks a significant change for Robert, who has shown amazing strength and resilience during his time living at Progress House.
“Robert is happy and likes where he is” said Robert’s dad. “We’ve seen a big change in him. He talks a lot more now, even to people he does not know. It’s all down to the staff at Progress House doing a great job.”
“We see Robert living life to the full and enjoying every minute” said Marie Hirst, Registered Manager at Progress House. “We couldn’t be prouder of Robert’s achievements, and he couldn’t be happier with himself.”