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Staff training and culture

Train staff to recognise support tools

Enable different ways to access services, such as online or contactless options, to reduce stress and improve accessibility.

A man wearing blue denim jacket

Why this matters

 

Support tools show staff when someone may need extra help. This might include changes to service, clear information, or more time. When staff notice signs like a Sunflower Lanyard, people feel welcomed and supported. These tools only work when staff understand what they mean and know how to help.

"The staff had all been trained, and they recognised the disability bands my son was wearing. You could tell that they changed the way they interacted with him, because they spoke a bit slower, they waited for his reaction to things. That was really positive."

Community Member

What best practice looks like:

 
  • Avoid repeating yourself unless asked
  • Only touch people with warning and consent
  • Treat belongings as an extension of the person
  • Provide extra room for the person to move
  • Remove items that cause discomfort on request (for example, fixtures or tablecloths)
  • Be aware of draughts and airflow, they can cause things to touch people
  • Reducing crowding where possible
  • Move people if it helps them to feel comfortable (for example, seating them near a door or with no one behind them)
  • Be aware of co-occurring vision, hearing or movement differences, including auditory processing challenges 
  • Make space for movement or stimming without judgement
  • Give plenty of processing time
  • Understand that some people need faster service and others need more time
  • Remember that emotional expressions may look different from what is expected

Example:

A retail store removes hand dryers from one bathroom. They provide paper towels and mark it as a 'quiet bathroom' with signage.