Inconsistent staffing and its impact on service delivery in ASD early-intervention
Author(s)
Sulek, Rhylee
Trernbath, David
Paynter, Jessica
Keen, Deb
Simpson, Kate
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2017
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background: Inconsistent staffing (high turnover, casual workforce)is problematic in organisations,
with the potential to impact both staff and services provided. Research has
primarily focused on the impacts of inconsistent staffing in child welfare and community
services with little evidence surrounding their ability to impact the outcomes for children
with Autism Spectrum Disorders attending early-intervention services.
Aim: The aim of this study was to explore staff views regarding the impact of staff turnover
on the delivery of group based early intervention for children with ASD.
Methods and procedures: We conducted ...
View more >Background: Inconsistent staffing (high turnover, casual workforce)is problematic in organisations, with the potential to impact both staff and services provided. Research has primarily focused on the impacts of inconsistent staffing in child welfare and community services with little evidence surrounding their ability to impact the outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders attending early-intervention services. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore staff views regarding the impact of staff turnover on the delivery of group based early intervention for children with ASD. Methods and procedures: We conducted five focus groups involving 29 professional (e.g. teachers, behaviour therapists), para-professional (e.g. child care workers), and managerial staff to explore their views. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim for use in thematic analysis. Outcomes and results: Two central themes, comprising five categories emerged to encompass participants’ views. “Impacts on Staff” accounted for the challenges existing staff felt when working with new and untrained staff in the centre. Participants also expressed concerns for the “Impacts on Service Delivery” that resulted from dynamic staffing, affecting fidelity of interventions and the program itself. Conclusions and implications: The findings suggest that lacking a consistent staffing structure is problematic when attempting to provide high quality early intervention services to children with ASD and suggest that future research should investigate the extent of inconsistent staffing, impacts of inconsistent staffing on providing intervention, and develop a range of tools to help measure these effects
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View more >Background: Inconsistent staffing (high turnover, casual workforce)is problematic in organisations, with the potential to impact both staff and services provided. Research has primarily focused on the impacts of inconsistent staffing in child welfare and community services with little evidence surrounding their ability to impact the outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders attending early-intervention services. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore staff views regarding the impact of staff turnover on the delivery of group based early intervention for children with ASD. Methods and procedures: We conducted five focus groups involving 29 professional (e.g. teachers, behaviour therapists), para-professional (e.g. child care workers), and managerial staff to explore their views. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim for use in thematic analysis. Outcomes and results: Two central themes, comprising five categories emerged to encompass participants’ views. “Impacts on Staff” accounted for the challenges existing staff felt when working with new and untrained staff in the centre. Participants also expressed concerns for the “Impacts on Service Delivery” that resulted from dynamic staffing, affecting fidelity of interventions and the program itself. Conclusions and implications: The findings suggest that lacking a consistent staffing structure is problematic when attempting to provide high quality early intervention services to children with ASD and suggest that future research should investigate the extent of inconsistent staffing, impacts of inconsistent staffing on providing intervention, and develop a range of tools to help measure these effects
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Journal Title
Research in Developmental Disabilities
Volume
63
Funder(s)
NHMRC
Grant identifier(s)
APP1071811
Subject
Health services and systems
Public health
Specialist studies in education
Specialist studies in education not elsewhere classified
Psychology
Other psychology not elsewhere classified