תרומתה של האקדמיה ושל תוכניות הכשרה מקצועיות לצוות השרות במסגרות דיור חוץ־ביתיות לאנשים עם מש"ה

The purpose of the current study was to examine the contribution of academic schooling and professional training programs to the expert knowledge of employees who care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The study highlights the importance of training provided to professionals who care for people with IDD, graduates of academic studies in education, social work,allied health professions, nursing, etc.The study utilized a questionnaire completed by 117 lead staff at residential settings for individuals with IDD throughout Israel. The findings indicated that the perceived contribution of professional training to expert knowledge is significantly higher than that of academic schooling and of person-centered service. The research findings show that improving staff competencies, status, and authority might reduce the distance created between the staff and individuals with IDD and generate an improvement in their quality of life. In addition, imparting preliminary expert knowledge to workers before they begin working at these settings might improve the service provided, reduce the inclination to quit this complex job, and allow them to persevere and to provide better tailored care to people with IDD. Accordingly, the human capital in this field may expand, become better established, and stabilize. The staff will be more professional, remain engaged in their work for more years, and significantly improve the response provided for the needs of individuals with IDD. The research findings can help promote the perception of person-centered service and improve the quality of life of those living in residential settings. Academic institutions have begun offering programs teaching practical models in this field.These models may facilitate efficient coping with challenges encountered by the research population. Nonetheless, these programs are limited and the demand sparse. Considering the research findings, it is extremely important to make sure that they include practical training alongside academic and professional training in residential settings, beyond theoretical studies. The current study stresses the importance of reinforcing academic knowledge and fieldwork, as the availability of personnel with advanced training could improve the quality of life of people with IDD and create many opportunities and abilities to deal with the complexities in this field, with its dire need for professional workers.