Understanding Specific Needs: A Comprehensive Guide to Supporting Individuals with Specific Needs

This comprehensive guide explores the concepts of health, disability, illness, and behavior in relation to users of health and social care services. It analyzes the changing perceptions of specific needs over time and examines the impact of legislation, social policy, society, and culture on service provision. The guide delves into the care needs of individuals with specific needs, evaluating current support systems and services available in a chosen locality. It further explains approaches and interventions for supporting individuals with specific needs, evaluating their effectiveness and discussing the potential impact of emerging developments. Finally, the guide explores different concepts of challenging behavior, its impact on health and social care organizations, and analyzes strategies for working with challenging behaviors associated with specific needs.

Understanding Specific Needs
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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................4
1.1. Analyse concepts of health, disability, illness and behaviour in relation to users of health
and social care services..............................................................................................................4
1.2. Assess how perceptions of specific needs have changed over time....................................5
1.3. Analyse the impact of legislation, social policy, society and culture on the ways that
services are made available for individuals with specific needs................................................6
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................7
2.1. Analyse the care needs of individuals with specific needs.................................................7
2.2. Explain current systems for supporting individuals with specific needs............................8
2.3. Evaluate the services available in a chosen locality for individuals with specific needs....9
Task 3.......................................................................................................................................10
3.1. Explain the approaches and interventions available to support individuals with specific
needs.........................................................................................................................................10
3.2. Evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies for an individual with specific
need(s)......................................................................................................................................11
3.3. Discuss the potential impact of emerging developments on support for individuals with
specific needs...........................................................................................................................12
Task 4.......................................................................................................................................13
4.1. Explain different concepts of challenging behaviour........................................................13
4.2. Describe the potential impact of challenging behaviour on health and social care
organisations............................................................................................................................14
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4.3. Analyze strategies for working with challenging behaviors associated with specific
needs.........................................................................................................................................15
Conclusion................................................................................................................................17
References................................................................................................................................18
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Introduction
The study of Understanding Specific Needs includes the integration between service provider
and service user. These services are vital and effective for they are combination of behaviour,
nourishment of principles that make them useful for people in need. These needs can be of
variety including people suffering from mental, physical or other disabilities. In the further
study of the section, the analyses of elements that are present within the healthcare society
have been discussed. Apart from this, the study includes numerous regulations and standard
policies made and created for the people with certain requirements and needs. There is a
elaborate mention of needs and requirements of the individuals that has transformed over all
years. Similar to this, the report serves as base to get acknowledged about the needs of people
with specific, certain, and limited requirements.
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Task 1
1.1. Analyse concepts of health, disability, illness and behaviour in relation to users of
health and social care services.
According to world health organization (WHO), health is a critical issue considered vital and
significant for it sums up the complete state of physical form and mental form of human
being. Many researchers have derived on the conclusion that health can be understood by a
state or condition where any human is distant from any sort of affliction or disease. A healthy
body lifestyle or body can be referred to a human staying away from infection whilst
maintaining healthy body hygiene to avoid falling sick or ill. Disability on the other hand is
referred to inability of person either mentally or physically or both where a person is not able
to perform or behave normally due to resistance in movements. For better understanding, the
disability of any sort holds back a human from performing certain functions, such as brushing
teeth, bathing, strolling, etc. This condition is termed as handicapped normally in day to day
conversations.
Illness refers to a condition restricting a human from performing or doing regular jobs and
chores. This can either be temporary or permanent, highly depending upon the symptoms of
illness and results of medicines. Illness in British terminology is considered as something that
stays with a person for a large amount of time a person is sick, or is under the influence of
something that affects his mind and body. It widely affects both body and mind of individual.
Therefore, health issues, effects, and problems can be considered as a situation where a
human finds himself into some substantial or psychological state where he cannot fight the
same. The reason behind can be spontaneous lasting for a mere minute but might lead to
extreme health issues.
Behaviour is a situation or condition where a human portrays or displays a sort of conduct or
reaction as per the requirement. Behaviour is also affected by some devices that often take
place where things are added to particular health errors, but if tended carefully might prevent
many health issues. On the basis of social concept, the effect of behaviour serves a solid
examine that aids in device modification. Service providers of healthcare can therefore use
varied stages which might trigger the behaviour as well as health of people.
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1.2. Assess how perceptions of specific needs have changed over time.
The myths of mental illness and disability have come long a way annihilating all the
misinterpretations and preconception developed regarding it. People who have faced
challenging condition like that have been considered a disadvantage to society. There have
been varied discriminatory practices within healthcare institutions, society, etc. It restricted
people and general kind from valid and necessary medications. Orthodoxy had it such way
that these people with disability were prohibited the access to work, insurance, housing, and
various other services of the society. The statement makes it really clear that people with
mental disorder were not considered human in early days. Therefore, it can be said that with
turning time, a positive change has been witnessed by the society as people have gained
knowledge and now have information of the change a human body goes through the
suffering. This further goes to explain that the changing face of society has created a
favourable state of mind for the people suffering and managing themselves through tough
time of their respective lives.
Facial deformity has arrived as another way of well being and prominent health issues, which
in past few years has gained itself some popularity. Facial deformity is a term referred to
deformity related to or on face. In earlier days, people with facial deformity wanted to get rid
of condition due to rigid outlook of society towards them. Majority of patients lived under the
knowledge of being unacceptable in terms of society and that their life is going to be
adversely affected by it. But with change in mentality and evolved time, patients have been
accepted as every other human being in society. Nowadays deformity is no more seen as
something ugly or something to be out casted by society and people in general. Patients have
been accepted as same kind the other people with general nature and behaviour are, the life
has been much simpler than the time that has passed.
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1.3. Analyse the impact of legislation, social policy, society and culture on the ways that
services are made available for individuals with specific needs.
According to Connor & Hale (2017), Legislation and other social norms have a huge impact
on the way of treatment provided to mentally and physically disabled people. Innumerable
acts, policies, regularities have been applied consciously for these specially challenged of
society, and for the one who require special attention and requirements. For instance, people
with physical deformity, the Impairment and Equality act came into existence in 2010, and
for people with mental deformity Mental Wellness Act came into existence 2007. Mentioned
regulations and acts have highlighted the efforts and helped in bringing together the
protection and security to patients suffering from any type of deformity. Due to all these
regulations and acts stated by central government bodies and general administrative bodies,
NGO’s working in the favour of health and care sector have initiated the management of
availing secure life styles of such individuals. After the affective initiative of organizations,
the living standard raised of patients with secure treatment and helpful medical facilities.
There are many changes undergone of society to support, help, and enhance the level of
living of patients with disability. Some generous and active members of society too have
begun charity, and also are available in times of need and demand. People these days have
highly encouraged the display of talents and efficient skill competencies.
Norms of society, rules and regulations has changed by great effect and margins. This
statement can be supported with the fact that people today do not see patients as people who
deserve to be out casted or blessed with unfair treatment. Rather patients with specific needs
are seen as integral part of society who is supposed to be treated equally with fair treatments
at all cost. This behaviour has brought a positive change in lives of numerous individuals.
Cultural aspects of health and social care have changed to a large extent. For the fact people
from and through different culture and traditional backgrounds have a suffering need to be
felt equal and worthy to receive fair and honest treatment. There has been a significant
change in the treatment of lives of patients with such generous and positive attitude (Connor
& Hale, 2017).
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Task 2
2.1. Analyse the care needs of individuals with specific needs.
Regarding the given case study, it can be fairly understood that the major concern is violence,
child abuse and damage and devastation of a life is as well. Whilst considering the situation,
it can be highly pertained that either the mother of Baby P had been suffering from some
psychological problem, or the mate of Baby P’s mother i.e. her boyfriend had some
psychological problem leading him to abuse, torture, and conduct/apply physical violence to
a 17-month-old boy (Seligman & Darling, 2017).
The specific need, care, and attention have to regard the protection and health of Baby P,
whilst dealing with the hurts and injuries of the baby with the utmost care and diligence. And
not just this, it is also extremely necessary for the social care volunteers and workers to
acknowledge the concern and very urgent requirement of counselling with the mother of
Baby P and other people who are related and concerned with the living of Baby P. Most
specific need of the time involves the care and enough support in section of medical check-
up, the intervention and evaluation of intervention report, and convincing communications
with professionals of health care from various organizations mentioned in the study. Apart
from all these, the care and support of the child also include a separate place for Baby P to
overcome, outgrow, and develop from all these devastating, life-harming activities to avoid
the surrounding of child violence; domestic violence, and uncalled abuse. As it is mentioned
in the end study of the case that the interrogation brought forth the status of rape by Barker
which presently is expected to be avoided by taking certain measures of counselling and
moving baby P to his mother, in case the availability of the sufficient evidence and
interrogation. The marks of several bruises and injuries on baby P’s head depict serious child
violence on a mere 17-month-old baby. With zero implementation of suggested measures and
considerations by healthcare community works, the scenario leads up to the death of Baby P
(Cosh & Carslaw, 2016).
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2.2. Explain current systems for supporting individuals with specific needs.
The current system for supporting individual with specific needs in this case includes the
coordination with and cooperation of professional heath care workers and police officers to
carry out the rest investigation and optimize solid report regarding the domestic violence on
Baby P. For on the basis of these interrogations, necessary explanations were to be made for
social workers understand the circumstances and situations Baby P had gone through.
Similarly, the lack of attention and competence of professional health care workers in same
regard is also important for the wellbeing and admirable care of Baby P. The sole causes of
deleterious health condition of the baby are lack of coordination and absence of sufficient
care.
On the other hand, whilst considering the other side of the situation, where lies a more robust
and precise medical check-up with full and valid intervention of the result is taken out by
setting of local health care, in such condition the information about the abuse and child
violence might have been delivered to the health care worker, the organization, and the police
as well. The condition now would have generated a careful and sophisticated environment
which could’ve saved Baby P. It is understandable that in condition as mentioned, the
situation would been entirely different that must have included reduced abuse against Baby P,
the acknowledgement of abnormality running in the respective family, the emotional and
medical condition of the mother with condition of Barker as well. It is also valid, that in such
scenario, the hygienic requirements and food habits of Baby P have not been remarkable and
satisfactory. It is important to note that matters as such are to be deeply monitored in proper
way to realize and follow professional responsibilities (Seligman & Darling, 2017).
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2.3. Evaluate the services available in a chosen locality for individuals with specific
needs.
The services available in the chosen locality for individuals with specific needs are of Harrow
Council. According to London Government Act 1963, Harrow shares power with Greater
London Council. That resulted in availability of wider area to function, such as in case of fire,
ambulance emergency, personal services; social care etc.
Regarding the provided case study, the prime service has been provided by Harrow council
member. The member identifies the sign of injury and marks of hurt and informed the
authority. This aided in required care and legislative framework of the condition. The
services provided by local police later aided in apprehension of Baby P’s mother and her
boyfriend Barker, leading to relocation of Baby P to suitable environment for growth and
development. The mentioned services have been crucial apart from health and social care for
these supported the interaction necessary for the survival of the individual (Rothman, 2018).
Although according to case study, the lack of supervision, delusional concern and rising
ignorance on the part of workers, the stubborn nature of health care user that have not been
handled with knowledge by care workers has widely highlighted the other side of members of
the council. The case shook the local authorities of London Borough for the council had
failed in similar kind of case 10 years ago.
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Task 3
3.1. Explain the approaches and interventions available to support individuals with
specific needs.
The approach and intervention in regard the special requirements of disabled, ill health
condition of individuals, and individual suffering from ill behaviour is very important.
Moreover, it is vital for health care professional to understand and follow the concept of
professional attributes and competencies. For it only ensure the requisite and specific care of
the individual, but the wellbeing of the needy can widely addressed. Whilst considering the
provided case where severe physical and health damage has occurred, it is important to the
related health care professional workers to identity the plan, the execution, and the evaluation
of required regime. For a person suffering from ill health condition, it is necessary to help,
assess, and identify the specific issue to provide with suitable solution and treatment of
medical intervention. Likewise, for a mentally challenged person it is essential to understand
the perception and need of the individuals to provide them with suitable, pleasant, and safe
atmosphere and condition. These approaches are major and vital to boost the morale value
level of concerned individual for it is appreciated and helpful to provide them with health
related support (Pullen, et. al., 2016).
Moreover, it is also important to manage an effective communication skill. This includes both
kind verbal and non-verbal communication skill. These skills are vital to identify and
understand the needs and requirements of the concerned person. It is also important to share
and discuss issues and troubles of the individual amongst the health care professionals. The
legislative and government agencies include the making of framework and important
guidelines for the benefit of safety and need of disabled individuals.
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3.2. Evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies for an individual with specific
need(s).
With the introduction of approaches and intervention strategies it is vital to understand the
frame effectiveness of care and aid. The mentioned concern in vital for it helps in
construction of fruitful and effective plans, required change and implementations that are
crucial as they are vital of the care. Contemporary to this, the same is functioning for the
analyses and observation of the plans that turn the whole condition worthy and beneficial for
the disabled individual.
Apart from provided case, the needs and requirements of the individual also depends upon
the assistive technology and safety terms. Safety here stands to measure the effectiveness of
health management and restoration. In case of assistive technology, it ensures the required
care and intervention regimes availability for needful and patients of the community. In case
of a different scenario where the independent living is concerned, precisely for the old age
people, it is essential to take utmost care of the hygiene, cleanliness, medication, food intake,
and a steady/kind approach to educate them regard the use of instrument and related
precautions. Therefore, the role of supporting personals is not narrowed to the medication and
care but also of the emotional and psychological needs applicable in diverse circumstances.
The collaboration and participation within professionals regard this is highly crucial. It will
ensure that the condition related information is delivered to mention referrals for necessary
measures required (Oliver, 2017).
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3.3. Discuss the potential impact of emerging developments on support for individuals
with specific needs.
The potential impact of emerging developments is majorly referred to requisite care,
systematic treatment approach, and effective strategy for intervention and care services. It is
understood that the motive behind these scenarios highly concerns the beneficial aspect
health and wellbeing community. To the rest, it is related to equality of respective individuals
of the community aiding in growing opportunities in health care related services (Pullen, et.
al., 2016).
The most effective impact is the removal or so far reduction of discrimination and negotiation
of the impaired and challenged ill people of the society. The legislative framework and
concerned local, national and international police services have taken care of rest aspects of
the society. Apart from legislative and ethical framework, the work is supplemented with
social and health care agencies. There special care centre, such as childcare, health
organization, psychological counselling centre etc (Oliver, 2017).
There has been significant improvement in training and education system as well. The credit
competency of professional health care workers has increased to support the paradigm of
specific needs of individuals. These care aid in develop various nursing theories resulting in
raising awareness, evidence, and knowledge to support the requirements of the individuals.
Therefore, it is possible to generate substantial effort for effective management and wellbeing
of people needing healthcare in community.
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Task 4
4.1. Explain different concepts of challenging behaviour.
Challenging behaviour refers to behaviour that generate challenge which is further defined as
‘culturally abnormal or socially unacceptable behaviour of some kind, duration, and
frequency that the personal safety of the individual falls into crisis, or the type of behaviour
that limits or absolutely denies the access of normal activity or community facility.”
“Generally the expectations from a person reach up to a normal or symptomatic behaviour
that gives away the knowledge or troubles one is suffering from for a certain period of time.
There are times where challenging behaviour does remain a transient phenomenon.”
Challenging behaviour generally exhibit by people with development disabilities, such as the
condition of dementia, mental requirements; strokes, or brain injuries, people with psychosis
including children, but anyway these symptoms can prominent and displayed by any
individual (Davis, 2016).
The different concepts of challenging behaviour are:
Learning Disability: It can be found in both addicts and teenagers. For children it is
comparatively simple to cop up with the disability and overcome it but in case of addicts, it
gets difficult due to their respective addiction, resulting them being trapped in problems of
ineffective development and learning.
Physical disabilities: They cause challenging behaviour again for both addicts and teenagers.
For instance, a person who suffers from blindness finds it difficult to learn from visual
mediums which are otherwise easy for other people to learn from.
Ill Health: Health disability can be mental and physical, it is widely found in drug addicts for
their addiction is highly based on it. This challenging behaviour has only one remedy which
involves the abatement of addiction.
Physical impairment: Today teenagers are highly affected by challenging behaviour of
physical impairment. For example, an individual with physical disability who is unable to
reach school to get educated might look for prohibited means to live a sustaining life.
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Brain injury: It if widely found in drug addicts that provoke them to perform in uncertain and
unusual manner. The brain injury generally is caused by overdose of drugs that it starts
affecting the mental health and brain of individual. It is expected to be cured appropriately for
this kind of behaviour is difficult to manage and change.
Drugs and Alcohol: This challenging behaviour to highly fill with addicts falling into the pry
of alcohol and drugs. Teenagers are often found in large number in this category due to
indulge into addictive medium from very adolescence and due to low metabolism the drugs
and alcohol and begin depicting some challenging behaviour whose effect lasts longer than
usual as compared to adults (Davis, 2016).
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4.2. Describe the potential impact of challenging behaviour on health and social care
organisations.
MR. HL is presently a member of a family that takes care of him despite the challenges and
problematic situations that come attached with it. There are various challenging behaviours
witnessed within the healthcare organizations like NHS, and due to such problematic
situations and challenges firms have to go through modifications in present and new policies
as to manage and handle such challenges.
The potential impacts of such challenging behaviour on health are widely related to the
concern and objective of service providing organizations which are related to wellbeing and
societal process of the individual. More precise and impactful discussion can be generated
with respect regarding the services and care that are required to meet demand of challenging
behaviour. For any concerned professional health care worker, it is vital and a necessity to
have impressive communication skills, strategies to manage and handle any situation. A
common framework for issues related to behavioural strategies that includes behaviour
analysis, operant condition, and positive effective behaviour support is concerned to the
respective person. Before the introduction of intervention and management strategy, it is
utmost important to generate a trustworthy relationship with the service user and people
related to the individual. These relationship or partnership model will not only aid in
management and education of the required strategy implementation, but also in self-care,
self-management leading to general preparation of any diverse need (Goodley, 2016).
Apart from this, the impact is also highly concerned with increment in competencies and
learning of the professionals, for the result of high competencies and supportive ideology
related to health care is seen and reflected in positive outcome/ result of patient’s wellbeing.
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4.3. Analyze strategies for working with challenging behaviors associated with specific
needs.
Intervention strategies for Mr. HL an autistic man suffering from brain disability; dementia
focuses highly on managing the cognitive symptoms that lead to or generates fluctuating and
an erratic behavior. The result of these strategies would help in enhancing his general
functioning, it would reduce his distress, depression, and agitation which understandably
quite common and present amongst people experiencing disability.
One of the best affective theories applied to Mr. HL and other individuals like him has been
the promotion of his independence which resulted in not just a boost at his confidence but
also at his wiliness to more than just survive. The change in promotion of independence or
any sort of delay in the process can lead to much harder management in the later stage of the
disease. This independence although has to be applied selectively, i.e. engaging him in
activities that he can manage and tolerate. There also is the requirement of personal care and
helpful leisure while keeping under observation his tolerance level (Goodley, 2016).
It is difficult to access the strengths and requirements of service user with particular needs to
judge the effectiveness of strategies applied. The best of these strategies is acquired when
they are applied at the initial stage to determine the adaptation and behaviour of individuals.
Effective Communication
Communication strategies implemented include the use of sign language and non-verbal cues
to generate high amount of individual comprehension, involvement, and effective sensory
abilities. It is essential and effective for high value and social care. With absence of
communication, there cannot remain a significant coordination between service user and
service provider. Lack of communication or poor communication is widely considered as the
foundation of depressing user experiences. The individual involvement is as crucial as the
carer’s planning, management, delivery, monitoring of the services that lead the service user
to meet expected objectives and desires (Goodley, et. al., 2017).
Activities of daily living (Skill Training)
ADL includes monitoring of user’s impairments, abilities, and task performance in order to
understand the psychological factors inhibiting and behind their capabilities. Skill trainings
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are widely and carefully accessed during the task that brings forth the focus on empowering
user’s capability to independently carry out the assigned and expected task. During the
implementation of a task users are expected to manage and complete the assigned task with
minimal assistance. The minimal assistance includes: visual gestures, physical direction,
facial expression, and limited physical assistance.
The potential and fulfilling impact of growth of these strategies is the assistance of vital
support to induce effective improvement of health of the service user, especially individuals
with disability. There has been a significant improvement through the empowerment of
independent living that has effectively increased the endurance level of individuals. The
physical performance too has improved remarkably. Apart from the essential benefit and
effective result of these support systems, the maintenance and management of functional
capabilities of users with communication or physical impairments has also increase (Goodley,
et. al., 2017).
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Conclusion
The study included the understanding of specific needs and requirements of various
individuals on the basis of their disability, issue, physical and mental challenges. It has been
described and defined that various health and care organizations have to come up with
innovative initiatives along with various different service and health care providers to
improvise and devise better and effective service qualities. The study also included that it is
extremely vital to analyse and maintain the needs to specially challenged individual to
manage the operations of safeguarding and support. The improvement in quality of
surrounding environment of people with specific needs has been discussed that resulted in
implementation of varied policies and regulations.
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References
 Connor, D.J., Valle, J.W. and Hale, C., 2017. Practicing Disability Studies in Education:
Acting toward Social Change reply.
 Cosh, A. and Carslaw, H., 2016. Domestic violence and abuse. InnovAiT, 9(7), pp.404-412.
 Davis, L.J., 2016. The disability studies reader. Routledge.
 Goodley, D., 2016. Disability studies: An interdisciplinary introduction. Sage.
 Goodley, D., Lawthom, R., Liddiard, K. and Cole, K.R., 2017. Critical disability studies.
In The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Social Psychology (pp. 491-505). Palgrave Macmillan,
London.
 Katz, E., 2015. Domestic violence, children's agency and mother–child relationships:
Towards a more advanced model. Children & Society, 29(1), pp.69-79.
 Oliver, M., 2017. Defining impairment and disability. Disability and Equality Law, p.3.
 Owen, A., Bussien, J. and CallahanFerris, G., 2016. 6 Supporting individual learners:
working with Deaf learners. Exploring Children’s Learning: 3–11 years.
 Pullen, P.C., Lane, H.B., Ashworth, K.E. and Lovelace, S.P., 2017. Specific Learning
Disabilities. Handbook of special education, p.286.
 Rothman, J., 2018. Social work practice across disability. Routledge.
 Seligman, M. and Darling, R.B., 2017. Ordinary families, special children: A systems
approach to childhood disability. Guilford Publications.
 Siebers, T., 2017. Disability aesthetics. In Disability, Space, Architecture: A Reader (pp. 81-
90). Routledge.
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