It is widely acknowledged within the peer support and recovery literature that there are wide ranging benefits of peer support for those receiving the peer support, for the workers themselves, and for the health system as a whole. One key benefit is the greater perceived empathy and respect that peer supporters are seen to have for the individuals they support. It occurs when people share common concerns and draw on their own experiences to offer emotional and practical support and can be of value in a variety roles and health and social care settings. This module aims to enable the learner to explore the concept of peer support work and how it might be operationalized in a variety of health recovery fields. The recovery principles of hope, control and opportunity are explicit.

1. Critically reflect on the nature of lived experience and expertise by experience and understand and demonstrate the basic principles of narrative inquiry.

2. Articulate a clear understanding of a recovery in health orientation to achieving personal recovery goals

3. Critically reflect on the role and contribution of peer support work in a variety of health recovery fields and on the development possibilities of such a role into the future

4. Develop a personal philosophy of the meaning of recovery for the self and demonstrate an understanding of the use of self as a supportive action, in particularan understanding of recovery promoting competencies, to include advanced listening and appraisal skills, solution focused working and goal planning.

5. Critically explore empowerment and humanistic approaches in recovery promoting relationships and in promoting improved quality of life, social participation and inclusion and in reducing health related stigma.

6. Critically reflect on the nature of resiliency and the promotion of a resiliency skill set

7. Articulate and foster key recovery objectives such as a life beyond illness, the reframing of the illness experience in terms of hope, the advancement of self agency and the development of new or emergent social roles.

Evidence indicates that people with dementia who are cared for by a family member have better morbidity indicators and have a better quality of life than those in care homes. At individual level, post-diagnostic support can help people work through the disease and enable them to plan for a life beyond diagnosis. Information, social contact and peer support can also help to reduce anxiety and isolation following diagnosis.

Evidence also suggests that family carers of people with dementia experience greater strain and distress than carers of other older people and as such, support following diagnosis is also important for carers of people living with dementia. The problems faced by carers are amplified by a lack of understanding about the diagnosis and symptoms of dementia. Post-diagnostic interventions such as access to peer-support can support family members by increasing their knowledge and awareness of dementia.

This module considers that the learner has existing knowledge in dementia care. The content seeks to further educate the learner on the multi-faceted psychosocial impact of dementia on the person and their carer(s). The learner will consider the evidence base around; and models of peer support, along with the relational role of the family peer supporter, to help individuals, groups and organisations better support people with dementia in their communities.

1. demonstrate understanding of the spectrum of challenges faced by persons and carers living with dementia.

2. demonstrate knowledge of models of peer support delivery in dementia care.

3. demonstrate understanding of the important components of family sensitive practice.

4. demonstrate the ability to use key peer support practice skills.

The aim of the module is to enable learners to develop an in depth working knowledge of the principles and practice of recovery for the mental health service user and to critically evaluate the range of skills necessary to work innovatively and collaboratively with service users, carers and their families, and appropriate agencies.

This module maps to the CORU Standards of Proficiency below:

Domain 1: Professional Autonomy and Accountability

Domain 2: Communication, Collaborative Practice and Teamworking

Domain 5: Professional Knowledge and Skills

1. Understand recovery principles and experiences in the national and international context. (Domain 1.4, 2.4, 5.4, 5.11)

2. Effectively engage and work in partnership with service users, carers and their families in assessment, delivery and evaluation of care within a recovery model. (Domain 2.3)

3. Recognise and support personal resourcefulness and empowerment of service users. (Domain 2.3)

4. Critically evaluate and reflect on the extent to which the learner’s own practice is underpinned by knowledge of theory and relevant recovery research in delivering effective care within the context of a recovery approach. (Domain 1.22)

5. Contribute to effective change and the development of effective local policy in mental health care delivery. (Domain 5.15)

6. Contribute to the promotion of the recovery model in mental health practice (Domain 1.22)

7. Understand the importance of promoting social inclusion and reducing stigma in recovery work. (Domain 5.11, 5.15)

8. Understand the need for user and self advocacy in implementing the recovery approach and understand the importance of actively protecting service user rights. (Domain 2.3, 5.15)

9. Have a comprehensive knowledge of community services and resources and actively support service users in using them (Domain 1.4, 2.4)

10. Have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the range of mental health problems experienced by service users, carers and their families with regard to recovery (Domain 1.4, 2.4, 5.4)

The aim of this module is to facilitate a critical exploration of contemporary mental health issues with specific emphasis on recovery. This will incorporate policy and legislation studies, service user involvement, family participation and an examination of modern multi-professional collaborative mental health services. The module is designed to provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of multi-disciplinary working and the specific role of the professional social care worker in mental health service provision. This understanding will be informed by CORU's Standards of Proficiency.

This module maps to the CORU Standards of Proficiency below:

Domain 1: Professional Autonomy and Accountability

Domain 2: Communication, Collaborative Practice and Teamworking

Domain 5: Professional Knowledge and Skills

1. Articulate and critically engage with a comprehensive conceptual and historical overview of ‘mental illness’, drawing primarily on sociological and psychological perspectives (Proficiencies: 1.1; 1.2; 1.6; 1.9; 1.11).

2. Analyse and assess the policy and legal frameworks that shape contemporary mental health service provision in Ireland (Proficiencies: 1.1; 1.2; 1.6; 1.9; 5.4)..

3. Evaluate key ideas, trends and theories that inform a recovery discourse in mental health services with particular reference to the role of social care(Proficiencies: 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.6).

4. Critically review key recovery concepts such as hope, control and opportunity and the role of self-efficacy in recovery (Proficiencies: 1.1; 1.2; 1.6; 1.11; 1.17; 2.9; 2.13; 2.14; 2.15; 5.9).

5. Articulate and critically engage with current cultural changes in ‘mental health’ discourses arising from survivor movements, peer movements and wider community development frameworks (Proficiencies: 1.1; 1.2; 1.5; 1.6; 2.3; 2.4; 2.12).

This module offers a critical perspective on the neurodiversity paradigm and its implications for care practice, peer support and social activism.

1. Critical perspective on the neurodiversity paradigm.
2. Critical perspective on the pathology / bio-medical paradigm.
3. Appreciation of various discourses regarding autism and other medicalised neurodivergent experiences.
4. Capacity to apply the implication of these critical reflections to a variety of practice settings and social activism.

This module introduces current issues and thinking regarding social care approaches to people with disabilities. A key emphasis will be to investigate issues of inclusion, relationships and autonomy rather than a focus on service and resource coverage. The module will particularly draw on current research being conducted in ATU, Mayo Campus on disability issues in Mayo. The module will be informed by CORU's Standards of Proficiency.

1. Demonstrate acomprehensive understanding of the meanings attached to the label ‘disabled’ (Proficiencies 1.1, 1.2, 5.6)

2. Demonstrate a comprehensive awareness of the historical development of disability services in Ireland (Proficiencies 1.1, 1.2, 1.9, 3.13, 5.6, 5.14)

3. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the traditional medical model of service provision (1.1, 1.2, 5.6)

4. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the social model of service provision with particular reference to CORU’s Standards of Proficiency (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 1.11, 1.12, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 2.9, 2.10, 2.12, 2.14, 2.15, 2.17, 3.1, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.13, 5.2, 5.3, 5.6, 5.11, 5.15)

5. Demonstrate an appreciation and sensitivity to disabled people, their experiences and needs (Proficiencies 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.15, 1.16, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.9, 2.12, 2.17, 3.8, 5.2, 5.3)

This module is aimed at enabling the social care student to understand the concepts and the theoretical bases of addictions and addictive behaviour. It further aims to examine the complex relationship between specific groups and addiction in the social environment, including, for example, people experiencing homelessness, women, offenders, children, and to critically review contemporary policy in relation to addiction and substance misuse. This module is rooted in addiction as it relates to social care and as such aims to provide the social care student with a broad understanding of addiction as it relates to social care settings and the broader community and introducing some of the core proficiencies of social care as set out in the CORU Standards of Proficiency for Social Care.

1. Critically discuss theories and concepts of addictions and addictive behaviour; Proficiencies 1.1, 1.2, 5.4 and 5.1

2. Explore and critically analyse the impact of addictive behaviour on individuals and societywith particular reference to disclosures and the limits of practice for the social care worker. Proficiency 1.2, 1.4 and 5.1.

3. Critically discuss addiction care service systems in a national and international context with an emphasis on scientific enquiry; Proficiencies 5.5

4. Critically discuss substance misuse and specific populations within an Irish context, and define complex needs; Proficiencies 5.7

5. Critically discuss drug and alcohol policy development in Ireland and the importance of prevention initiatives. Proficiencies 5.7