Now and Then – Mark Stainsby

Each of our histories has given us is a strong foundation for our future. As Scope marks its 75th anniversary, we are highlighting the many people who have helped make Scope the organisation we are today. Today we meet Mark Stainsby, House Supervisor.

Hi Mark, tell us about when you started working in disability services?

I started work in 1985 as a 17-year-old. I left school just after the Deb ball in year 11 to work at Pleasant Creek Training Centre, an institution for people with intellectual disabilities in my hometown of Stawell, Victoria.

I think I was destined to be in this field of work. I’m a happy-go-lucky type of person, and I grew up around the disability sector. My father worked at Pleasant Creek and the Aradale psychiatric hospital; and my mother was a teacher and principal at a school for students with an intellectual disability.

We used to have one of mum’s students from Pleasant Creek, Damien, stay at our house overnight on a regular basis. He was born with Downs Syndrome. Earlier this year I bumped into him at the shopping centre down near Geelong, and we had a great chat.

What was your role when you started working at Pleasant Creek?

I started out as a what was then known as a Trainee Mental Retardation Aid (TMRA). I went on to become a Trainee Intellectual Disability Support Officer (TIDSO). Later, I would go on to complete my three years of training as a Mental Retardation Nurse (MRN).

I was also part of a pilot program at Pleasant Creek, along with about 15 others, known as the Developmental Disabilities Course. It was six months of school, five days per week with full pay. We divided our time between the classroom and practical hours in locations across the region. This is now the Certificate IV in Disability Support.

What stories can you share from your first years working in disability?

In my early days I would support 20-30 people with severe profound disabilities on a ward. I still look back and reflect on how much has changed.

I remember one young girl of about 14-16 years who barely weighed 12kg. She wore mittens on her hands because she would become anxious and bite her fingers. I would pick her up in my arms and swing her around in a circle, and she would have the biggest smile on her face. That’s well over 30 years ago now, but her expression of joy has stayed with me.

Another thing I remember about the institution days is folding lots of cloth nappies every day. There were no disposable continence aids back then. Any soiled nappies had to be rinsed out by hand and soaked for the day in a large basin. At the end of the day we would put the gloves on and wash them as well as we could before sending them over the main laundry to be put through the machine.

What are some of the changes you've seen during your career?

Over the years I have worked under several different models. We started with the ‘Medical Model’, where we were trained in administering injections, sterile dressings, causations and so-on. This was followed by the ‘Developmental Model’, which included formulation of programs for skills development and intensive behaviour management. This progressed to ‘Everyday Interactions’, where client skills are developed through daily life, which is similar to what we do now in ‘Person Centred Planning – Active Support’.

There have also been a lot of Departmental name changes over the years – too many to list! Perhaps the biggest change was the move from the Department of Health and Human Services to ‘Home@Scope’. The most recent change of becoming Scope will just about see me into retirement… I hope!

What do you think has been the biggest change?

I experienced the positive move towards de-institutionalisation, with Aradale closing in 1993 and Pleasant Creek 1999. I was heavily involved with the closure of Pleasant Creek and was fortunate to gain a House Supervisors position locally in Stawell. Many other MRN’s had to leave Stawell to maintain their positions.

The closure of Pleasant Creek was an interesting time. The citizens of Stawell were in a bit of an uproar at the thought of all these people with a disability becoming their next-door neighbours! In time, and as evident today, the community accepted this as a positive move for people living with disability.

I was a strong advocate for the move because I could see the potential benefits for the people I was working with. Having five to six clients living together in a purpose-built house, with a small number of staff was far better than congregate care.

The older model meant we had 25-30 clients living together with only four or five staff. There was isolation, exclusion, little to no privacy, no choice of meals, limited opportunity for community activities, the list goes on.

I was responsible for setting up two houses from scratch, which was very rewarding. I have seen a lot of growth and development with the residents I have worked with over the years as a result of this change. It has brought us forward into a more inclusive and diverse world that promotes growth and individuality for people with disability.

What do you see changing in the future, either at Scope or in the disability sector?

Things are definitely going in the right direction. The clients I support have an active life, they go to work or day program, and get individual supports outside their home life.

The NDIS has been a game changer in the way services are delivered too. As a House Supervisor, I believe our role has become more complicated; however I can see the benefits for the people we work with. I know there is still a lot of confusion out in the community about the NDIS, so I think there is more to be done to help people understand the opportunities available for support.

The disability sector, as well as our state and federal governments, are always looking for ways to improve the services we provide. The recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission are a sure sign that things will continue to change for the better for people living with disability.