Paperwork in group homes for people with intellectual disability

Abstract

Background Paperwork forms a large part of daily group home service provision, and yet its use as a service technology has received little research attention. The aim of this study was to explore changes in paperwork over time in Victorian group homes.

Method Ethnographic and enumerative content analysis techniques were used to review 2 Victorian service manuals to explore the amount and types of group home paperwork.

Results An emergent typology was developed based on 2 concepts: regulatory and subordinate paperwork. The paperwork quantity had increased over a 21-year period. The proportionate distribution between the 2 concepts remained similar, although resident-related paperwork about health and recreation, and service-related paperwork about emergency and risk, increased.

Conclusion Paperwork has become an increasingly dominant group home service technology, although to understand its impact on service delivery and ensure paperwork is helpful for all stakeholders, further research could explore frontline staff's paperwork perceptions.

Keywords:

• group homes
• intellectual disability
• paperwork
• service technology
• practice guidance
• risk management
• quality assurance
• evidence

Author note

The study was not funded. The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this study.