A number of the people we support at Sense Scotland rely on touch to communicate. So, it’s an area we are continually looking at to ensure best practice.

In November Jacky Smith from our Partners in Communication Team travelled to Denmark (closely following Covid guidelines) to finish training as a Supervisor in the Tactile Working Memory Scale (TWMS). Here’s how she will put her training to good use…

“Since the start of 2021 I have been part of a group of professionals from across Europe who have been training to become supervisors for the Tactile Working Memory Scale (TWMS). Our training had been online, but in November we met face-to-face in Copenhagen for our final training seminar.

“Along with colleagues from Denmark, England, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, we spent three final days getting to grips with Tactile Working Memory and the role of the supervisor.

“Working Memory is the ability to keep something in mind for a limited time. When you’re cooking a new recipe and referring to the cook book, remembering the number of eggs you need or what step’s next is working memory. How do we remember (or not!) the names of the people we have just met and what they do? That’s working memory too. Walk into a room then can’t remember why? (no, that never happens to me either). Working memory. 

“The TWMS has been developed by colleagues in Norway and The Netherlands, and they have produced a free manual published by The Nordic Welfare Centre (NWC).

“This focuses on how to identify and support working memory in a tactile way. This can support people who are deafblind, but also people who have other disabilities. The purpose of the scale is to support the enhancement of Tactile Working Memory potential and improve communication.

“There are many people supported within Sense Scotland who use touch as their main method of communication. So it was important for me to undertake this training, in order that I can assist colleagues to apply this knowledge to the every day situations with the individuals they support.

“After three days of training the group of new supervisors received their certificates. Now I’m qualified to supervise the use of this scale, I can support teams within Sense Scotland.

“Over the past few weeks I’ve been putting a pilot together and asking colleagues at Sense Scotland to get in touch so we can put all this learning in to practice.”