A Message From Christine Gallant
My name is Christine Gallant and I am the Director of Marketing & Training at Latham Centers, Inc. One of my goals is to be sure that LCI offers staff the opportunity to develop the professional skills necessary to work with children and adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Understanding the challenges of PWS is an important step in becoming a professional direct care worker.
Many of us come into this field with some background in Human Services, child care or education. We typically understand the need for program structure and the value of rich, interesting activity planning, but the concept of total food security and strict adherence to nutritional guidelines can be misunderstood when you don’t understand Prader-Willi Syndrome. It is not news to families that food plays a huge role in the care and well-being of those with PWS, but it might be to staff who know little about this complex syndrome before they begin their new job with us.
We have designed an orientation program that helps staff understand PWS. During their initial week-long orientation to LCI, new staff meet with key personnel to learn about Prader-Willi Syndrome, our philosophy, and the current research and best practices about this challenging syndrome. We actively support all staff in increasing their knowledge about PWS through attendance at conferences and inservices, expanding our PWS library and consulting with and learning from Drs. Janice Forster and BJ Goff. We are members of PWSAUSA, PWSNE and IPWSO. We welcome all families, organizations and professionals to join us as we continue to develop programming that offers excellence in care and support to those with PWS.
~Chinese Proverb
