Welcome to
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation Website
making a difference to the lives of people with severe learning disabilities
Registered charity no. 1060714
Planning for the Future
Introduction
We all think about the future, to varying degrees. Sometimes we have clear goals and expectations, and sometimes our plans are more generalised and vague. Mostly we all want to have a good quality of life – to be happy and fulfilled and to share our lives with others we care for and who care for us.
Families caring for someone with a disability may often feel a greater need to plan, but may find it harder to think about the future, particularly when they are dealing with challenging behaviour on a daily basis – it’s an easy thing to put off to another day!
If a child or adult has severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour it is likely that appropriately meeting their needs is complex and requires a great deal of information. It is essential therefore to think not only about current needs and support, but also to plan ahead and to try to think of all eventualities (including an “emergency plan” for unforeseen circumstances). This is particularly important if planning accommodation and staff support as this can take time and require co-ordination of a range of components.
Person Centred Planning
The best way to plan to meet someone’s needs is by placing the person at the centre of the whole process. In the past, the typical approach has been to try to fit a person into what is available. The Government says that this is not acceptable and that a person centred approach should be adopted. A Person Centred Plan (PCP) is an ongoing recording with a positive “vision” of what life should look like for the individual and the support needed to achieve the vision, maintain it, evaluate and review it.
For more information contact:
• Families Leading Planning
(Tel: 07780 675197 or visit www.familiesleadingplanning.co.uk)
• Your local Valuing People Support Team
(details and resources at www.valuingpeople.gov.uk )
• The Learning Disability Support Team (Tel: 0808 808 1111)
A PCP should be a living plan - it can and should be amended and adapted according to individual needs and circumstances, and can be a useful tool to achieving goals and aims. It should be the overarching plan that draws all other plans (health action plans, behaviour support plans, care plans etc) together. However, it should be noted that a PCP has no statutory power – it is considered best practice, but is not enforceable. It is essential therefore that alongside the PCP, the key requirements are incorporated into the Community Care Assessment Care Plan, which is enforceable in law.
What are the options?
The options for a person with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour should be the same as everyone else - they have the same rights, as everyone else. Sometimes these rights are not met because individuals do not have the appropriate level of support they require in order to access those rights. This is unacceptable - there is a wealth of Government policy which clearly states that people with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour should be supported to exercise choice and control to be part of their local community. This means that a child / adult with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour has a right to:
• live in their local area
• access family life
• access community facilities
• access learning opportunities.
People with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour will require support to achieve this, and in addition others may be required to adapt in order to accommodate their needs - hence the need for careful planning.
“Ready made” or “bespoke”?
Having considered the individual’s needs, strengths, interests, wishes and dreams in a person centred plan, there will be a range of options for all aspects of the plan: to see if what is required is already available, to adapt some elements of what already exists to make it accessible, or to create something unique.
A good service or support package should enable a person with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour to live an ‘ordinary’ life, and for them (or a person advocating on their behalf) to have choice and control over what they do, where, when and who with. This may require adaptations to environment and will certainly need sufficient funding and sufficient support from appropriately trained staff
If you are considering a support provider for your son/daughter, there are a number of questions to ask to help you decide if they are suitable. A selection of questions other families have found useful are listed at the end of this information sheet.
What next?
There are a range of tools and opportunities to develop creative, individual and flexible support tailored to meet an individual’s needs, however it can sometimes be hard for families to know where to begin. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation information pack ‘Planning for the Future’ gives more information on the following themes:
- Know your rights
- Know the processes
- Know who can help
- Know the challenges
- Know your options
- Understanding the funding
- Safeguards & protecting the individual
Please visit www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk to view or download this information, or contact the Challenging Behaviour Foundation if you would like to order a copy. (Information packs free to family carers; £10 to professionals)
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation can also link you up with other families to share any challenges you meet or ideas you may have. Please ask for an application form for our family linking scheme and/or parents email network.
Questions to ask:
If you are considering a support provider for your son/daughter, there are a number of questions you could ask to help you decide if they are suitable:
| QUESTIONS | RESPONSE/NOTES |
Person centred approachCan you provide an example of how you have changed your practice to meet the needs of an individual? Can you tell me how you ensure that you always adopt a person centred approach? What adaptations will you make to accommodate my son/daughter's needs? How will you encourage my son / daughter to develop his/ her skills? Can you tell me how you will support my son / daughter to express their individual personality / identity? |
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Activities and choicesWhat will a typical weekday / weekend be like for my son/daughter? How will you support my son / daughter to access community facilities? What transport is available to enable my son / daughter to access community facilities? Are activities organised on a group or individual basis, or combination of the two? If a group activity is arranged that my son/daughter does not wish to participate in, what will you do? What sorts of choices will be offered? (ranges from breakfast cereal to activities and everything in between!) Will my son/daughter be able to choose his/her staff support? |
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FamilyHow do you support families to be actively involved in their sons/daughter's lives? Can you put me in touch with other families of people you support so that I can hear their views? Can I visit/contact my son/daughter at any time? Can I visit without an appointment? |
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Behavioural ManagementCan I see your behaviour management/physical intervention/ adult protection policy? What induction, training and ongoing support do your staff receive? How will you meet the behavioural needs of my son/daughter? How will this be managed and reviewed and what specialist input do you have? Do you use a positive behavioural support approach? (recommended by the Royal College of Psychiatry and the British Institute of Learning Disabilities) How will you ensure that staff that support my son/daughter have the appropriate communication skills? Do all the staff who will support my son / daughter have a good standard of spoken English? Do you use physical restraint? Are all your staff trained to use this, and is the training accredited by the British Institute of Learning Disabilities? Do you use PRN (prescription required as needed) medication as a way of managing challenging behaviour? How many people living here take medication to manage challenging behaviour? |
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OtherHow will you ensure my son / daughter's health needs are monitored? |
Download Planning for the Future information sheet in pdf format