Latest News

Get involved in shaping the statutory guidance on services for adults with autism!

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation has welcomed the launch of the consultation on statutory guidance on services for adults with autism in England.

The development of this guidance is a key part of the Autism Act 2009.

This new guidance will be statutory, so any local authority or local health body that doesn't follow it will be able to be challenged through the courts.

It is therefore very important that the guidance says the right things so that people with autism and their family carers can use it to get the support they need locally.

We want to urge as many people as possible to have their say about what they think should be in the statutory guidance.

How to get involved

There are a number of ways that you can get involved and let the Government know what you think of their draft guidance:

1) You can download the consultation or read it online and answer the questions in the questionnaire. Send your answers:

a. By post to: Adults with autism statutory guidance consultation
                        Department of Health
                        Unit 124
                        Wellington House
                        133 -- 155 Waterloo Road
                        London SE1 8UG

b. By email to: autism@dh.gsi.gov.uk

You do not have to answer every question in the booklet. You can also send in some comments on the draft guidance without answering the questions

Standard and easy read versions of both of the consultation document and the questionnaire are available here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_118058

2) You can also organise your own a consultation event. The Department of Health has developed a toolkit to help. See: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_118058

All change

The Summer 2010 edition of 'Challenge' looks at the work of the Challenging Behaviour National Strategy Group (CB-NSG), a group set up by the CBF to identify all the people and organisations who have a role to play in supporting children and adults with learning disabilities and behaviour described as challenging, to bring them all together, and to agree how to work in a co-ordinated way to make sure that the right support is delivered in the right place at the right time. The CB-NSG provides a model for collaborative working between professionals and family carers whose aim is to enable people to live good lives with the right support, by working together to facilitate real change.

Click here to download the Summer 2010 edition of 'Challenge' in pdf format

Easy read charter

An easy read version of the Challenging Behaviour – National Strategy Group Charter is now available. This includes:

What is challenging behaviour?
The challenging behaviour charter
About the national strategy group

To view the easy read charter click here

For more information please contact: nationalstrategygroup@thecbf.org.uk or Tel: 01634 838739

Getting it Right

Learning Disability week (held on 21st – 27th June 2010) was Mencap’s national awareness week, this year they are campaigning to improve the NHS and health care for people with learning disabilities with their campaign “Getting it right”. To read more about the campaign and what you can do to support it, click here

New member of the CBF team

The CBF is delighted to welcome Frank Proctor to the team. Frank will be employed for a one year term as part of a research project. His role is Project Manager for the Sustainable Hub of Innovative Employment for people with Complex needs (SHIEC) (as highlighted in Valuing Employment Now)

The Hub consists of a range of stakeholders including the Tizard Centre, The Challenging Behaviour Foundation (CBF), Valuing People Now Team and Kent County Council.

For more information about this project please contact us.

New Resources

Guide for advocates

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation have developed a guide for advocates “Supporting people with learning disabilities who are described as having challenging behaviour” to equip independent advocates or family carers who advocate on behalf of a son or daughter to effectively champion the rights and best interests of individuals with severe learning disabilities.

The advocacy resource costs just £16 (free to unpaid/family carers). Copies can be ordered using the resource order form or by contacting the CBF by phone, letter or email

Updated Information Sheet

Our information sheet “Difficult sexual behaviour amongst men and boys with learning disabilities” written by David Thompson of SCIE (The Social Care Institute for Excellence) has been updated. This information sheet gives some suggestions about understanding and responding to difficult sexual behaviour. It is specifically about the behaviour of men and boys with learning disabilities who are more likely to present challenges in this area than women with learning disabilities. A wide range of issues are described – not all will be relevant to what is a very diverse group of individuals. Information is also given on relevant publications and organisations who can provide support and training.

Click here to view 'Difficult sexual behaviour amongst men and boys with learning disabilities'