Early Intervention and Prevention

The North East and Cumbria Learning Disability Network worked in partnership with The Challenging Behvaiour Foundation, PBS steering group, Northumbria University and the Tizard Centre around an Early Intervention and Prevention pilot aimed at children and young people with a learning disability and/or autism.

This project consisted of 3 interventions co-produced with families, a strategic development strand and an independent evaluation. The three interventions were:

1.Early Positive Approaches to Support (E-PAtS)

An 8-week intervention for families of children age 0-5 who have a learning disability.  It aims to reduce the risks of behaviour that challenges before a crisis is reached and to limit the impact of such behaviour on children, families and professionals. The intervention is led by a professional and a family carer co-trainer.

2.The Challenging Behaviour Foundation Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) workshops

This is aimed at families of school-age children.  It consists of 3 full-day workshops, which bring families and professionals together to develop a positive behaviour support plan for the child they are supporting.  This training is delivered by a trainer with PBS expertise in partnership with a family carer.

3.Mindfulness

A 6-week course for families of children, which brings together and supports them to increase their resilience (which the evidence shows is a key factor in enabling them to provide good support for their child)

The strategic development strand was led by family carers, to understand what works for their children and what needs to change and how we can address these barriers to improve partnership working and improve community support. For more information see here.

There was also an independent evaluation which provided a range of recommendations. This can be found here

Here is a video put together by the CEIP with the message, invest in families: