Supported Living: Fred’s Story

Fred had a very poor experience of moving into the community which had led to him remaining in hospital ever since.

Fred has very significant and profound autism and as part of our assessment process we established he had gained a reputation as a highly challenging and complex individual.

We assessed Fred based on his presenting needs now and ascertained quickly that he could benefit from a bespoke PBS assessment and support plan. This plan would involve Fred and all those important in his life to determine how St Anne’s could support him to have a more positive and successful community-based life.

Working together with the local Community Team for Learning Disabilities, the St Anne’s PBS team spent time to fully assess Fred in order to understand his needs, the triggers which had led to behaviours which challenged in the past and the specific de-escalation techniques which would be best help support Fred.

The St Anne’s support team, St Anne’s PBS team and CTLD developed an individualised support plan together based on this full assessment. Training for the staff team, specifically tailored to Fred’s needs was identified and delivered by the PBS team and our in-house Learning and Development Department.

Fred was enabled to learn to communicate his stress in new safer and more productive ways, thus providing a functionally equivalent alternative to the behaviours which had previously been seen as challenging.

The team supported Fred by using low arousal techniques, displaying calmness, creating space, speaking slowly, gently and clearly with a lowered voice and a calm open posture and there has been no need for physical interventions.

Fred’s support has reduced from 2:1 to 1:1 and he became far happier in his home environment and has been able to access a range of activities in the community in which he lives.

This is one example of the skills and knowledge St Anne’s as an organisation has brought to one person which was life changing for him. Our PBS model of bespoke support is repeatable to future clients or those whose needs change enabling the people we support in all the areas we work to benefit from our well established and BILD accredited team.

Because we have such varied experience and expertise across the various client groups, we support in the North of England we are able to draw on an array of skills.