TULIP Learning Disability and Behaviour Support Service

Supporting children and young people with learning disabilities and their families with behaviours that challenge in the home environment through Positive Behaviour Support.

Who are we?

Our team is currently made up of: a Learning Disability and Behaviour Support Clinical Nurse Specialist, an Assitant Practitioner in Learning Disability and a Creative Arts Therapist.

What does the service provide?

The Learning Disability and Behaviour Support Service works with children and young people and their families where there is significant behaviours that challenge within the family home. Services offered include:

• Bespoke Behaviour Support Plan following a functional behaviour assessment in order to tailor strategies for management of specific behaviours that challenge at home in a proactive way. This may include 1:1 work within the family home environment targetting specific behaviours where necessary.
• Parent Support Groups based around specific behaviours that challenge including puberty, continence issues, sleep and restrictive eating. These can be accessed face to face and virtually and will run on a monthly basis.
• Therapeutic interventions through the Indigo dramatherapy service to support young people where there is evidence that previous or ongoing trauma impacts the behaviours that challenge.

Who does the service support?

Children and young people between the ages of 4 and 18 who have a diagnosis of Learning Disability and are registered with a Croydon GP who display behaviours that challenge in the home environment. Unfortunately we do not provide support where behaviours only challenge at school but our service is able to signpost to other agencies where appropriate.

Who do we work with?

Our team works in collaboration with parent/careers and their children and young people. With consent our team will liaise with all professionals in your child or young person’s life. This will include their school, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and formal careers.

Service Values

The service has been developed within the scope of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for Challenging Behaviour and Learning Disabilities: Prevention and Interventions for people with Learning Disabilities whose behaviours challenge (NG11, 2015). This guidelines recognises Positive Behaviour Support as the theoretical basis for interventions for people with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges. Our service is delivered based upon the core principles of Positive Behaviour Support.

What is Positive Behaviour Support?

The overall aim of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is to improve the quality of a person’s life and that of the people around them. PBS provides the right support for a person, their family and friends to help people lead a meaningful life and learn new skills without unnecessary restrictions. It is not simply about getting rid of problematic behaviour.

How to access our service

The service does not accept self-referrals for support. We would ask families and carers to request someone within their professional network complete a referral form if they feel they would benefit from support. Referral forms can be obtained by requesting one via the email address below. Once referrals are received they are triaged and accepted or rejected as required and then the Clinical Nurse Specialist will be in touch with the family to complete an in depth Initial Behaviour Assessment. It is important to note families will need to engage with the Clinical Nurse Specialist and her team to work towards effective Behaviour Support within the home environment. Any Questions? If you have any questions please do get in touch via the details below for the Clinical Nurse Specialist who should be able to answer your questions or queries about the pathway.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions please do get in touch via the details below for the Clinical Nurse Specialist who should be able to answer your questions or queries about the pathway.

Email: CH-trpaedsneurodisabilitycns@nhs.net

Telephone: 020 8680 4810