Intensive Positive Behaviour Support (IPBS) Team

Professionals working with children and young people should visit the CCHP website for the latest version of the referral form. The CCHP webpage is here.

Our services support children and young people between the ages of 5 and 17 who are experiencing:

• moderate to severe learning disabilities. 
• significantly challenging behaviour, for example physical aggression.
• a high risk of home and/or school placement breakdown.
• already received multi-agency support from health, education or social care professionals.

Referrals can be made by GPs and professionals in education, health and social care. Young people supported by iPBS will usually receive support from the CAMHS LD teams as well.

If you are concerned that a child or young person you care for has mild learning disabilities, autism or other specific learning difficulties, visit our conditions overview page for further information about the support you might need

After the referral is accepted, a network meeting takes place. This brings together all the important people in the young person’s life, including parents, carers, professionals from school and short break service, to identify the difficulties in each area.

Assessment period

The following steps will take place during the assessment period:

• The psychologist and PBS practitioners will visit the young person in all settings to make observations.
• Some observations will be video recorded if it’s appropriate. This will only happen with consent from the young person’s parents or carers.
• Family, school staff and carers will be involved in conversations with PBS practitioners and the psychologist. They will be asked to complete questionnaires about the young person’s behaviours and how this is affecting their day-to-day life.
• The assessment usually takes around 12 weeks.
• At the end of the assessment, the iPBS team will prepare a report to share with everyone caring for and supporting the young person.
• A Positive Behaviour Support plan will be created together with the network, which will include clear, written behavioural guideline.s

In additional to the written plan, the iPBS service will also provide support for the young person and those caring for him/her. This support will include: 

• training sessions with the family, school, carers and short breaks staff. 
• creating strategies to support the young person with the network. 
• observing those who support the young person in putting the plan into practice and adapting guidelines if necessary.

The iPBS team will work intensively with the family, school and other carers if necessary. 

Clinical psychology support and therapy 

The iPBS service also offers young people, their families, carers and schools a range of clinical psychology support. These include:

• reflection time for families to think about the impact of the challenges they face in parenting a young person with a moderate or severe learning disability. 
• individual therapy with the young person or their siblings.
• on-going consultation and training to schools and other carers who support the young person.

It is important to keep high levels of continuity and consistency in supporting the young person during and after the iPBS assessment and intervention. To do this, we will:

• update a member of the community team regularly on the progress of the iPBS assessment and intervention.
• offer ongoing support and monitoring from community team clinicians after the iPBS intensive work, if appropriate.
• follow-up with families and schools after six months to check that positive changes are being maintained

“The intense work the iPBS team have done with our son has helped him (and us!) a great deal - it’s given us new directions and goals to work towards in the future.” 

“Your team’s help has been massive for us and we can't thank you all enough.” 

“Strategies put in place have helped. Families need to be committed to take full advantage of the service.” 

 ”We would not be where we are now without iPBS.” 

“You have been brilliant; we have seen positive change for the whole family, not just our son.” 

 ”At the beginning it can seem quite intimidating, but we soon realised that the team is there for the greater good.”

The South Gloucestershire iPBS Team: 
Kingswood Locality Hub 
Alma Road 
Bristol BS15 4DA 
Tel: 01454 866258 
Email: awp.southgloslearningdisabilityadmin@nhs.net

The Bristol iPBS Team: 
Woodland View 
Thornfield Road 
Bristol BS10 6NB 
Tel:  0117 354 6801 
Email: awp.bristollearningdisabilityadmin@nhs.net