What actions are being taken?
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This is a ‘living document’, capturing what is currently being done, and/or actions that are planned – it will be updated as and when progress is made and as more actions are taken. It brings together a range of activities and work being carried out by various individuals and organisations and aims to co-ordinate and amplify the impact. If you think that something you are doing aligns with the themes of the action plan and you’d like to consider including it as one of these actions, please get in touch.
Looking for actions for policy-makers?
Short-term
Increasing awareness of the evidence-base for early intervention
There is a strong evidence-base for early intervention programmes, including the positive impacts that they have and their cost-effectiveness – however, CB-NSG members shared that commissioners and practitioners are not always aware of this evidence base or how these programmes can be put in place.
Progress:
- A summary of evidence-based early intervention programmes has been drafted and is currently in the feedback stage
Next steps
- Publish summary and distribute it to CB-NSG members
- Identify how this summary can be distributed to non-CB-NSG members
Increasing awareness and understanding of Dynamic Support Registers (DSRs)
Dynamic Support Registers are a relatively new mechanism. It was raised that there is a lack of awareness of what Dynamic Support Registers are, how they work, and what benefits they can bring. Partners also discussed that people with a learning disability and their families can sometimes be wary of mechanisms like the DSR because of negative past experiences. It was agreed that it would be useful to have a clear summary of what DSRs should be and what the benefits of being on a DSR are.
Progress:
- Work has begun on collecting further information from ICBs and local authorities about their Dynamic Support Registers, which will inform the summary and benefits document
Next steps:
- Once collected, analyse the information collected
- Write to NHS England to ask how they are evaluating the effectiveness of Dynamic Support Registers
- Based on these, produce a statement on what a DSR should be like and what the benefits are
Supporting children with a learning disability to have early access to communication and behavioural support
The CB-NSG will work to promote existing support for children with a learning disability, and training around this aimed at both family carers and professionals.
Progress:
- Early Positive Approaches to Support (E-PAtS) is a co-produced parent/carer support programme for families of young children with a learning disability – this is currently available in select parts of the UK
- The CBF offer free workshops for family members of children, young people and adults with a severe learning disability
Next steps:
- Continue to identify existing support and training, and promote this
Medium-term
Providing evidence for the effectiveness of the keyworker scheme
The keyworker scheme for children and young people with a learning disability/who are autistic is a commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan. All areas of England now have a keyworker scheme, but a national evaluation has not yet been published – the contract for producing this evaluation ends 31st March 2024. CB-NSG members have agreed to monitor whether an evaluation is published, and if not, to call for a publication. CB-NSG members are also working to identify any local or regional evaluations of the effectiveness of the keyworker scheme.
Long-term
Campaigning for all children and young people with a learning disability to have access to a keyworker
The current keyworker scheme currently only covers children and young people who are currently in an inpatient unit or are at risk of admission. CB-NSG members will work to influence the extension of this scheme to all children and young people with a learning disability, as we believe that having a keyworker will help prevent children and young people with a learning disability from reaching a situation where they are at risk of admission.
For more information on these actions, including if you are interested in being involved in any of them, please email actionplan@thecbf.org.uk