Building the Right Support Action Plan Released

Today (14th July 2022) the Government has published their Building the Right Support (BTRS) action plan which was promised over 2 years ago, and which is required due to the failure to deliver what was promised in “Transforming Care” in 2012. 

Right now, this minute, there are children and adults with learning disabilities and autistic people trapped in inpatient units where they should not be. There is significant evidence of human rights violations and multiple accounts of children and adults being kept in solitary confinement and subjected to restraint and overmedication. The long-term harm this causes to the individuals is obvious, and the financial cost is huge. 

This action plan needs to address fundamental issues, incentivise and support actions that make a difference, have a ring-fenced budget and track outcomes.  

We have yet to study the plan in detail, but the statement (page 26) that keeping people safe will involve“…striving to ensure that people with a learning disability and autistic people are not admitted to hospital settings rated as “inadequate”by CQC.” suggests a worrying acceptance of entirely unjustified practice and does not inspire confidence that this plan will actually make a difference. 

What Happens Next? 

We will consider the plan in detail and respond more fully. In the meantime we all need to focus on the individuals and their families whose relatives remain in inappropriate inpatient units- and those at risk of being admitted, due to the failure of community support and services to respond to and support their needs. We know what good support looks like, we know how to deliver it – the question we ask is: does this plan actually drive the actions to make it happen and happen quickly?  

For more information and to review the full action plan please use the following links: 

Building the right support for people with a learning disability and autistic people – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

Building the Right Support: an analysis of funding flows – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

BTRS Evaluation: 

In November 2021 the BTRS Evaluation was released after being delayed for 2 years, we want to see clearly how the issues identified in the evaluation are addressed and reflected on in this action plan. To read more about the BTRS evaluation please go to: BTRS Reports published – Challenging Behaviour Foundation. 

If you are concerned by what you have read in this statement and/ or the action plan, please see here:  

Support from the CBF 

Resources on our website

Read the CBF’s information on ‘when things go wrong’

Family Support Service  

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this statement, you can call the Family Support Service on 0300 666 0126  

Or email us at support@thecbf.org.uk  

We are open at the following times:  

Monday – Thursday: 9am – 5pm 
Friday: 9am – 3pm  

We offer information about challenging behaviour to anyone who provides support to a child, young person or adult with a severe learning disability. We can also signpost you to other specialist organisations and sources of information.  

Please note we are a small support service so you may not be able to get support straight away. We will support families with urgent concerns as a priority. 

Professionals are also welcome to contact the CBF.