Supporting parents

Scenario

Raphael, 10, has a severe learning disability and autism. He has no sense of danger, frequently hits his head on the wall and needs one-to-one support from his parents during waking hours. His parents are exhausted and feel isolated. They don’t know what they should do when he becomes distressed and hurts himself.

Action

Raphael’s social worker contacts colleagues in the local autism team to make a case for additional support for the family. The social worker refers to guidance on learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges and autism spectrum disorder in under 19s in the email, highlighting the value that the additional support would offer the family.

Further guidance

The guidance includes advice on the provision of short breaks and access to advice and ongoing support for families and carers.

Relevant resources

Guidelines

• Learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges - service design and delivery guideline

• Challenging behaviour and learning disabilities - prevention and interventions guideline

• Care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities guideline

• Transition from children’s to adults’ services guideline

• Decision-making and mental capacity guideline

• Mental health problems in people with learning disabilities guideline

• Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s guideline

• Autism spectrum disorder in adults guideline

Quality standards

• Learning disability and behaviour that challenges quality standard

• Transition from children’s to adults’ services quality standard

• Learning disability: identifying and managing mental health problems quality standard

• Autism quality standard