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Challenging behaviour in community services
T Joyce1, H Ditchfield, P Harris
1Services for Adults with Learning Disabilities, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, UK. theresa.a.joyce@kcl.ac.uk
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|April 12, 2001
Summary
Community care for adults with intellectual disability (ID) must address challenging behaviours. Research shows significant numbers of adults with ID exhibit challenging behaviours, requiring skilled staff and effective planning for community support.
Area of Science:
- Intellectual Disability Research
- Community Mental Health Services
- Behavioural Science
Background:
- UK community care policies necessitate services for adults with intellectual disability (ID) and challenging behaviours.
- Significant research gaps exist regarding the prevalence of challenging behaviours in the community and service capacity to support this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the prevalence of challenging behaviours among adults with ID in three London boroughs.
- To investigate service delivery challenges for this client group.
Main Methods:
- Contacted all service providers and general practitioners in three London boroughs.
- Identified individuals with ID and challenging behaviours, screened responses, and interviewed key staff.
- Assessed demographic factors and used the Checklist of Challenging Behaviour.
Main Results:
- Identified 448 individuals with ID and challenging behaviours from a population of 670,000.
- Common behaviours included self-injury and 'hard to engage' types; most individuals had multiple challenging behaviours.
- 25% lived with families, 50% in community residential services; service capacity varied between boroughs.
Conclusions:
- Significant numbers of adults with ID exhibiting challenging behaviours reside in the community.
- Effective community support requires highly skilled staff, robust planning, and tailored interventions.
- Service provision must adapt to ensure successful community integration for individuals with ID and challenging behaviours.