Beyond words: A reflection from health professionals around the meaning of ‘hear me, don’t blame me’ in relation to meeting the needs of young people with learning disabilities and autism spectrum conditions

Abstract

This article is a reflective piece written by the Intensive Positive Behaviour Support Service (iPBS) in South Wales. The iPBS team works with children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum conditions, that communicate their unmet needs in ways that may challenge and are at risk of their support networks breaking down. The team works within the Positive Behaviour Support Framework and is shaped by attachment and trauma-informed research and practice. The main aims of the service are to understand unmet needs and to improve quality of life. The iPBS team completed a 1-hour reflection considering ‘hear me, don’t blame me’ and what this means to them, their roles and the service as a whole. Three key overarching themes were identified using thematic analysis: service structure, skills, and approach. The team hopes that the themes identified through this exercise will influence future iPBS processes and service delivery. The reflections explored in this article may also be beneficial for parents/carers and professionals working with a united aim of meeting the needs of children and young people presenting with behaviours of concern; beyond words. Clinical implications of the reflective piece are discussed and recommendations for other services to have their own reflections are provided.