Meeting the needs of neurodivergent children, young people and their families – The West Yorkshire Collaborative Approach: Enhancing the Keyworker Offer

Overview

In 2017, the Lenehan Review recommended that children and young people with complex needs involving mental health, learning disabilities or autism who are in or at risk of admission into an inpatient setting, have access to keyworker support (Lenehan, 2017).

It is a statutory requirement that all integrated care systems offer keyworking services to children and young people with complex needs. However, keyworking is still a relatively new service and provision varies across the country.

In West Yorkshire the Integrated Care Board is working in partnership with Barnardo’s to deliver keyworking across the five local authority areas of the region. The service started as a pilot in November 2021. Since then, four new neurodevelopmental services have been added to its portfolio: the Neurodevelopmental Family Navigator Service, the Neurodiversity in Schools work, the Bradford Psychology Service and the Neurodevelopmental Connections Service to offer early intervention to neurodivergent children and young people and their families, local to their communities.

This webinar will present West Yorkshire Barnardo’s neurodevelopmental service offer and will discuss key components of successful partnership between the ICB/local authorities and Barnardo’s in enhancing keyworking provision. The session will offer a reflection on balancing early intervention and crisis support for autistic children and young people and those with a learning disability, based on the experiences of the keyworking service so far and sharing what can work.

We will be joined by guest speakers from Barnardo’s, including young people with lived experience, and West Yorkshire ICB (TBC).

The webinar will also provide an opportunity for participants to share their experiences and reflections on developing effective neurodevelopmental service pathways and working in partnership with voluntary and community sector organisations.

Date

Tuesday 30th September 2025; 13:00 – 15.00

Booking

This event is open to all and for IPC’s Academic Partners and Commissioning Alumni.

Places are limited so early booking is advised.

Please complete the Booking Form.

More Events at IPC

The Art of the Possible: The Procurement Act 2023

This free and exclusive event is offered to our Academic Partners and the accredited alumni of the IPC Certificates in Commissioning, including those who achieved the accreditation of the Certificate in Commissioning and Purchasing of Public Care, Care Purchasing and Brokerage and the Principles of Commissioning. In this webinar, we welcome two speakers who will offer their experiences and insights into the flexibilities available to us via the new Procurement Act.

Children’s social care involvement in the first 1001 days: changing hearts and minds

This conference will bring together frontline practitioners and clinicians, people with lived experience, commissioners and policymakers to collaboratively re-think support for families with children’s social care involvement during pregnancy or the first two years of their baby’s life, also known as the 1001 days. Professor Katy Burch, IPC Assistant Director is one of the guest speakers.

A whole-system approach to reducing gambling harm

This free and exclusive event is offered to the Academic Partners of IPC and Alumni Network of all our commissioning courses, including those who achieved the accreditation of the Certificate in Commissioning and Purchasing of Public Care, Care Purchasing and Brokerage and the Principles of Commissioning. This webinar will present the experiences of a system-wide collaboration in Wiltshire aimed at designing and implementing targeted activities that respond to local population characteristics and needs, to prevent and reduce gambling harms.

Community research: from theory to practice

This free and exclusive event is offered to the Academic Partners of IPC and Alumni Network of all our commissioning courses, including those who achieved the accreditation of the Certificate in Commissioning and Purchasing of Public Care, Care Purchasing and Brokerage and the Principles of Commissioning but we also welcome non-members, particularly those with a connection to Oxfordshire . If you are interested, please contact us at ipc@brookes.ac.uk. Places are limited so early booking is advised.

Two Red And Green Human Figures Walking In Interlocked Gears On White Background

Delivering excellent commissioning practice as a whole system and organisation

Business people with jigsaw puzzle pieces in office, Successful teamwork and partnership concept.

Residential placements operating without regulation

Anti-Racism Action Plan (Wales): Implications for Practice

IPC is hosting a free online webinar to share research findings on enablers and barriers to progression in social care for diverse minority ethnic groups. Conducted in partnership with the Staff College and commissioned by Social Care Wales, this event is open to all in social care in Wales or those interested in anti-racist practice in Wales.

Babies in Care Proceedings: What Do We Know About Parents With Learning Disabilities or Difficulties?

IPC’s Professor Katy Burch leads on Nuffield Family Justice Observatory research. Join us for a webinar covering new research that suggests that the needs of parents with learning disabilities or difficulties might not be currently being met, and potential ways forward.

Supporting the Care Provider Market to use Technology Safely

This free event is offered to accredited Alumni of the IPC Certificate in Commissioning and Purchasing for Public Care and all our colleagues and friends of IPC. The webinar is targeted at Adult and Social Care Commissioners across the UK and explores how commissioners can support market stability to help care providers go digital.

Outcome-Based Commissioning – Social Impact Bonds

This free and exclusive event is offered to the Academic Partners of IPC and accredited Alumni of the IPC Certificate in Commissioning and Purchasing for Public Care.