Transforming Care and Relationship-based Commissioning

People with learning disabilities and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges require a complex response from services to get their needs met. A complex response is a response that requires input from more than one service area (health, education, social care, housing). Furthermore, providers that have the skills to meet complex needs must also have the ability to work effectively with a complex system. The ability to work effectively with a complex system is dependent upon the values, attitudes and behaviours that both providers and commissioners across the system bring to the table. Relationship-based commissioning emphasises the need for commissioners and providers to have trusting, respectful relationships as only then will they be able to work proactively and flexibly with children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, their families and the community to meet complex needs and achieve desired outcomes.