Introduction

On these pages, you'll find information about Swansea Bay's child learning disability service, Facing the Challenge. The service has been established for children and young people with a learning disability and behaviours that challenge.

What do we do?

Facing the Challenge is a multi-professional team who have expertise in understanding complex behaviour presentations. We aim to work with those who best know the child, and support is tailored to the child presentation and their current circumstances.

We provide support to the child’s family home, community settings, schools, and respite services.

Who can we help?

Children and young people who have a learning disability who present with behaviours that challenge. The child must:

• Have evidence of a learning disability
• Be of school age (aged 5-18)
• Reside within the Swansea Bay footprint (Neath Port Talbot or Swansea local authority.)

Require specialist support for behaviour that has not responded to generic interventions.

What we offer

Our support is planned by a team of professionals and may include:

Assessment:

• A thorough review of the child’s presentation.
• Observations of the child at home, in school, and in the community.
• Of the system supporting the child and what support is in place.

Direct intervention:

• To parents and carers individually and in a group setting with other carers, to understand their child’s presentation.
• Teaching strategies to reduce challenging behaviours and build family resilience.
• Working directly with the child (when appropriate) to understand their behaviour.

Indirect intervention:

• Support to services that work with the child via advice, training, and consultations.
• Direct modelling of strategies to services that the child accesses e.g. school, respite.

How to make a referral

You can make a referral to Facing the Challenge if you are a:

• Paediatrician
• Specialist health visitor
• Social worker
• LD CAMHS practitioner 

General information

The team is based in Cimla Health and Social Care Centre in Neath and operates Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

Telephone number: 01639 683485

Email address: SBU.FacingtheChallenge@wales.nhs.uk