Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews

Independent, person-centred reviews helping people get the right support, reduce hospital stays, and improve care and outcomes.

Support worker assisting an older man seated at a dining table.

An ongoing commitment

We have played a major role in developing  and delivering Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews (C(E)TRs).

We helped set up the programme in 2014 across the South of England and delivered it until May 2026. This built on our earlier work to improve support for autistic people and people with learning disabilities, and to reduce the need for hospital care.

Since then, we have supported thousands of reviews. We have also helped build a strong group of trained chairs, clinical experts and experts by experience.

Our work has included:

  • Recruiting and training panel members
  • Supporting chairs and teams to do high quality reviews
  • Promoting coproduction and lived experience leadership
  • Helping systems improve how they work

We are proud of the difference this work has made. C(E)TRs have helped more people get the right support, avoid unnecessary hospital stays, and move back into their communities.  

Our role today

Whilst we are no longer delivering the C(E)TR contract in the South East and South West, we remain committed to this work and to the values behind it.

We continue to:

  • Share our learning and expertise.
  • Work with our associates who bring lived experience of autism and/or learning disabilities.
  • Support systems to improve practice.
  • Work with commissioners in other areas.
  • Contribute to the future development of C(E)TRs.

We welcome conversations with commissioners who want to strengthen their approach or learn from our experience.

What we offer

Our work on C(E)TRs has led to other areas of support.

This support builds on our experience and helps improve quality across services and local systems:

Autism training

We have a range of lived experience led training relating to autism.

Chair and panel training

We continue to provide a wide range of training to support C(E)TR chairs and panel members. 

Sensory environment

We can provide bespoke, expert by experience led, sensory environment reviews in a wide range of settings. 

Development support

We offer development support that’s rooted in values, shaped by experience, and focused on practical, codesigned solutions.

Contact us

Talk to us about your requirements, explore ideas or collaborate.

What is a Care (Education) and Treatment Review?

A Care (Education) and Treatment Review is an independent check of a person’s care and support.

C(E)TRs are for autistic people and people with a learning disability (or both) who:

  • may need to go into a mental health hospital, or
  • are already in hospital

A review brings together:

  • the person and their family or supporters
  • professionals involved in their care
  • an independent panel (a chair, a clinical expert, and an expert by experience)

The review looks at whether the person is getting the right support.

It aims to make sure that:

  • People get the care and treatment they need.
  • Hospital is only used when it is really needed.
  • People do not stay in hospital longer than necessary.
  • There is a clear plan for the future.

The review asks simple but important questions, such as:

  • Are they safe?
  • Is their care working well?
  • What is their day-to-day life like?
  • Are their health needs being met?
  • What needs to happen next?

At its core, a C(E)TR is about listening to the person and making practical changes to improve their life.

 

The approach

C(E)TRs are based on clear values:

  • Person centred: The person is at the heart of the review.
  • Independent: The panel brings fresh, unbiased views.
  • Coproduced: People with lived experience are involved.
  • Action focused: The review leads to clear recommendations.

C(E)TRs are not just meetings. They help drive real change in how people are supported.

Our C(E)TR timeline

2014  Commissioned to recruit and train experts by experience for CTRs

2017  Started reviews for children and young people (C(E)TRs)

2019  Started sensory environment work

2020  Covid pandemic which saw us change ways of working and recruited more experts by experience

2021 Introduced a series of high impact development webinars   

2021  Introduced more chair roles

2022  Supported panel members through new employment legislation, new policy and key lines of enquiry

2022  Coproduced the accessible CETRs document

2023  Delivered bespoke training for commissioner chairs

2026  Whilst we stopped delivering the contract in the South East and South West,  we continued to develop our development sessions, chairs’ training and sensory environment review work.

Featured resources

Reasonable adjustments

Resource
VideoShort read
Learn about some of the reasonable adjustments that can be made in a wide range of health, care and other settings.

Sensory Friendly LED Lighting for Healthcare Environments

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GuidanceLong read
Guidance written partnership with Buro Happold’s Inclusive Design and Lighting Teams, and the Assistive Technology team within the CAMHS Mental Health taskforce.

"It's Not Rocket Science"

Resource
Guidance
A report about the sensory needs of children and young people in CAHMS hospitals.

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