Evaluation of the Small Supports Pilot in Leeds 2022-2024

Report documenting the outcomes of a two year pilot in Leeds to develop new small support organisations for people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people.

This report by Dr Victoria Mason-Angelow documents the work and the outcomes undertaken in Leeds by the City Council and ICB partners to develop new small support organisations for people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people.

There are now two new organisations: Unique Support Solutions (USS Ltd) and Mae & Mitchell Bespoke Management (M&M), currently supporting nine people, with a further six people soon.

The report documents:

the work undertaken,
the impact on collaboration, and
the strengths that helped Leeds succeed and the challenges the team encountered along the way.

Central to the report are the voices of all those involved, including the people being supported, the new support organisations, social workers and commissioners.

Currently, along with transformative effects on people’s lives, there has been a cost reduction of £209,000.

Read the evaluation report on the Leeds Small Supports pilot.

In this video produced by NHS England, Mark, Vicky from USS Ltd and Debbie Walton West Yorkshire ICB, share their experiences of Small Supports. Mark speaks clearly about the impact on his life.

Other resources

Working with Multi-Disciplinary Teams and Small Supports

Resource

Video

Fiona Ritchie (NDTi Associate), with Anne Worrall-Davies, Clinical Lead, Learning Disabilities and Autism, Children and Young People, NHS England, and Helen Toker-Lester (NDTi Associate), discussed the opportunity Small Supports present Multi-Disciplinary Teams to deliver a truly person-centred discharge to support that will stick with the person through thick and thin.

Human Rights and Small Supports: The foundation of everything we do

Resource

With Kirsten Peebles and Charli Clement (NDTi and people with living experience) talk about their work in delivering human rights training, the importance of human rights for Small Support organisations and getting it right by each person they support.

Reducing Restrictive Practice in the Community – Alexis Quinn with Bill Love

Resource

Video

With Alexis Quinn from the Restraint Reduction Network. Bill (NDTi) and Alexis talk about restraint reduction and how the person-centred practice of Small Supports organisations and the focus on relationships provide a really strong blueprint for the long-term elimination of restrictive practice.

Building a Bridge: Small Supports

Resource

Video

This session talked about Small Supports that cross boundaries and services, following young people as they become independent adults.