The Oxfordshire Intensive Support Team (IST) is a multi-disciplinary community-based team working out of Slade house in Oxford, which provides assessment and intervention for individuals of all ages with learning disabilities and behaviours with challenges or mental health needs.

The Intensive Support Team work in collaboration with the Learning Disability CAMHS and adult Community Learning Disability team offer complementary, intensive and focused input at times of increased needs in an individuals’ life.

A service user said: “The mental health nurse was incredibly efficient and immediately had a clear grasp on my situation. She did what she said, excellent communicator.”

A caring, compassionate approach is provided by the team to support and empower individuals or their loved ones to have increased choice, control and independence. This involves supporting individuals in their own home and reducing hospital admissions.

Another service user said: “All the members of IST that we met were very informative and understanding of our child’s needs and requirements. We felt IST were able to get a true in-depth picture of our family life and the difficulties that we face daily.”

The team features a range of professions, including Speech and Language Therapist, Behavioural Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Behavioural Assistant Practitioners, Team administrator and Nurses who all work together to produce one assessment and care plan.

The team focus on high quality and detailed assessments, focusing on individual’s life experiences, communication, health needs and wishes. One reviewer said that the experience for her daughter was, “Very helpful” allowing for a behaviour support plan, and other useful coping mechanisms to be developed specifically for her.”

A parent of one of the service users said the occupational therapist was: “Fantastic, cheerful, positive with an energetic personality. She was invaluable to us, and we don’t know how we would have got through our darkest times without her.”

Another parent said: “I believe I have been given invaluable help and support from the IST team during a very difficult time over the last 18 months.”

Find out more about the service here.