Owen* has extremely complex and challenging needs, autistic traits and fixation behaviour. Owen also has a history of severe self-injurious behaviour and behaviours that may challenge. This has resulted in several placement breakdowns and hospital stays.
He requires full support with his personal and health care and has a high level of support to maintain his safety and ensure that he engages with his local community. With the support in place, he now leads a full and active life.
Owen moved into Tree Top View in 2014, having arrived from a secure mental health hospital following a significant change in presentation and 24-hour surveillance. Following his move to Tree Top View, Owen continued to present with new and complex behaviours that made his early months in the service difficult. Due to the dedication of the staff team and a positive behaviour support (PBS) approach, Owen has flourished.
How we have supported Owen
Due to his complex needs, Owen has 2:1 support during the day and 3:1 support at night. He has his own annex attached to the main house, which he has personalised. In 2018, Owen had a significant deterioration in his mental health, resulting in an increase in self-injurious behaviour, and he was placed under a section and admitted to hospital. The staff team were extremely responsive to this and worked tirelessly to support him during this difficult time to help him manage his fixational thoughts, and potentially life-threatening behaviours.
When Owen returned to the service, he required intensive support from the staff team, increasing to a 3:1 ratio 24/7, and district nurses. Alongside the multidisciplinary team, a new positive behavioural support plan and crisis contingency plan was formulated.
Achieving positive outcomes
Following partnerships with the local psychiatry and psychology teams, Owen has managed to exceed all expectations and his staff levels have since been reduced to 2:1. Owen was also signed off by the district nurse team after only six months, having been initially suggested that he would need their care for at least 18 months. Due to Owen’s engaging personality and unique terms of reference, the members of the district nurse team continue to visit him as part of wider support. Staff have been inventive and innovative in the therapies and engagement for Owen that has been wholly endorsed by his multidisciplinary team.
Historically, Owen didn’t ever want to leave his annexe, however now he has his own vehicle driven by staff, which is adorned with ‘mascots’ from all of the places he’s visited, many of which are from his childhood that he is reconnecting with. Due to the interventions, and constantly changing and evolving support documentation, Owen also now has regular visits from his mother who has a file of photographs from all of Owen’s adventures that she can use to engage him in conversation.
Despite Owen’s complex needs and the challenges that he faces with his mental health, the future now looks positive for Owen. The staff team was also nominated at the 2019 Priory Awards for their positivity and success with Owen, which helps to drive them on to come up with new and fun ways for him to engage with life.
*Name and image have been changed to maintain confidentiality.