The Challenging Behaviour Foundation

20/10/2026

📢 Some young people face significant barriers to having their views heard. We want to change that.

The CBF is recruiting a Youth Engagement Coordinator to help ensure young people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities are involved in shaping the decisions, practices and services that affect their lives.

We want to hear from you if you:
-Have experience supporting and communicating with people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities
-Can build strong, trusting relationships with young people, families and professionals
-Are curious, creative and willing to explore different ways of finding out what really matters to a young person

Want to help us make sure young people who are too often excluded are at the heart of change? We’d love to hear from you.

Deadline: Wednesday 28th October 2026, you are encouraged to apply early as we reserve the right to close recruitment at any time.

🔗 Find out more and apply https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/youth-engagement-coordinator/

20/10/2026

📞 Listening ear calls – Be heard 👂

The wellbeing of family carers is just as important as the people they care for.

Caring for someone with a severe learning disability whose behaviour may be described as challenging and navigating complex systems can be tough.

Our Listening Ear service is a free, confidential active listening service, provided by trained family carers who understand what you’re going through. This is a safe, non-judgmental space for you to offload any stresses or worries.

The service is open to parents, carers, siblings or close relatives of children, young people and adults with severe learning disabilities who display behaviour that challenges.

Because sometimes, talking to someone who truly gets it makes all the difference.

Find out more about how to book an appointment here:
https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/news/listening-ear-be-heard/

19/10/2026

Seeking some festive fun? Santa in the City may be the event for you!

Walk, jog, or run through the heart of London dressed as Santa and help the CBF continue to improve the lives of people with severe learning disabilities and behaviour that may be described as challenging.

The 5km route will take you past iconic landmarks, down hidden paths along the river Thames and across some of London's most well- known bridges.

Join in the fun and experience one of London's most joyful holiday traditions. They'll even send you a Santa suit!

Sign up to support the CBF and we'll cover your registration fee if you raise over £150.

https://runforcharity.com/charity-registration/the-challenging-behaviour-foundation/santa-in-the-city-london---thursday/register

19/10/2026

As the days get shorter and the weather becomes less predictable, getting out and about isn't always easy.

You have also told us that when community spaces, like parks and swimming pools, get busier during school breaks, staying at home can sometimes feel like the best option.

Our Hanging Out at Home resource may be helpful on days when you're stuck for ideas or looking for activities to do together. From learning new skills to sensory activities, there’s something for everyone:
https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hanging-out-at-home-Info-sheet-PDF.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawMKoNZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHlh5laOXP9hn38hr2OmDdw_dpH1uTshBMDTNzzRFZzLopqvecW986paW2akK_aem_d6whwuLweL-dMXyhRpFSuA

16/10/2026

Flu season is approaching and your relative with a learning disability is entitled to a flu jab. But a trip to the doctors can be a trigger for behaviour described as challenging - the waiting around, the smells, the fear of needles - it can all be too much.

Did you know you can request reasonable adjustments for your relative?

Healthcare providers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to help remove barriers that may prevent disabled people from accessing the same healthcare services as everyone else.

You can also ask for a ‘Reasonable Adjustment Flag’ on your relative's NHS record which will make it easier to access similar arrangements in the future and at other healthcare services.

For more information, read our topic page on healthcare reasonable adjustments: https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/information-and-guidance/health/reasonable-adjustments/

16/10/2026

The Challenging Behaviour – National Strategy Group (CB-NSG) is an action-focused group, led by people with lived experience, that works to break down barriers so that children and adults with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges can access the right support and live good lives. Members meet twice a year, bringing together family carers and professionals to share insights, experience and best practice.

We are excited to announce our second meeting of the year will focus on:
👉 Local community services and support for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges.

As keynote speaker, Professor Richard Hastings, Director of the Intellectual Disabilities Research Institute (IDRIS) at the University of Birmingham, will be sharing findings from the Mapping and Evaluating Services for Children with Learning Disabilities and Behaviours that Challenge (MELD) study along with CBF Trustee and family carer, Karen Jankulak who is a family carer research advisor on the MELD study.

The meeting will be structured around two important themes:
-The co-production of services
-The implementation gap – ensuring research and evidence is reflected in practice

The meeting will consider how the findings of the study can be used to influence commissioning and national policy for children with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges.

Curious about what goes on during CB-NSG meetings? You can read our previous meeting summaries here:

Outputs from meetings held by the Challenging Behaviour - National Strategy Group.

15/10/2026

Looking for a race that's off the beaten track?

Take on the Goodwood Motor Circuit Half Marathon and run around the iconic racecourse home to the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival.

Enjoy the thrill of racing your way to a new personal best on this smooth tarmac circuit while supporting the CBF to continue providing information, support and advocacy for people with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour may be described as challenging and their families.

Make every lap matter and sign up to run the Goodwood Half Marathon.
https://runforcharity.com/charity-registration/the-challenging-behaviour-foundation/goodwood-motor-circuit-half-marathon---december/register

15/10/2026

The CBF, along with the National Autistic Society and Learning Disability England, are supporting a study into the evaluation of care (education) and treatment reviews for people with learning disabilities and autistic people (CECiLiA), led by researchers at the University of Birmingham, University of East Anglia, the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent.

As part of the research, the research team are interested in the experience of those involved with, or have taken part in, C(E)TRs.

To find out more about the study, please visit the website: www.cecilia.org.uk
Alternatively, please email: [email protected]

14/10/2026

Final spaces remaining!

Do you support someone with a severe learning disability whose behaviour is described as challenging? Do you want to build your knowledge, confidence, and skills to support them?

We are offering a new series of online Individual Booking Workshops! Open to family carers as well as professionals, our Individual Booking Workshops are a great way to attend our workshops, without commissioning a full session for your organisation.

You can book onto our:
📣 Communication and Challenging Behaviour Workshop - Wednesday 14th October 2026
🧠 Pica Awareness (ingesting inedible objects) Workshop - Monday 19th October 2026

All Individual Booking Workshops are:
💻 On zoom
⏰ 09:00am–13:30pm
💡£145 per person
For more information, and to book your place, please visit here: https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/workshops/https-www-challengingbehaviour-org-uk-civicrm-event-info-reset1id409/

14/10/2026

During yesterday’s House of Lords debate on the Health Bill, Baroness Hollins called for a new national learning disability strategy to tackle the serious inequalities that people with learning disabilities face.

This should be co-produced with people with learning disabilities and their families, to put the things that we know lead to better healthcare into practice and to identify – and fill – any evidence gaps. People with learning disabilities and their families must also be at the forefront of developing the new National Care Service.

Families currently have to fight for the support that their relative is entitled to, both in health and in social care. This is unjust and must change. The CBF will continue to work with others to call for urgent action to address inequalities, so that the rights of people with learning disabilities and their families are upheld.

To listen to the full speech, follow the link in the comments.