Affinity Trust

Challenge

Some children and young people with learning disabilities and autism are moved out of their own homes into residential placements, resulting in poorer outcomes.

Approach

Affinity Trust delivers a Positive Behavioural Support programme for children in Bradford with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours who are at risk of entering residential care. The programme is run in the child’s home and other settings such as school, building up a young person’s skills and quality of life with the aim of reducing the frequency and intensity of challenging behaviours. Affinity Trust also works with families to help them understand and cope with their child’s behaviour, improving the quality of life for both the child and family members.

Affinity Trust received investment from Social and Sustainable Capital’s £30 million Third Sector Investment Fund, which Big Society Capital invested £15 million into. The Positive Behavioural Support programme is an outcomes contract under the Commissioning Better Outcomes Fund. The loan provides working capital to support Affinity Trust deliver the programme, with payments made by the commissioner (Bradford Council and local Clinical Commissioning Groups) when successful outcomes are achieved.

Impact

Affinity Trust provides highly specialised support to 10 children aged 8 to 14 using an evidence-based intervention that improves outcomes for the young person. Their key workers spend an average 30 hours per week with them, at home and at school. The programme aims to reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of challenging behaviour, support the child’s development of independence, and support regular school attendance.