WHAT MATTERS TO ME… 13/3/25 Launch at House of Commons of the Challenging Behaviour Foundation project for young people with severe and profound and multiple learning disabilities
What Matters to Me directly engaged with 11 young people over three years, working closely with their families and support circles. The aim was to gather the experiences, preferences and views of young people to influence policy and practice as they made the transition from child to adult services.
This process is too often viewed as ‘too difficult’ if the young person has limited or no verbal communication. The project used innovative approaches including art, music and Storysharing®, and provided opportunities for the young people to meet and socialize with their friends.
The project findings will be shared via a multimedia manifesto
consisting of photography and films, guides, case studies and resources.
“It can be done. It just needs society just to take a little bit of time and see how these young people express their needs.”
A speech from one of the parents highlighted how
Storysharing® had opened up family conversations.
“We had a fantastic session around story sharing with Nicola Grove. This session actually helped us as a family to think up new ways of talking with our daughter about past experiences and activities. It’s difficult to know what she does remember but thanks to this session we now have several photo books that we share with her. Each photo book focuses on an individual trip out, occasion or holiday and it gives us the opportunity to chat with our daughter about past experiences.”
More information about the What Matters to Me project,
including the four films launched at the event, can be found at:
https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/what-matters-to-me/