Tier 3.5 therapeutic intervention programme

Learning Disability, Autism and Trauma informed Care Intervention Model 

The Great Minds Together Tier 3.5 Programme is a specialist therapeutic intervention specifically delivered to prevent wrongful hospitalisation and unnecessary police intervention / wrongful criminalisation (or tier 4 step down). 

This is a commissionable service that provides a specialist team to deliver an intervention where a child or young person has been accommodated by the local authority or may be in a hospital setting at risk of being sectioned as a result of their behaviours. 

The evidence based model is specifically developed for young people that may have: 

• Experienced trauma and/or may be presenting with attachment difficulties 
• Have additional needs and/or learning difficulties
• Autistic young people
• Young people with mental health difficulties 
• Young people with unmet and/or unidentified needs 

The model we have developed is underpinned by psychological theory in order to understand young people with trauma and/or additional needs that may be unmet and/or unidentified. 

The aim is to understand their needs effectively and and then upskill their families and the professionals networks around them to be able to effectively meet their needs. 

The outcomes of our Tier 3.5 intervention have been extremely positive, resulting in support from NHSE and Health Education England. 

All our interventions are fully evidenced based, to ensure that they effectively meet the individual needs of the young people we are supporting. Although our interventions follow a six-phase format, they are flexible, adaptable, and bespoke. Most importantly they are child centred, non- prescriptive and always adopt a therapeutic, non-demanding approach. 

Our programme is specifically created to understand the young persons needs and support those around them to be able to meet their needs effectively as opposed to condition their behaviours. 

The evidence of our model has shown that a therapeutic approach that fully understands the young person’s needs, has a positive impact on presenting behaviours and progress. As a result of this, what we usually see is a reduction in trauma-based behaviours and the young people developing the ability to understand themselves and their own needs as well as being able to communicate using their words rather than their behaviours when empowered and skilled to do so. 

We have successfully transitioned a number of young people home to their families and others where this may not be appropriate to step down residential providers as a result of the bespoke intervention and specialist team. 

Who can refer to our Tier 3.5 service? 

We can receive referrals from: 

• Local Authority Social Care and Commissioning Departments 
• The local ICB (Integrated Care Board)
• NHS England