Characteristics and experiences of children and young people with severe intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour attending 52-week residential special schools

Background: This study sought to gather information about the characteristics and experiences of children and young people with severe intellectual disabilities and severe challenging behaviour attending 52-week residential special schools.

Method: Staff of nine schools completed postal questionnaires on the characteristics and experiences of 156 pupils.

Results: Those attending residential schools are predominantly male, teenagers and in long-term placements. Most have limited communication skills and autistic spectrum disorders. All display high numbers of challenging behaviours, many of them serious. Children have a greater range and complexity of needs than pupils at day severe learning difficulties (SLD) schools, albeit with some overlap.

Conclusions: Children at 52-week residential schools present needs that both families and local services struggle to meet. Residential placement may provide the intensity of educational input and social support that is required, but may increase the vulnerability of the children. Local alternatives to residential schools should be investigated.