Reflections on setting up a psychological service to support teams working within supported living homes

This project explored the implementation of a newly developed psychology service designed to support frontline staff teams within supported living accommodations for individuals with complex needs. Staff feedback was considered alongside the reflections of two assistant psychologists; one involved in establishing the service and another who developed it further. A focus group identified five key themes, which were then compared with the assistant psychologists’ experiences and reflections. The findings highlight both the challenges and opportunities of service development, offering valuable insights into its impact on staff practice and guidance for those embarking on similar initiatives, with implications for ongoing improvement and future practice. Easy to read summary ■ We set up a psychology service to support staff who work with adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs in supported living homes. ■ We asked staff what they thought about the service. ■ Staff said the assistant psychologist helped them feel more confident and use Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) in their work. ■ Managers liked the friendly, team-based approach and quick help from the psychology team but sometimes found the referral process a bit slow and unclear. ■ Overall, the service helped staff give better, more consistent support to residents. It also filled gaps left by busy community teams and improved staff skills. ■ Ideas to improve the service are given including having clearer rules and easier referral systems.