E’s Journey to Cedars

E, a young and vibrant woman with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and moderate learning disabilities, faced adversity when her former residential provision was closing. With no other care providers willing to accommodate her complex needs, E’s future looked uncertain and the need for alternative support and accommodation grew urgent. Many providers deemed her transition into a non-institutional setting unfeasible due to her heightened anxieties and history of challenging behaviours and with every assessment, came further rejection of supporting her.

Thankfully, iBC Healthcare had a different vision and stepped in with a commitment to ensure E wouldn’t face an inappropriate placement or worse, an unnecessary hospital admission given the urgency of her situation. iBC saw beyond the risk factors that deterred others and instead focused on the potential for E to live a fulfilling life in the community, where she could be understood and supported in line with her complex needs. This marked the beginning of E’s transition to Cedars, a specialised supported living service of 4 bespoke apartments in Leicester.

The journey wasn’t without its challenges. E had previously lived in a small single room, so adjusting to a spacious apartment and a large garden at Cedars was a significant change. The new environment, combined with the transition to new staff, was difficult for E to adapt to and her behaviour often reflected her struggle of communicating her anxiety. However, with meaningful communication, therapeutic PBS support, structured routines, and dedicated understanding from her new team, E began to settle.

E moved into her new home in August 2024 and is beginning to thrive with the everyday freedoms of supported living. E is often seen relaxing in her sensory swing, goes shopping with the support of her staff team and enjoys the local pub for dessert! iBC is helping E thrive by providing tailored support that addresses her complex needs. We see all behaviour as communication, so instead of seeing E’s heightened anxieties and incidents as barriers, we have embraced these as opportunities to understand her better. By interpreting her actions and emotions in context, we continue to create an environment where E feels heard and supported – with patience, clear communication, and visual aids to help E express herself.

E’s mother has been closely involved, visiting weekly and sharing her happiness with how well E is adjusting to her new home. Together, they’ve been able to enjoy quality time doing the things E loves.

iBC continue to empower E by encouraging her to make choices about her day, from selecting activities to deciding on meals. Our approach to positive behaviour support allows us to proactively prevent incidents by recognising her triggers and avoiding overstimulating environments. E’s staff are trained to respond with calmness and reassurance, helping E feel safe and supported, even on difficult days.

As E continues to settle, we see a bright future ahead. We’re excited about the new opportunities Cedars offers her for joy, freedom, and exploring her goals in a safe, functional, non-institutional setting. E is already on her way to achieving one of her goals of going swimming, which her support team are helping E work towards at a pace that suits her.

It’s difficult to imagine where E might be today, given the uncertainty and challenges that came with the closure of her previous home. This is why we do what we do – to provide essential support to individuals like E, ensuring they can thrive. We’re incredibly proud to have helped this happen when it was needed most.

Thank you to E, her Mum, MDT and the iBC Supported Living Team in Leicester, for your continuous dedication to #doamazingeveryday.