From Research to Practice: Advancing Early Intervention, Treatments and Services for Children and Young People with Intellectual Disabilities. CAIDPN Annual Conference. Open to all.

7 May 2026 08:45

Event type Day Conference

In person conference
08:45am - 5:00pm
New Hunt’s House, Kings College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 3SS

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Tags: Diagnosis, Environmental influences… Show all

Topics: Diagnosis, Environmental influences, Evidence-based, Genetics, Intellectual disabilities (ID), Intervention, Management, Mental health, Research, Treatment
Populations: Adolescents, Children and Young People, Clinicians, Learning difficulties, Neurodiversity, Researcher / Academic, Student / Trainee
Publication Types: In depth, In practice, Primer
Geography: United Kingdom

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The first day of the Child & Adolescent Intellectual Disability Psychiatry Network (CAIDPN) Annual Conference is set in the learned and beautiful campus of Kings College London. Bringing together leading experts across multiple disciplines, this conference will present the latest research evidence and good practice examples in the delivery of early intervention approaches, supports and treatments, as well as health services for children and young people with intellectual disabilities. The conference aims to provide a reflective, evidence-based, and practical learning approach for multidisciplinary professionals interested in the health and care of children and young people with intellectual disabilities.

Booking

Sign up at this link or on the Book Now button at the top of the screen, and complete the form that follows. You’ll then receive an email confirmation and a link to the webinar, plus we’ll send you a calendar reminder nearer the time. Delegates will have exclusive access to recordings for 90 days after the event, together with slides. Plus you will get a personalised CPD/CME certificate via email.

ACAMH Members MUST login to book onto the webinar in order to access this webinar and get a CPD/CME certificate
Non-members this is a great time to join ACAMH, take a look at what we have to offer, and make the saving on these sessions

EARLY BIRD £110 for all

Don’t forget as a charity any surplus made is reinvested back as we work to our vision of ‘Sharing best evidence, improving practice’, and our mission to ‘Improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 0-25’.

Location

New Hunt’s House, Kings College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 3SS

Google maps

What 3 words ///buyers.bands.soaks

Programme

08:45 Registration

09:15 Welcome – Dr Ashley Liew, Vice-Chair of CAIDPN

Theme: Early Intervention for children with intellectual disabilities

09:20 Early Intervention to support behaviours that challenge in children with intellectual disabilities: the research evidence – Prof Caroline Richards, University of Birmingham

10:10 Early Intervention & Prevention for LD & ASD in Hertfordshire – Jenny Weston and Kayleigh Rodbard, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

10:50 Break

Theme: Services for children and young people with intellectual disabilities

11:20 Mapping Services for Children with Intellectual Disabilities and Behaviours that Challenge: Findings from the MELD Research Study – Prof Richard Hastings, University of Birmingham

12:10 The Autism and Intellectual Disability Intensive Interaction Team (AID-IIT): an innovative model of intensive support – Dr Catherine Sholl and Dr Eirini Skouta, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

12:50 Lunch

Theme: Supports and Interventions for children and young people with intellectual disabilities

13:50 Communication Interventions for Children with Intellectual Disabilities – Prof Vicky Slonims, Evelina London Children’s Hospital and Kings College London

14:30 The Change Game: The Theory and Practice of Psychotherapy with Adolescents with Learning Disabilities – Tamsin Cottis, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist

15:10 Break

15:40 Supporting Children with Intellectual Disabilities who present with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – Annemarie Sims (Occupational Therapist) and Amy Guppy (Dietician), Evelina London Children’s Hospital

16:20 Reflection Panel – Comprising a parent with lived experience, charity representative, clinician, academic and commissioner

17:00 End

About the speakers

Professor Caroline Richards is Professor of Neurodevelopmental Conditions at the School of Psychology, University of Birmingham. She also co-leads the Cerebra Network. The aim of Professor Richards’ research is to reduce negative clinical outcomes for individuals with intellectual disability. Her work with children with autism and children with rare genetic syndromes has thus far focused on reducing self-injury, improving sleep disorders and understanding the impact of premature birth. Her research uses experimental, epidemiological, single case and meta-analytic techniques to delineate risk markers, improve precision in models of mechanism and develop novel, proactive interventions.

Jenny Weston, UK-BA(cert), has worked in the field of Positive Behaviour Support and behaviour analysis since 2012, with children, young people and families with Autism and Learning Disability. She became UKBA-Certified in 2023 and gain a PGCert in Low Intensity CBT supervision in 2025. Jenny previously worked in PALMS and then moved to the SEND MHST in 2023, and became Clinical Lead of the SEND MHST in 2024.

Kayleigh Rodbard, UK-BA(cert), has worked in a range of services supporting individuals who are autistic or have a learning disability since 2008. She had a range of roles in several different services including in a residential school, a joint adult social care and health team, an adult LD Intensive Support Team and PALMS. Kayleigh has worked for the NHS since 2013 and been a UK-BA(cert) since 2015.

Professor Richard Hastings is a 125th Anniversary Chair and Professor of Psychology Health and Social Care at the University of Birmingham. Professor Hastings is an internationally recognised researcher in the field of intellectual disabilities, special education, and more broadly in youth mental health. Prior to his post at the University of Birmingham, Professor Hastings was at the University of Warwick for 11 years (2013-2024) in the Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (previously, CEDAR). He was Deputy Head of this research centre and Head/Director (2021-2024). Professor Hastings has been recognised for his research contribution to the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities with awards from three international organisations: the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (International Award 2021), the National (USA) Association for the Dually Diagnosed (2023 Steven Reiss Research Award), and the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Research Award 2024). He was also previously the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Intellectual Disability Research (2018-2021) and has served as an associate/action editor or editorial board member for 17 other peer review research journals.

Dr Catherine Sholl is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the Team Lead for the National and Specialist CAMHS AID-IIT (Autism and Intellectual Disabilities Intensive Intervention Team), SLAM NHS Trust. Catherine has worked with children, young people and adults with diagnoses of Autism or Intellectual Disability in a variety of settings for over 20 years including care homes, specialist schools, inpatient settings and community CAMHS. This included being a lead clinician in setting up the Ealing Intensive Therapeutic and Short Breaks Service (ITSBS) which has been cited as a model of good practice (Transforming Care Agenda good practice examples, the Lenehan Review, and the NHS Long Term plan). Catherine has also been involved in the development of national policy, guidance and practice in relation to supporting children and young people with a diagnosis of Autism or Intellectual Disability.

Professor Vicky Slonims is a clinical academic working as a Senior Consultant Speech and Language Therapist in the multi-disciplinary service for children with complex neurodevelopmental disorders at Evelina Children’s Hospital. She is Adjunct Professor in Complex Communication Disabilities in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division within the IoPPN, King’s College London. Her research closely aligns with her clinical interests in intervention and support for autistic individuals with learning disabilities, particularly for those with severe communication impairments and SEMH. She has a national profile in strategic clinical and research contexts e.g. NICE guidance, James Lind Allicance consultations. She has leadership roles in supporting clinical research across Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust.

Tamsin Cottis is a UKCP- registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. She is a co-founder and former Assistant Director of Respond, the UK’s leading provider of psychotherapeutic support to children and adults with learning disabilities. Formerly a teacher at the Bowlby Centre, she works as a child psychotherapist and clinical supervisor in London primary schools, in private practice, and for a range of voluntary sector organisations, including Football Beyond Borders and Young Minds. She is the author of, ‘How it Feels to be You: Objects, Play and Child Psychotherapy (Karnac 2021).

Annemarie Sims is a clinical specialist paediatric Occupational Therapist with 30 years experience working with children with neurodevelopmental conditions across US, Canada and UK. She currently works in the neurodevelopmental team at Evelina London Children’s Hospital and is AHP Lead for the Complex Feeding Clinic. She is passionate about supporting neurodivergent children to participate in daily activities within their unique environments.