The Praxis Care Resource Hub is your go-to space for reliable, practical information on mental health, learning disabilities, autism, and other care needs. Here, you’ll find guides, tips, research insights, and tools designed to empower individuals, families, and carers.
Whether you’re seeking advice, looking to deepen your understanding, or exploring ways to enhance care, our hub is here to inform, support, and inspire you every step of the way.
High-quality social care is about more than meeting basic needs — it’s about creating environments and relationships that help people thrive. How accommodation is designed, and how staff are matched to the people they support,
Recruiting and retaining skilled social care staff is one of the biggest challenges facing the sector today. High staff turnover, workforce shortages, and increasing demands on services make it essential for organisations to adopt strategies
Physical activity plays a key role in supporting both mental and physical health -improving mood regulation, sleep, cardiovascular health, and overall quality of life. However, for people living with bipolar disorder, becoming and staying active
Auditing plays a central role in maintaining and improving quality in health and social care services. Done well, audits help organisations understand how care is being delivered, whether standards are being met, and where improvements
Caring for children in social care settings requires approaches that are compassionate, evidence-informed and responsive to individual need. Many children supported by social care services have experienced trauma, disability, disrupted family relationships or multiple placement
Supporting individuals with a forensic history requires a nuanced approach that balances safety, recovery, and meaningful engagement. Social care workers play a crucial role in helping people rebuild their lives, maintain mental health, and reintegrate
Selecting a care framework is one of the most important decisions for any social care service. The right framework shapes how staff understand the people they support, how services are coordinated, and ultimately how individuals
Co-production is about more than inviting people to take part – it’s about genuinely sharing power. It means people with lived experience, staff, and other partners working together to design, deliver, and review services that
When people with learning disabilities help shape the policies that affect their lives, care becomes fairer, safer, and more inclusive. Effective co-production goes beyond consultation. It’s about sharing power, valuing lived experience, and ensuring that
For many people leaving school or day services, finding meaningful ways to work, socialise, and contribute to their communities is key to independence and wellbeing. Employment, purposeful daily activities, and mental health support help people
Every time a serious safeguarding failure comes to light, attention understandably turns to what went wrong. Investigations identify shortcomings, recommendations are made, and organisations reflect on whether the same risks could exist within their own
Digital tools are becoming an essential part of modern social care practice. From improving access to learning and training to supporting communication and reducing administrative pressure, technology can strengthen the way care workers support others.
Digital technologies are becoming an important part of modern social care, offering new ways to support individuals with complex and diverse needs. From mental health support to dementia care, intellectual disabilities, and autism, digital interventions
Navigating care frameworks and interventions can be daunting for families, carers, and professionals supporting people with autism, intellectual disabilities, or mental health challenges. This guide provides a quick, practical overview of the most common approaches,
Natural environments, such as parks, forests, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas, offer powerful emotional and physical benefits for people experiencing mental health challenges. This article explores why these spaces matter and how social care workers
A reflection by Helen Bunting, Head of Health and Safety at Praxis Care I have worked in health and social care for more than 20 years, across compliance, learning and development, and estates and facilities
Accessing support is not always straightforward. Many people experiencing mental ill health, autism, learning disabilities, or other complex needs are supported by multiple organisations and professionals at the same time. Research from Ireland suggests that,
Co-production is increasingly recognised as essential to delivering high-quality, responsive social care services. For senior leaders, it represents a shift from designing services for people to designing services with them. This article outlines what co-production
Engaging adults in the assessment process is a cornerstone of effective social care practice. Whether working with people with mental health challenges or intellectual disabilities, how social care workers connect with the people they support
Supporting people to make their own decisions lies at the heart of person-centred care. For individuals with learning disabilities or mental health challenges, decision-making can be complex – but with the right support, everyone can
Lived experience brings a depth of understanding that formal training alone cannot replicate. When people who have navigated care systems themselves help design and deliver learning, the result is richer, more relevant, and more impactful.
Effective communication is central to good social care. For people with a learning disability, the way information is shared – and the opportunities they are given to express themselves – has a significant impact on
Working in complex social care services requires a balance of skill, compassion, and adaptability. When services experience periods of low activity, staff can feel uncertain about how best to use their time. If this isn’t
High-quality social care depends not only on staff skills but also on the organisation’s commitment to learning and development. This article gives tips on how to spot a provider that fosters a strong learning culture
Restrictive practices – such as restraint, seclusion, or other forms of control – have historically been used to manage risk and behaviour in care settings. But these practices often do more harm than good, limiting
Ensuring the safety of individuals with learning disabilities is a core responsibility in social care. While challenging behaviours can sometimes lead to situations that require physical intervention, the emphasis in best practice is on prevention,
Supporting individuals with learning disabilities in decision-making is a core responsibility for social care workers. When someone lacks the capacity to make a decision themselves, the principle of Best Interests, as outlined in the Mental
Change is a constant in social care, whether due to new regulations, service improvements, or evolving needs of people being supported. For social care workers, understanding how to navigate change effectively is essential to maintaining
Lived experience brings a unique perspective to social care. People who have navigated mental health challenges, intellectual disabilities, or complex care systems themselves can offer insights, guidance, and support that enrich services for everyone. Two
Person-Centred Active Support (PCAS) is an evidence-based approach that enables people with complex needs to take part in everyday life, build skills, and experience greater autonomy. Rather than doing things for people, PCAS helps staff
Physical activity is one of the most effective yet underused tools for improving health and wellbeing in social care. For people with severe or enduring mental health problems, regular movement can ease symptoms, improve energy
Understanding how common autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is in the community is essential for planning effective social care. Prevalence data not only helps estimate demand but also highlights trends, disparities, and challenges that shape the
Understanding population-level data on mental ill health helps social care professionals make sense of the pressures facing services and the needs emerging in communities. Prevalence figures provide important signals about demand, risk and inequality, but
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a person-centred framework that focuses on understanding and reducing challenging behaviour while improving the quality of life for individuals with learning disabilities. Challenging behaviours often communicate unmet needs or distress.
Supporting people to move away from offending behaviour requires more than managing risk alone. The Good Lives Model (GLM) offers a practical, strengths-based approach that focuses on helping individuals build meaningful, pro-social lives. Rather than
A stable, motivated, and well-supported workforce is essential to delivering high-quality social care. Yet retaining skilled staff remains a challenge across the sector. Understanding what helps people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive at
Supporting people to make their own choices is at the heart of good social care. It’s not about doing things for someone, but doing things with them – helping them feel informed, confident, and in
Trauma shapes lives in ways that may not be visible but are deeply impactful. People with histories of abuse, neglect, or other adverse experiences – particularly those with learning disabilities, mental health challenges, or autism
Personality disorders can deeply affect how a person experiences relationships, manages emotions, and responds to stress. For social care workers, supporting individuals with these conditions requires patience, empathy, and a strong understanding of trauma and
Recovery in mental health is not a single event but an ongoing process – one built on relationships, empowerment, and belief in each person’s capacity for growth. Social care workers play a central role in
Leaving care is a major milestone that can shape the course of a young person’s life. For those with mental health needs or intellectual disabilities, the transition into adulthood often comes with significant challenges. Gaps
Supporting individuals with autism requires approaches that are structured, empathetic, and consistent. The SPELL framework- Structure, Positive Approaches and Expectations, Empathy, Low Arousal, and Links – provides a practical toolkit for social care workers to
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly commonplace across a number of sectors. Research suggests that the strongest early benefits of AI are increased efficiency, fewer administrative errors, and greater capacity for staff
High-quality social care depends on staff having the right knowledge, skills, and values to provide safe, effective, and person-centred care. This article highlights best practice principles and practical approaches for training social care workers, particularly
