Providing local, timely & effective support for people with Intellectual Disabilities and Behaviour Support Needs: What works and how do we do it? 

Thirty years since the Mansell Report

Thursday 9^th November from 1.00pm-2.00pm

2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of the Mansell Report, which was later revised in 2007. Recommendations designed to support the development of effective, local supports for people with behavioural support needs were outlined. The report’s meticulous analysis and the clarity of its critique of the state of disability services at that time made it a focal point for those advocating for the community inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.   It continues to be a landmark publication in the history of our progress toward deinstitutionalisation and human rights.  

Over the three decades since the report’s release, we have witnessed a disheartening pattern of recurring scandals both in the United Kingdom and Ireland. These tragic abuses serve as stark reminders that, while there has been some progress, there is still a substantial amount of work left to be done.

In an effort to shed light on our society’s journey toward improvement, we have invited a distinguished panel of experts for a thought-provoking discussion. Joining us will be Professor Peter McGill, Dr Evan Yacoub, and Professor Malcolm MacLachlan. The panel will consider the progress made over the past 30 years in addressing these critical issues and, more importantly, they will guide us towards the necessary steps that lie ahead.

This discussion will inform and enlighten those entrusted with the responsibility of supporting individuals grappling with these significant concerns. We invite you to take this valuable opportunity to learn from the insights of these leading international authorities in the field.

Peter McGill

Peter McGill is an emeritus Professor in Clinical Psychology of Learning Disability at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent.  Professor McGill is widely published in the area of providing support to people described as ‘challenging’.  Professor McGill’s work has been characterised by co-production with communities supported, a rigorous approach to research design and a focus on meaningful outcomes for people supported and their families.  He has published widely on the types of support that work for people living with these very serious behavioural health concerns.  Along with the late Professor Jim Mansell, Professor McGill has been a lifelong advocate for the empowerment of families and communities.  

Evan Yacoub

Dr Evan Yacoub is a consultant psychiatrist and the Health Service Executive’s (HSE Irish Health Service Executive) National Clinical Lead for Mental Health and Intellectual Disability.  Dr Yacoub has published in the area of commissioning services to support people experiencing concerning behaviours.  Dr Yacoub was also the chair of the Faculty of Learning Disability at the College of Psychiatry of Ireland.

Malcolm “Mac” MacLachlan

Malcolm “Mac” MacLachlan is Professor of Psychology and Social Inclusion, and Co-director of the ALL (Assisting Living & Learning) Institute at Maynooth University, Ireland. Until recently he was also the Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for People with Disabilities (NCPPD) in the HSE. 

Previous appointments include holding a Personal Chair in Global Health at Trinity College Dublin and being Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Malawi.  Mac has also held visiting professorships at the universities of Stellenbosch, Olomouc and Harvard. He has worked as a clinical psychologist, academic, organisational consultant and policy adviser in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America; with government, civil society, industry and United Nations agencies.

Professor MacLachlan is currently Research & Innovation Lead for WHO’s Global Collaboration on Assistive Technology (GATE) programme. From 2014 to 2019 he was the Knowledge Management Lead for the United Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). He is a Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland, the British Psychological Society, and the Rehabilitation & Engineering Society of North America; and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy. He is the recipient of a number of awards, including the American Psychological Association’s International Humanitarian Award (2014), the Royal Irish Academy’s Gold Medal for Social Science (2017) and the British Psychological Society’s Award for Promoting Equality of Opportunity (2018).   

Professor MacLachlan has led a number of international research consortia and is currently the overall PI and Co-lead of the Smart & Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive Systems (SHAPES) project; working with 36 partners, across 14 European countries, and funding of twenty-one million Euro. 

The panel discussion will be facilitated by Dave O’Regan, Positive Behaviour Support Manager for Ability West, a disability support provider in the West of Ireland. He is a Behaviour Analyst with 15 years’ experience in the provision of Positive Behavioural Supports. Dave has held positions in PBS teams in a number of organisations in Ireland and the UK, including the specialist, community-based PBSS service at Halton Borough Council, which was designed in line with the spirit and aims of the Mansell report. 

One CEU will be available for BCBA’s attending this event or if you require a CPD certificate for attending this event please click here

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