When I think about the future ways that we will empower those living with learning disability and/or Autism, I can’t help but feel deeply optimistic. While there are undeniably going to be challenges along the way, and it can feel at times like we’re moving through fog, we’re also at the height of innovation. I’m seeing more and more intelligent ways to help individuals to live full and enriched lives. From gamification and technology to community initiatives and empowering people with learning disability and/or Autism to engage in meaningful work, there’s an abundance of potential for creativity.
In 2025, we’re truly at a turning point. There are financial pressures, workforce challenges, and evolving care models. It’s undeniable that the landscape is changing rapidly. My advice for this year is to encourage providers to embrace the creativity and innovation that’s happening in the industry. Fundamentally, it’s going to be critical to getting through what is going to be a tough year. In this article, I’ll explore some of the things I believe will be making their biggest breakthrough this year and how you can lean into them.
1. Shift from traditional care models to enablement and coaching
Providers are facing great financial constraints in 2025. On the one hand, there’s a new tax bill, which poses a significant challenge for care providers. On the other hand, local authorities are facing severe budget constraints. This creates the perfect recipe for a sector-wide crisis: while providers need more funding, the available resources are shrinking.
As I see it, providers will need to rethink their way of working. Luckily, I’m already seeing a shift from a traditional model of carer support—where we accompany people throughout their lives—to one focused on enabling and coaching, where we help people to help themselves. This might sound like we’re trying to step back, but it’s not. In fact, it’s an opportunity to finally implement the original ethos of care: nurturing independence and autonomy, something that has been talked about for years but becoming even more of a necessity.
To enable and coach people effectively, there are several factors to consider. For instance, we’re already seeing a reduction in low-need support being provided by traditional services. Instead, such needs are increasingly met through community groups, volunteers, and other forms of peer support. While I hesitate to use the term “palliative,” it captures the idea of providing low-intensity assistance for service users. At the same time, there is a growing focus on specialist support, especially for complex behavioural needs.
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Moving forward, providers will be expected to deliver measurable outcomes, such as reducing behaviours that challenge, improving quality of life, and even supporting employment. This last point is critical—there’s untapped potential among service users. Recently, we’ve seen former service users achieve independence and even join as auditors, performing precise, methodical work that suits them and adds real value.
Providers will need to transition from offering generic services under a broad umbrella to tailoring support for each individual. This means treating each person as a “service” in their own right, building personalised care plans that address their specific needs. Outcomes must be measurable and demonstrable, whether the funding comes from an Integrated Care Board (ICB) or a local authority.
Achieving this will require upskilling the workforce to embrace coaching and mentoring roles. Fortunately, there’s already support available, including training and apprenticeships, some of which have been underutilised in the past. Empowering people also involves taking more risks. Independence brings challenges, and as I often say, freedom is a difficult thing to manage.
This shift means moving away from a workforce primarily focused on catering to needs and instead creating one that empowers individuals to meet their own needs.
While this concept isn’t new, the question remains: how do we make it happen?
2. Harnessing Technology and Data
Technology is going to be fundamental in 2025. Critically, the workforce is shrinking. This means that tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, or focused on data gathering need to be optimised. You can no longer afford to spend an hour writing reports. Instead, you need systems that effortlessly collect and record data while also providing long-term insights, such as tracking progress over time for specific variables. This kind of data is not only reassuring for local authorities but also essential for senior leadership teams in care organisations to ensure things are moving in the right direction. Objective data provides clarity and accountability.
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Care management systems are an obvious first choice here because they drastically reduce administrative time. Most of these systems also have the capability to directly involve service users in their care planning. An approach that providers should embrace to strengthen further the independence we spoke about above. These systems can encourage individuals to take on tasks they want to learn or enjoy doing. While it’s tempting to let someone else handle chores like cooking or cleaning, there’s a strong case for helping individuals develop these skills where possible. It’s about finding a balance between support and independence, with families and professionals working together to identify what’s best.
The third—and perhaps most critical—element is the ability to implement specialist frameworks. Generic support packages and legacy approaches will give way to highly tailored, specialist services. Technology will play a central role here, allowing providers to collect, analyse, and share data with local authorities seamlessly. This saves significant management time and ensures that data is accurate and readily available.
There’s also an opportunity to link technology with environmental monitoring tools, such as Canary Care or JustChecking/JustRoaming. These tools use sensors to track activity, provide real-time data, and record support needs objectively.
The adoption of technology is essential because providers are facing rising salary costs, reduced funding from local authorities, and increased demands to demonstrate measurable outcomes. The only way to meet these demands is through specialist, data-driven support. By grounding services in science and data, providers can clearly show how outcomes are achieved—moving from point A to point B—and replicate those successes across multiple cases.
3. Evolution of Care Models: Trauma-Informed Care and PBS
Trauma-informed care is already prevalent in mental health services, but I believe it has significant potential in autism, learning disability, and complex needs services. These areas often involve emotional and psychological challenges, even if the primary need isn’t classified as mental health. Trauma-informed care addresses these underlying struggles, which can lead to a notable reduction in challenging behaviours. Training for trauma-informed care is widely available and could be transformative in these contexts.
PBS, of course, remains the benchmark. However, I anticipate trauma-informed care gaining more prominence. However, for those experiencing significant fragmentation or distress, PBS can be vital. It helps manage behaviours to a baseline level where meaningful work can begin. To use a metaphor, if you’re a psychotherapist and someone comes to you under the influence of heroin, you can’t effectively work with them until they’re sober. Similarly, PBS is essential for stabilising behaviours, enabling progress towards resilience, independence, or other developmental goals.
In this sense, trauma-informed care and PBS complement each other. Trauma-informed care fosters understanding of emotional and psychological needs, while PBS provides the framework to manage behaviours, creating a foundation for growth and development. Together, they offer a comprehensive approach to support individuals effectively and sustainably.
4. Therapeutic Gamification
There are some incredibly developments happening within therapeutic gaming for people with learning disability. For instance, a company called Meeva Assistance is doing incredible work with VR. Their VR software gamifies life skills training, making the experience fun and engaging. One example I saw was an augmented reality game where you attach sensors to a vacuum cleaner. As you clean, virtual coins appear on the floor, like in a platform video game. It’s essentially "Mario meets household chores." They also have cooking modules and other applications.
Another standout innovation comes from a company that developed a mixed-reality (XR) application called A Day in the Life. It allows users to experience different professions—such as carpentry, agriculture, office work, or even working at an airport. British Airways sponsors the module on airport jobs, which is a great example of industry collaboration. There’s also a VR program for travel training which is currently being piloted. It simulates a day navigating London, complete with traffic lights, buses, and taxis, allowing users to practice their journey safely from home.
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This type of technology has enormous potential because it offers a safe, cost-effective way to develop life skills. Traditional methods, such as occupational therapy-led programs, often require one-to-one support, which can be prohibitively expensive. For example, teaching someone to cook might require a specialist working with them intensively for weeks or even months, costing thousands of pounds. By comparison, a VR headset might cost around £500, with software adding another £100 or so. Staff already on duty can be trained to facilitate these sessions, significantly reducing costs.
These technologies allow providers to offer something truly innovative and appealing to local authorities, demonstrating how they actively develop skills in safe, controlled environments. Worst-case scenario in VR? You lose the game and try again. That’s a far cry from the real-world risks involved in practicing new skills without adequate preparation.
This shift will help bridge the gap between high-quality specialist support and the financial constraints that many providers and local authorities face, making it a game-changer for the learning disability sector.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead to this year, and even beyond. It’s crystal clear that when standing at this crossroads, providers need to embrace three things: technology, adaptability and creativity. I won’t sit here and tell you it’s going to be an easy process; this year will be rife with challenges. By embracing some of the emerging trends mentioned above, we may begin to see through the fog—and transform lives along the way.
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