ABSTRACT
The author gives us an account of his Intensive Interaction journey with Dennis over a period of years. He also provides insight into his already established Intensive Interaction Co-ordinator role and the challenge of expanding that role when his Trust (Ridgeway Partnership NHS Trust) was acquired by a much larger NHS Trust (Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust). Intensive Interaction is an approach to facilitating two-way communication with people with severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism, who are still at an early stage of communication development. It can be used to teach people fundamental communication or to provide them with a means to enjoy being expressive and feeling connected. There has been a long history of staff training, research and development in Intensive Interaction within the Trust, led and championed by Judith Samuel, head of the Psychology Department.
