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This paper aims to provide a commentary on papers in this special edition concerning the implementation of evidence-based practice from a clinician’s perspective.

The commentary makes a number of points drawing on both recent literature and the author’s own experience working as a clinician with children and adults with learning disabilities including those who are autistic whose behaviours can challenge themselves, their parents, carers and support networks.

Effective implementation requires clinical expertise to operate within a context of collaboration and partnership working, where co-production with those who have lived experience ensures that what clinicians offer resonates and contributes to improvements in quality of life for all.

The paper will be of value to clinicians working alongside children and adults with learning disabilities and their families, particularly clinical psychologists and behaviour specialists, and to other stakeholders wanting to enable and facilitate the development of high-quality support.

This paper identifies considerations for managing the risks of abuse during intimate and personal care for people with learning disabilities and complex needs. Drawing on insights gleaned from research involving interviews with staff, policies and procedures in specialist day and residential services, and the development of a staff training resource, the paper identifies a framework for adult protection practice in this critical area of support.

The paper provides an overview of the new learning disability awards and an account of a joint project by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (part of the Mental Health Foundation), Pavilion and the Tizard Centre, University of Kent to develop training and learning materials to support them.

Individual programme planning (IPP), or person‐centred planning, is widely recognised as a tool for assisting learning disability services to structure and co‐ordinate the support offered to service users. This paper reviews the research evidence, to assess the extent to which planning processes are considered person‐centred, and how services ensure that users have a major say in planning and determining the help they receive (Blunden et al., 1987). It is suggested that services need to take a more flexible and creative approach, using working groups to make decisions with or on behalf of service users. A case study describes the role of working groups and the importance of communication in determining specific person‐centred planning processes.