Positive Behaviour Support

Positive Behaviour Support involves intervening to improve the participant’s life, particularly where they have been showing challenging behaviours. Challenging behaviour means behaviour that is often complex, unpredictable and difficult to understand. The types of behaviour can include self-harming, aggression, property damage and more.

Disabled teen in support care home laughing

These behaviours can impact on participant’s life and make it difficult for others to support them. Challenging behaviours are often misread, but they can be reduced or stopped with the right environment and the right support. Positive behaviour support focuses on understanding why a person is behaving in this way and working out how the person’s needs can be met without using challenging behaviours.

At Truworth Care, we work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team, including the behaviour specialist, in implementing a positive behaviour support plan. Our team is well trained in implementing and understanding how to work with participants who require positive behaviour support.

Positive Behaviour Support Plans

Positive behaviour support might help by:

Using participant-centred planning approach to identify the participant’s goals, strengths and needs.
Involving the participant and support networks in the planning and implementation process. This can include family members, carers, support workers, work colleagues and other professionals.
Assessing and intervening to understand the reason for the behaviour. The plan is for both the person and anyone involved in their life to work together. This includes prevention, responding to early warning signs and reactive strategies.
Reducing restrictive practices as these practices limit a person’s rights or freedom in some way. Positive behaviour support aims to reduce or end the use of restrictive practices. This focuses on quality of life and respect for human rights.
Supporting the participant in skill-building to help them communicate, participate in fun activities and avoid challenging behaviour.
Educating and training staff to understand how to put support strategies in place.
Applying reactive strategies in response to behaviours of concern.
Reviewing regularly to check if the plan implemented is working.
Helping the person be understood through learning communication strategies.
Changing aspects of the participant’s environment to make them feel at ease.
Improving the participant’s lifestyle to add community connections and ensure they have access to activities that they find fun.
Ensuring the participant has meaningful and positive relationships with others.
Providing an encouraging, fun and understanding support environment.