Positive Behaviour Support is a person centred approach used to assist in managing situations where challenging behaviours may occur or be at risk of occurring. The approach involves the whole support team; support workers, parents or significant others and therapists. Positive Behaviour Support is about creating an environment where an individual can be supported to communicate their needs in a positive and safe way. Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioners are the professionals who assist in creating a positive behaviour support plan and providing eduction to the support team to create a positive behaviour support environment for a client.
The theory behind positive behaviour support comes from the field of behavioural science. Behavioural science incorporates a wide range of different specialities including some you might be familiar with such as Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis. People who train as Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioners generally have clinical backgrounds in Occupational Therapy, Psychology or Nursing. The clinical background provides a basis for understanding the complex medical, social and psychological overlaps that can occur for individuals who need positive behaviour support. In addition to their basic qualifications, many will have undertaken extensive post graduate study in behavioural analysis, engage in professional supervision (discuss and reflection on cases with a more senior practitioner) and undertake ongoing continuous professional development.
What are behaviours that challenge?
Challenging behaviours or behaviours of protest are those behaviours “that are culturally abnormal and place the safety of the person or others in serious jeopardy and / or are likely to seriously limit or deny access to the use of normal community facilities" (Emerson, 1995). Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioners see all behaviours as an act of communication.
The behaviours are an individual’s way of voicing a need, making a protest or expressing an emotion or want. Often while the behaviours are challenging for those supporting the individual, they are actually functional for the individual.
Challenging behaviours tend to be more common for an individual who has communication and / or processing issues. Such as people who have an intellectual or developmental disorders, dementia, mental health conditions or communication difficulty.
A Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner will spend time with an individual, their support team and significant people to identify the different behaviours that an individual uses to communicate. Once the behaviours are identified, the BSP will complete a functional analysis using various different assessment tools. The functional analysis aims to clearly identify the different aspects of the behaviour including triggers, setting events and outcomes. The Behaviour Support Practitioner can then work with the support team and individual to develop new skills that support the individual to communicate more effectively.
The main aim of Positive Behaviour Support Plan is to improve the quality of life of the individual at the centre of the therapy.
If you would like to learn more about how a Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner can help you then please give us an email at hello@miaonline.co
References
Emerson, E. & Bromley, J. (1995) The form and function of challenging behaviours. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 39, 388–98
