What are the different approaches to supporting positive behaviour?
Historically, there have been many different approaches to supporting positive behaviour – some proactive and some reactive. At Somerset Care, we adopt a proactive approach to supporting and enabling positive behaviour.
Proactive positive behaviour support is all about creating the right conditions for an individual with a learning disability, autism or acquired brain injury to succeed, and seeking to understand the reasons behind any behaviours which challenge.
This approach to supporting positive behaviour sees behaviours which challenge as a symptom of a barrier or challenge which that individual faces. By proactively enabling and empowering the individual to overcome the barrier, or find an alternative means of achieving a preferred outcome, the root cause of this ‘symptom’ is addressed.
The barriers that each individual faces are likely to be a unique combination of their learning disability, autism or acquired brain injury, and their ambitions and interests in life. Positive behaviour support is about getting to know the person, what motivates them, and what stands in their way of living the life they choose. One person may need support to build the life skills they need to enter their chosen workplace, another may need assistance to find alternatives to verbal communication in order to express themselves, and yet another may need support to overcome barriers to accessing a hobby which they are passionate about.
With the right positive behaviour support in place, the function of behaviours which challenge (for example to express frustration) is removed, and the individual is supported to follow their chosen path in life.
Support for people with learning disabilities, autism or acquired brain injury
Our Realise team are experts in providing individually-tailored care and positive behaviour support for people with learning disabilities, autism or acquired brain injury. Find out more about the Realise team, and the empowering, person-centred support they provide.