Positive Behaviour Intervention & Support (PBIS)

Behaviour management in school is overseen and monitored by the PBIS team (Positive Behaviour, Intervention and Support). This group of staff members meet termly to ensure the safe and effective running of behavioural strategies across the school, monitor training needs and the impact/effectiveness of our school Behaviour for Learning and Positive Relationship Policy.

We implement a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approach. Positive Behaviour Support reduces behaviours of concern using the least restrictive practises by focusing on finding out the ‘purpose’ that the behaviour is serving for the child in that environment. PBS focuses on identifying the child’s strengths, areas for skill development, and making changes to the person’s environment to help find a different way to behave as an alternative to the unhelpful behaviour being presented.

There are 7 principles of Positive Behaviour Support; PBS is:

Person-centred: ensuring the child is always at the centre.
Partnership: working closely with the child and their adults to shape the process.
Planned: creating a clear and positive Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) to ensure shared understanding and accountability.
Positive: focusing on being preventative, not just reactive.
Purposeful: using a Functional Assessment to know the reason for the behaviour.
Process driven: following a process of identifying, assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating data.

The main feature of positive behaviour support is the use of a BSP (Behaviour Support Plan) based on a FBA (Functional Behavioural Assessment). FBA is the process for determining the function or purpose behind a child’s behaviour and involves the collection of data: its causes - which are called antecedents, the behaviours - how they start, develop, their frequency and intensity and the consequence of these behaviours- how adults respond.

Crucially, using this approach we understand that at the point of crisis, a child does not have the capacity to reduce the level of their emotion. Therefore it is the ADULT THAT IS RESPONSIBLE for the de-escalation of the behaviour. Each and every adult at Danecourt understands that HOW THEY REACT TO A BEHAVIOUR - MAKES IT MORE, OR LESS, LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN. It is our responsibility as a staff team to work consistently and together to deliver both antecedent and reactive strategies to reduce behaviours of concern.

Our PBIS system has two tiers. Our Tier 1 strategies are those delivered in the classroom to address low level behaviours. We have whole school approaches such as:

Visual approaches - such as the use of visuals, timetables and social stories to assist the children.
Flexible communication -we must endeavour to utilise a flexible approach to communication so that we talk to children in a way that they can understand and is meaningful for example we can use shorter phrases, use a Total communication approach.
Adapting demands - we must match the demands of the learning to the child’s needs taking account of their learning style and attention length.
Managing task/physical transitions - It is good practice to use timers and timed warnings to signal the end or a change in task/environment,making use of lanyard symbols to give simple visual instructions during a transition.
Active Engagement - ensuring that tasks are engaging, exciting, and motivating, and are fun to participate in. There must be an irresistible offer to learn as we create ‘wow,’ moments for both the adult and child.
Effective trusting relationships - We need to develop the relationship required between adults and children; trusting relationships between children and adults are the most effective strategy in resolving a child’s unhelpful behaviour.

All of these strategies ensure that children at Danecourt schools are ready for learning and achieve their best learning everyday. In addition to these strategies, children will also have personalised strategies and equipment to assist their emotional regulation recorded in their PCLP, that are targeted to address specific needs.

If a child’s unhelpful behaviours persist after all the above has been put into place, data is collected using an ABC chart for behaviours identified as causing concern, once enough data has been collected the Class Teacher will write a Behaviour Support Plan (Tier 2).

On occasion it may be that you come across, or are asked to assist with a child that is suffering extreme dysregulation and is displaying behaviours that may cause injury to others or themselves. In this case, Danecourt School has a rapid response protocol. The main aim of the rapid response protocol is to return a situation to calm and safe as soon as possible using the 3 ‘D’s - Divert, Distract, De-escalate. In these and any other situations of behaviour management, we promote a help culture at school, and at all times, adults (who are on their own managing behaviours) should call for help using their class radio. Staff members that require further support can radio for assistance from other adults in school.

Positive Handling is used as a final resort, once all less restrictive strategies have been tried. Only staff that have received training are able to use Positive Handling techniques. Specific in-house training is given. If positive handling techniques are being used as part of a Behaviour Support Plan, a Risk Reduction Plan and a Restraint Reduction Plan must also be completed by the Class Teacher and Parent/Carer, so that the risks of child’s behaviour are documented and there is a commitment to reduce the use of Positive Handling over time.