Positive behaviour support

What is Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)?

Positive behaviour Support (PBS) is a person-centred framework for providing long term support to people with a learning disability, and/or autism, including those with mental health conditions, who have, or may be at risk of developing, behaviours that challenge.
- Care Quality Commission, from Brief guide: Positive behaviour support for people with behaviours that challenge

You can use PBS to understand the behaviour of an individual. It helps us to determine what unmet needs might be leading to behaviours that challenge. 

PBS looks at the social and physical environment in which behaviours happen. We collect the views of the individual, their family carers and support network. We can then develop plans, and strategies, that improve the person's quality of life and independence skills.

PBS:

• Is human rights based
• Is person-centred and evidence based
• Promotes choice and the development of independence skills
• Does not use punishment
• Focuses on the person's wants, needs and aspirations
• Involves all those who support the person

PBS and preferred language

When discussing PBS and/or behaviours you may hear people using different terminology. For example: challenging behaviours, behaviours of concern, or distressed behaviours.

Norfolk Autism Partnership and Norfolk Learning Disability Partnership's preferred terminology is behaviours that challenge. 

Local autistic people and people with learning disabilities voted on the use of language. The majority chose behaviours that challenge. 

When working with someone who displays behaviours that challenge, please ask them which terminology they prefer.

Norfolk County Council (NCC) sponsored PBS videos and resources

NCC sponsored the following videos, which are now available nationally. They have been created to support those working in social care to implement and assess the use of PBS within a service. Supporting Positively created the videos. 

PBS Informed: Completing ABC forms

This 9 minute video follows on from the PBS Informed course. It includes tips on how to implement what you have learned to your workplace. It covers the core message that 'all behaviour happens for a reason' and how to complete ABC forms accurately.

PBS Informed video and resources:

• PBS Informed: Completing ABC forms video
• PBS Informed: Completing ABC forms transcript
• Example of an ABC form

Understanding PBS for Social workers

This 8 min video covers what to look for in services that are implementing PBS. It is for:

• Social workers
• Assistant practitioners 
• Quality monitoring officers
• Other health and social care professionals

Understanding PBS for Social Workers video and resources:

• Understanding PBS for Social workers video
• Understanding PBS for Social Workers transcript
• PBS for Social Workers service checklist

Capable Environments

This 15 minute video is about capable environments. It covers what they are and why they are useful for anyone working within a PBS context.

Capable Environments video and resources:

• Capable Environments video
• Capable Environments transcript

PBS Equipped: Function based strategies

This 9 minute video follows on from the PBS Equipped course. It includes tips on how to implement what you have learned in your workplace. The video covers:

• What the PBS Equipped course equips you to do
• Behaviour function
• Function-based strategies

PBS Equipped: Function based strategies video and resources:

• PBS Equipped: Function based strategies video
• PBS Equipped: Function based strategies transcript
• Countdown example for finishing on the computer

Restrictive Practices

This 12 minute video is about restrictive practices, what they are and what we should do about them. It focuses on why we would use restrictive practices. This includes how to make sure they are proportionate, least restrictive and there is a plan to reduce their use over time.

Restrictive Practices video and resources:

• Restrictive Practices video
• Restrictive Practices transcript
• Consent flow chart

Free PBS training for Norfolk and Waveney Providers

The PBS training project is coming to an end in March 2025. There are still some spaces on the free training for Norfolk and Waveney Providers.

Visit Norfolk and Waveney PBS Training Project on Eventbrite to book your place. 

For more information, please email admin@pbsuk.org. 

Norfolk Positive Behaviour Support Service

NCC commissioned The Norfolk PBS Support Service and Supporting Positively delivers the service.

The service can support:

• Developing an organisational approach to PBS
• Embedding PBS training
• Developing PBS policies and procedures

Referrals accepted from:

• Social care providers within Norfolk and Waveney
• Health and social care staff within Norfolk and Waveney

Following referral:

• A member from Supporting Positively's team will be in contact within one week
• An initial scoping call arranged to discuss input needed in more detail

This service is free to all providers. For more information providers can contact jo.coulson@supportingpositively.com.

PBS Norfolk Community of Practice

NCC commissioned the PBS Norfolk Community of Practice, which Supporting Positively delivers. It is open to all social care providers and Health and Social care staff within Norfolk and Waveney. 

Supporting Positively hold quarterly meetings online via Teams. Each session focuses on an area of interest that supports the ongoing development of PBS within Norfolk and Waveney.

For more information or to register please contact lesley.waugh@supportingpositively.com.