People display challenging or distressed behaviours because it could be the only way they can communicate and putting a positive behavioural support (PBS) training programme in place can support people with these challenges.
Positive behavioural support (PBS) is a way of supporting people and involves understanding the reasons behind the behaviour such as their life history, physical health and emotional needs.
The UK PBS competency framework explains what you need to know and do when delivering best practice PBS for people. The PBS Academy has also developed Standards for Services which outlines what should be meet when delivering PBS. Find the First Step to Foundation PBS competence framework.
See our FAQs about how PBS can help you deliver high quality support.
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Get help making decisions when planning, purchasing or providing learning and development that will help your workforce to work in a positive and proactive way when supporting people who display behaviours which challenge.
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This guide explains what workers need to know and do to deliver PBS. It outlines standards for training and provides tips about commissioning and/or designing training.
Positive behavioural support and autism training fund
Paul has a team of staff supporting him who were trained using this funding. This film demonstrates how they’ve applied the training to change their approach to Paul by understanding and identifying Paul’s needs better.
Duration 10 mins 30 seconds
Training was funded by the ‘Positive and Safe programme’ in 2015 to support the aims of the ‘Building the right support’ national plan
Read the Positive behavioural support (PBS) and autism person budgets fund 2016 evaluation of this funding.
Funding for positive behavioural support training
In some circumstances Skills for Care’s Workforce Development Fund (WDF) funding can be claimed back to contribute towards the costs of PBS training in adult social care. Download the list of eligible training providers.
PBS training can be eligible for WDF where it meets all of these requirements:
- it is provided by a training organisation actively involved in the PBS peer review (you can find a list of learning providers below)
- there is a ratio of 1:5 didactic learning to supervised practice and self-directed learning
- it is based on a good training needs analysis for the organisation, individual and group
- there are assurances that the employer has ways of measuring impact and ensuring the learning is applied to practice
It meets one or more of the following levels:
- First Step to PBS Foundation Level: As per the First Step to Foundation PBS competence framework - £50 WDF payable
- PBS Foundation Level: As per the PBS Academy competence framework - £150 WDF payable for foundation as a standalone and if completed as a ‘top up’ to the first step
- PBS Intermediate Level: As per the PBS Academy competence framework – £300 WDF payable
- PBS Advanced Level: As per the PBS Academy competence framework – £450 WDF payable
Download the list of eligible training providers.
Claim Workforce Development Funding.
Case studies
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Rebecca has a rare genetic condition which presents as a severe learning disability, autism, an eating disorder and mild self-harm. When Rebecca moved into a shared residential home, incidents of behaviours which challenge increased, so her support team introduced positive behavioural support to support her.
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Michael has complex needs including autism, a learning disability and oppositional defiance disorder. His supported living placement followed a positive behavioural support plan, which included an adult education programme focused on building his life skills, and his quality of life has improved.
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Keith has a learning disability, complex autism and related anxiety. The Lifeways Group worked to develop a positive behaviour support plan. Keith now leads a more fulfilled life, with reduced levels of anxiety and his behaviour patterns have changed.
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Jeremy has a severe learning disability, Downs Syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome. The Lifeways Group worked to improve communication between Jeremy and staff. As a result, Jeremy accesses the community every day and the number of incidents of behaviour that challenges has decreased.
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Gloucestershire County Council has set up a ‘Challenging behaviour working group’ to outline their strategic approach to supporting individuals with learning disabilities and/or autistic people who display behaviours which challenge - positive behavioural support is strongly featured in the strategy.
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Wirral Evolutions used the fund to train staff how to better support autistic people who display or are at risk of displaying behaviour which challenges. They trained over 100 staff on courses ranging from an 'introduction to positive behavioural support, to 'coaches training'.
Positive behavioural support isn’t complicated but it does mean supporting Keith in a very different way.
Sue Parker, Support Worker
PBS Films
Local networks
Local networks can help you share what’s worked well and learn from others, to improve best practice. Download the list of networks and communities of practice. If you want us to add your details to the list, email policy@skillsforcare.org.uk
Peer review pilot to improve PBS training
In 2019/20 we ran a pilot project to develop and test a peer review process for PBS training. It involved learning providers conducting peer reviews on each other’s training to give feedback and share ideas. the objective was to improve the quality of PBS training across the sector.
At the beginning of this project, we did a survey to understand more about PBS training and learning provision in adult social care. Download the findings from the survey.
Watch this recorded webinar to find out more or email us.
Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) Training Standards 2019
These standards provide a national benchmark for training in restrictive practices and focus on the fundamental principles that apply to all populations (people with a mental health condition, learning disability, autism or dementia) and settings (across education health and social care).
View the standards and supporting resources