OVERVIEW
Almost everyone who works in health and social care will, at some point, support a person whose behaviour challenges those around them — behaviour that puts the person or other people at risk, or that gets in the way of an ordinary, good quality of life. This may take the form of physical aggression, shouting, self-injury, refusing essential care, leaving a safe place, damaging property or withdrawing completely. Behaviour that challenges is especially common among people living with a learning disability, autism, dementia or mental ill health, and it can be distressing and frightening both for the person and for the staff supporting them. Handled badly, it can lead to injury, to the use of force, and to people being excluded, over-medicated or moved away from their homes and communities.
The course covers why language matters, the central idea that behaviour is communication, common causes and triggers including pain, fear, frustration and unmet needs, the ABC (Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence) model, recording and understanding patterns, proactive person-centred strategies, the role of the environment, communication techniques, de-escalation skills, and the legal and ethical framework — including when restrictive practices may be used and the duty to use the least restrictive option.
