“Look, all our hard work is paying off”: A qualitative evaluation of a system‐wide, workforce development model to promote positive behavioural support

Positive behaviour supports in disability and community services (PBS-DCS): a tiered model for foundational, targeted, and specialist supports

PURPOSE

Positive behaviour support (PBS) is recommended as a service response to challenging behaviours. In Australia, however, there has been concern regarding PBS policy and implementation. In response, this article proposes a tiered PBS service model for disability and community settings, which is evidence-based and rights-driven.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant literature, policy guidelines, and clinical experience are used to inform a positive behaviour support service model for community implementation.

RESULTS

The Positive Behaviour Support in Disability and Community Service (PBS-DCS) model articulates systems-wide practices that support effective PBS provision within a human rights approach. The model describes three tiers of behaviour support: Tier I (Foundational), Tier II (Targeted), and Tier III (Specialist), and considers who should deliver which intervention elements and when.

CONCLUSIONS

The PBS-DCS model provides a framework to support quality PBS practice in community settings. It is proposed that a proof-of-concept model of community-based PBS should be investigated-and that this would help to ensure current practice aligns with the professional expectations of PBS and deliver high quality services to people living with disability.

A quantitative evaluation of a regional Positive Behavioural Support workforce development approach

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that providing staff with input in relation to Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) can have beneficial outcomes. Much of this research, however, fails to take account of systemic issues and does not include a control group.

METHOD

We used a non-randomised, controlled group design to evaluate accredited PBS programmes, delivered as part of a systemic, regional and workforce development approach. We compared outcomes of those attending the programmes (n = 240) with a control group (n = 54), pre- and post-intervention and at 3-months follow-up.

RESULTS

The programme and its wider impact were rated positively. Significant intervention effects were found for staff practice and retention, but not for staff knowledge and attributions, or behaviours that challenge and quality of life of those being supported.

CONCLUSIONS

The results are discussed in the context of the study limitations and restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The impact of COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom on the positive behavioural support of people with an intellectual disability

The way that people with an intellectual disability are supported is very important.The COVID-19 virus has changed the way that staff help people with an intellectual disability.We wanted to know about those changes and whether learning about positive behavioural support (PBS) helped staff to cope with them.The main changes were that people with an intellectual disability could not go out or see family and friends as often.Staff came up with new things to do for the people they supported, and PBS learning seemed to help staff to cope.

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that COVID-19 and the associated restrictions are likely to have a negative impact on the provision of positive behavioural support (PBS) to people with an intellectual disability.

METHODS

Fifty-eight staff, who had recently completed an accredited positive behavioural support (PBS) programme, responded to an online questionnaire, which asked them to rate the impact of COVID-19 on factors related to PBS.

RESULTS

Participants reported a neutral or somewhat positive impact on all the areas measured, with the exception of the activities and quality of life of those they supported, which were somewhat negatively affected. The participants rated the learning from their PBS programme as helping them cope with COVID-19 to some extent. Examples of positive and negative effects and ways in which PBS helped staff to cope are presented.

CONCLUSIONS

Many staff developed creative solutions that allowed them to provide PBS despite the COVID-19 restrictions. PBS learning appeared to help staff cope with the negative impact of the restrictions.

'It's been adapted rather than impacted': A qualitative evaluation of the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the positive behavioural support of people with an intellectual disability and/or autism

BACKGROUND

We used a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of social care staff regarding the provision of positive behavioural support (PBS) to people with an intellectual disability at the height of the Covid-19 restrictions.

METHOD

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 staff who had recently completed a PBS workforce development programme. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three themes were identified in the context of the restrictions: The challenges to maintaining quality of life and PBS of the people being supported and staff attempts to overcome these; the ways in which PBS and behaviour support plans were implemented and the impact on behaviours that challenge; the ways in which PBS principles were applied at organisational levels to help to understand and address staff stress and distress.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the staff identified many unexpected benefits of the restrictions. The results are discussed in the context of the study limitations.