Positive behaviour support for children and families

Sure Steps ABA also provides positive behavioural support to families who may need advice or practical help with their child’s behaviour whether or not they have a formal diagnosis. 

The behaviour analytic approach uses person-centred strategies to develop a support plan that is tailored to the needs of the individual and the family.

The support plan can be made up of some useful strategies to use when managing certain behaviours or can be a more comprehensive intervention plan which will outline specific and perhaps graduated changes to be made over time with the option of training and guidance in implementing the plan.

The type of behaviour that presents a challenge to a parent or caregiver can vary considerably.  It could be that parents want to improve their child’s listening skills; tolerance levels or emotional regulation.  It could be that parents need advice on how to manage their child’s ‘screen time’.  It may be that the behaviour has become a barrier to learning or to the ability to access recreational activities; it may present a barrier to social inclusion or it could be that it is harmful or disruptive to the family in some way.

The type of strategies used will depend on the nature of the behaviour but will always include some parental training on how to implement the techniques and support from myself.

The Support Package

The support package begins with an initial behavioural assessment (FBA) in the home or setting in which the behaviour has become problematic.  This is followed by a Positive Behaviour Plan – an intervention that includes adjustments to the setting or to events that are linked to the behaviour in order to reduce or change the behaviour in some way whilst also teaching a new, more appropriate behaviour in its place. 

Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA)

A FBA involves the analysis of environmental factors which may be influencing the behaviour.  Behaviour analysts use informal interviews with parents and caregivers, observations and written records of the behaviour, taken over a period of time, to look for events that consistently occur just before the behaviour and any events that consistently occur after the behaviour.  It is the relationship between these events that provide an indication as to what might be ‘triggering’ a behaviour and what the ‘result’ of a behaviour tends to be.  It is the ‘result’ or ‘consequence’ of the behaviour that tends to account for its repeated occurrence.

Positive Behavioural Intervention Plan

The information drawn from an FBA is used to form an intervention plan.  This details specific changes that can be made in order to make the behaviour less likely to occur in the first place and which also outlines how to teach a ‘replacement’ positive behaviour.

Advice, supervision and training

The level of support that can be offered will depend on the nature of the behaviour and can be agreed in consultation with parents. Training, supervision and support is available both remotely and through home visits and can be offered on a short-term or ongoing basis.