This module enables you to develop the knowledge, skills and values required to lead the process of functional behavioural assessment and develop, implement and evaluate a behaviour support plan (BSP) to support the specific needs of an individual with a learning disability and behaviour that challenges. It includes learning activities related to functional behaviour assessment, an analysis of the social and physical environment as well as mediator analysis to understand the context for the behaviour and implementation of the plan.

You will develop skills in gathering appropriate history, establishing clear descriptions of behaviour and obtaining information about factors that may contribute to challenging behaviour e.g. communication, level of social, cognitive, emotional skills/abilities and mental illness. You will utilise a range of assessment strategies and measures/tools e.g., checklists, questionnaires, interviews, observation and evaluate their respective validity and reliability. You will interpret this data and use the 4-term contingency to generate a formulation as to the function of the challenging behaviour.

This module will enable you to lead the development and implementation of a BSP with a range of strategies designed to improve an individual’s quality of life and reduce the likelihood of behaviour that challenges. You will learn how to monitor/review the effectiveness of a BSP and address attitudinal, individual and environmental barriers to its successful implementation.

As well as enabling you to meet the requirements of a Northumbria Award it will also enable you to demonstrate behaviour specialist/supervisor/manager competencies of The PBS Coalition Competence Framework (2015) nationally recognised as best practice in this field.

This module will enable you to lead PBS in your organisation. You will have developed your knowledge and proficiency in PBS in the previous two modules including the ability to contribute to assessing behaviour, as well the development, implementation and review of behaviour support plans. This module enables you to critically analyse and apply the most effective strategies to facilitate learning in adults and act as a leader of learning within your organisation to others who are learning about and developing their proficiency in PBS. You will do this through a coaching approach providing support, supervision and feedback to others as they learn

You will analyse how adults learn knowledge, skills and values, and how to best facilitate the development of each. You will learn how to model good practice, how to coach and support others when they are learning, and how to give effective feedback on performance. You will observe and assess proficiency in PBS of staff within your organisation, applying your understanding of factors which improve the validity and reliability of assessment. You will analyse and apply theories and models of supervision demonstrating ability to provide effective ongoing supervision to others utilising PBS plans and providing feed-back which is supportive, constructive and helps individuals reflect upon and develop their own practice. You will learn about other system wide aspects which influence the ability of the workforce to use PBS in practice; these include leadership, allocating resources effectively, and understanding, developing and utilising policies and practices central to safe effective PBS.

As well as to meeting the requirements of a Northumbria Award the module enables you to demonstrate the behaviour specialist/supervisor/manager competencies in the PBS Coalition Competence Framework (2015) nationally recognised as best practice for those who support people with learning disabilities /autism with challenging behaviour.

This module enables you to develop the knowledge, skills and values required to understand the Principles of the Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) approach to support someone with autism/a learning disability who displays behaviour that challenges. It enables you to meet the requirements of a Northumbria Award and evidence relevant competencies identified in the PBS Coalition Competence Framework (2015) nationally recognised as best practice.
The module helps you to critically analyse the meaning and impact of Learning Disability and Autism, the causes of challenging behaviour and the use of a functional approach to understanding behaviour as a key concept of positive behavioural support. You will explore and critique the theory and context of PBS as a way of improving quality of life and reducing behaviour that challenges. You will develop your understanding of the importance of values-based support for people with a learning disability which acknowledges them as individuals, ensures choice and participation in their own lives and treats them with dignity and respect. You will analyse the factors affecting behaviour to identify why someone may display behaviours that challenge and understand the purpose and development process of behaviour support plans (BSP) to improve quality of life and ensure the least restrictive support strategies are used. The module helps you appreciate the importance of working together with the person, their family and other workers to assess, plan and develop behaviour support plans, understand your own role and contribution to the process and how to support the person and each other.