BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT POLICY

 

 

 

 

Policy aimed at; Employers and Employees

 

 

Issued Feb 2006

 

Updated August 2018

 

 

 

Bath Junior Gateway Club recognises the importance of positive and effective behaviour management strategies in promoting members’ welfare, learning and enjoyment.

 

The aims of our Behaviour Management policy are to help members to

• develop a sense of caring and respect for one another

• build caring and co-operative relationships with other members and adults

• develop a range of social skills and help them to learn what constitutes acceptable behaviour

• develop confidence, self discipline and self esteem in an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement.

 

The term ‘challenging behaviour’ has a variety of definitions. The most commonly used is:

 

‘Severe Challenging Behaviour refers to behaviour of such intensity, frequency or duration that the physical safety of the person or others is likely to be placed in serious jeopardy, or behaviour which is likely to seriously limit or delay access to and use of ordinary community facilities’

 

Behaviours such as physical and verbal aggression, self injury, or which result in damage to property are commonly, but not exclusively, associated with the term ‘challenging behaviour’. Whether someone is described as having challenging behaviour depends on the situation they find themselves in and the perception of others. A person may be described as having challenging behaviour by one person may not be similarly described by another person. 

 

It is important that staff and volunteers recognise that challenging behaviour is often defined in service terms rather than personal terms, i.e. a person is deemed to have challenging behaviour mainly if the behaviour is a challenge to others. Behaviours that may severely impair a persons ability to interact with others and limit community activity will not be described as challenging if they do not challenge others apart from themselves.

 

The behaviour management policy below outlines working techniques and approaches. 

 

Anyone who is assessed as posing challenging behaviour will have a full risk assessment undertaken and this will be made available to volunteers and staff.

 

All risk assessments will be reviewed on a 6 monthly basis with input from staff/volunteer feedback and carer/other professional input.

 

Behaviour Management Strategies

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Bath Junior Gateway Club, the Club Leaders and the staff team will manage behaviour according to clear, consistent and positive strategies. Parents/carers are encouraged to contribute to these strategies, raising any concerns or suggestions.

Behaviour management at all clubs will be structured around the following principles:

 

• Staff and members will work together to establish a clear set of ‘ground rules’ governing all behaviour at Club. These will be periodically reviewed so that new members have a say in how the rules of Club operate.

• The Club’s ‘ground rules’ will apply equally to all members and staff.

• Positive behaviour will be reinforced with praise and encouragement.

• Negative behaviour will be challenged in a calm but assertive manner. In the first instance, staff will try to re-direct member’s energies by offering them alternative and positive options. Staff will be open in stating and explaining non-negotiable issues.

• When dealing with negative behaviour, staff will always communicate in a clear, calm and positive manner.

• Staff will make every effort to set a positive example to members by behaving in a friendly and tolerant manner themselves, promoting an atmosphere where children and adults respect and value one another.

• Staff will avoid shouting at work.

• Staff will facilitate regular and open discussions with members about their behaviour. This will help them to understand the negative aspects of their behaviour and enable them to have their say and be helped to think through the causes and effects of their actions.

• Staff will work as a team by discussing incidents and resolving to act collectively and consistently.

• Staff will try to discuss concerns with parents and/carers at the earliest opportunity in an attempt to help identify the causes of negative behaviour and share strategies for dealing with it.

• Members who experience bullying, racism or other unacceptable behaviour will be given the confidence to speak out.

• Staff will encourage and facilitate mediation between members to try to resolve conflicts by discussion and negotiation.

• Activities will be varied, well planned and structured, so that members are not easily bored or distracted.

 

Dealing with Negative Behaviour

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When confronted with negative behaviour, staff will be clear to distinguish between ‘disengaged’, ‘disruptive’ and ‘unacceptable’ behaviour.

 

‘Disengaged’ behaviour may indicate that a member is bored, unsettled or unhappy. With sensitive interventions, staff will often be able to re-engage a member in purposeful activity.

 

‘Disruptive’ behaviour describes a member whose behaviour prevents other members from enjoying themselves. Staff will be collectively discuss incidents and agree on the best way to deal with them.

 

‘Unacceptable’ behaviour refers to non-negotiable actions and may include discriminatory remarks, violence, bullying or destruction of equipment. Staff will be clear that consequences will follow from such behaviour, including in the first instance, temporarily removing a member from the activity session.

 

When an incidence of negative behaviour occurs, staff will listen to the member(s) concerned and hear their reasons for their actions. Staff will then explain to the member(s) what was negative about their behaviour and that such actions have consequences for both themselves and other people.

 

Staff will make every attempt to ensure that members understand what is being said to them. Members will always be given the opportunity to make amends for their behaviour and, unless it is judged inappropriate, be able to rejoin the activity.

 

In the event that unacceptable behaviour persists, more serious actions may need to be taken.  At all times members will have explained to them the potential consequences of their actions.

 

 

The use of Physical Interventions

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Staff will use physical interventions only as a last resort and only then if they have reasonable grounds for believing that immediate action is necessary to prevent a member from significantly injuring themselves or others or to prevent serious damage to property.

 

Before reaching this stage, staff will have used all possible non-physical actions, such as dialogue, and diversion, to deal with the behaviour. The member concerned will be warned verbally that physical intervention will be used if they do not stop.

 

A dialogue will be maintained with the members at all times, so that the member of staff can explain what they are doing and why they are doing it. Staff will make every effort to avoid the use of physical interventions if they are alone with the member.

 

Only the minimum force necessary to prevent injury or damage should be applied. For example, by diverting a member by leading them away by a hand or by an arm around their shoulders.

 

Staff will use physical intervention as an act of care and control and never punishment. Physical interventions will not be used purely to force a member to do what they have been told and when there is no immediate risk to people or property.

 

As soon as it is safe, the physical intervention should be gradually relaxed to allow the member to regain self control.

 

The force of physical intervention will always be appropriate to the age, size and strength of the member involved.

 

If staff are not confident about their ability to contain a particular situation or type of behaviour, consideration will be given to calling the Club Leader, or, in extreme cases, the police.

 

Where a member of staff has had to intervene physically to restrain a member, the Club Leader will be notified and the incident recorded in the Incident Book. The incident will be discussed with the parent/carer at the earliest opportunity.

 

If a staff member commits any act of violence or abuse towards a member at club, serious disciplinary action will be implemented, according to the provisions of the Staff Disciplinary Procedures Policy.