Crossroads CareAdults’ behaviour managementpolicy

B.04a

Adults’ behaviour management policy

1.0SCOPE

1.1 This policy, accompanying procedure, guidance for staff and guidancefor volunteers (B.04b, B.04c, B.04d and B.04e) relate to adults aged 18 and over.See the separate children’s behaviour management policy documents(C.05a,C.05b,C.05c, C.05d and C.05e) with regard to children and young people aged 17 and under.

Please note:where reference is made to ‘staff’ within this policy, the term will include volunteers as appropriate to the context and their use within individual schemes.

1.2 The intended outcome of this set of documents is that the health, safety and welfare of staff and service users is promoted and protected in relation to behaviour management.

1.3 Please refer to Appendix 1 for definitions of:

  • challenging behaviour
  • positive handling.

1.4 This policywill be read in conjunction with the following policy documents:

  • adults’ personal care (B.01a, B.01b and B.01c)
  • adults’ medication (B.02a, B.02b and B.02c)
  • safeguarding adults (B.05a, B.05b, B.05c and B.05d)
  • lone working (F.15a, F.15b, F.15c and F.15d)
  • harassment (E.08a, E.08b and E.08c)
  • whistleblowing (E.09a, E.09b and E.09c).

1.5 Crossroads Care recognises the added value that volunteers can bring to its services and this is reflected by the wide variety of roles they perform. However, the nature of the organisation’s relationship with volunteers is very different to the one it has with paid employees. Volunteers will not:

  • provide personal care services / support with medication in people’s homes (see Crossroads Care’s policies on personal care and medication)
  • undertake roles where the prompt attendance of the volunteer at a specified time / venue is essential to the safety or well being of a person with care needs.

For further information on the use of volunteers please refer to the guidance available at HT.01

2.0 POLICY STATEMENT

2.1Crossroads Care aims to deliver its services in a manner that will respect the lifestyles and human rights of carers, people with care needs andits members of staff. We will work with other agencies in the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors to promote and safeguard their health, safety and welfare.

2.2We will seek toimplement effective measures to:

  • prevent abuse and harm
  • avoid unreasonable risks
  • ensure thesafety and security of adults at risk and staff and of their personal property
  • provide an effective response to personal safety and security incidents.

3.0 LEGISLATION

3.1 We seek to comply with the relevant statutory provisions, including:

  • Human Rights Act (1998)
  • Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974).

4.0 TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1Trustees are required to familiarise themselves with the content of the adults’ behaviour management procedure, guidance for staff and guidance for volunteers (B.04b, B.04c, B.05d and B.04e) that accompany this policy.

4.2 Trustees are responsible for ensuring that managers have systems in place whereby staff work to the adults’ behaviour management policy, procedure and guidance at all times.

5.0 SERVICE PLANNING AND RISK ASSESSMENT

5.1A designated staff member trained in risk assessment and care planning (referred to as a care planner) will gather relevant information about the person with care needs,consulting significant others(including for example the carer and health / social care professionals) as appropriate.

5.2 Where there is a foreseeable likelihood that staff will encounter behaviour that challenges, the care planner will carry out a behaviour management risk assessment (see BT.02) prior to commencing a service. The risk assessment willconsiderthe personal safety of staff,the person receiving care and others. Its outcome will be reflected in the associated care plan.

5.3 The care planner will make an objective judgement of anysignificant foreseeable risks, in orderto reach a balanced decision on whether or not positive handling is to be used. The scheme retains the right to refuse a service if any significantidentified risk to staff members cannot be reduced to an acceptable level.

6.0 THE USE OF POSITIVE HANDLING

6.1 We recognise that exceptional circumstances may arise when staff might be required to place limitations on the behaviour of a service user, either in their interest or for the protection of others. We will attempt to anticipate these possibilities and to follow precise procedures (laid out in the care plan), designed to ensure that limitations to a person’s lifestyle or human rights are kept to a minimum within a legal, moral and ethical framework.

6.2 Positive handling will only be considered as a last resort after all other avenues have been explored and where the person with care needs and / or their carer or advocate have given written consent to the use of positive handling in accordance with the person’s behaviour management plan.

6.3 Positive handlingwill only be used in the context of a respectful, supportive relationship with the person concerned, respecting their dignity and protecting their rights and best interests.

6.4Full details regarding the use of positive handling(including consent and the use of positive handling in unforeseen circumstances) are included in the accompanying adults’ behaviour management procedure (B.04b) and guidance for care planners (B.04c).

7.0 REPORTING

7.1 Staff members are required to report any behaviour management incidents to their line manager / the person on call as soon as possible.

7.2Crossroads Care will investigate and initiate follow up actions in response to any reported incidents, in conjunction with other agencies as appropriate.We will deal openly with any person with care needs, their carer or their advocate and with any professionals involved, whilst maintaining confidentiality.

8.0 LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

8.1 General learning and development requirements relating to the adults’ behaviour management policy, procedure and guidance for staff are contained in the learning and development policy, procedure and guidance (E.13a, E.13b and E.13c).

8.2 Managers are responsible for assessing the roles undertaken by volunteers (including trustees) within their scheme and the level of briefing / induction those volunteers require in relation to the adults’ behaviour management guidance for volunteers (B.04e).

9.0 review AND ADOPTION BY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

9.1 The scheme’s board of trustees is required to formally adopt this policy and to ensure that a documented record is kept of their decision to do so.

9.2 Full details of the policy (namely its title and reference number) and the date it was adopted will be documented in the minutes of the appropriate trustee board meeting as evidence of the decision taken.The minutes will be signed by the chair of the trustees on behalf of the board.

APPENDIX 1

DEFINITIONS

Challenging behavior

This is defined as ‘culturally abnormal behavior(s) of such an intensity, frequency or duration that the physical safety of the person or others is likely to be placed in serious jeopardy, or behavior which is likely to seriously limit use of, or result in the person being denied access to, ordinary community facilities’ (Emerson 1995, revised 2001)

For more information visit the Challenging Behaviour Website at:

Positive handling

This is defined as the positive application of force with the intention of protecting a person

from harming themselves or others or causing serious damage to property.

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Policy/Behaviourmanagement/2012/08/APb04aLast updated July 2014

© Carers Trust 2014Review due July 2015