5.8.11 Behaviour Management Guidance

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This Guidance is primarily applicable to staff/carers looking after children in foster care, but the principles apply to all staff caring for children. It should be read in conjunction with the following procedures:

See Safe Caring Procedure

Encouraging and Rewarding Children
Planning for Success
Reminders and Reprimands
Sanctions
Physical Interventions (under review)
Flowchart - Encouraging and Rewarding Success
Flowchart - Reminders and Reprimands

1. Encouraging and Rewarding Children

Also see Flowchart - Encouraging and Rewarding Success

Whilst children bring their own values and behaviours to placements, staff and carers play a key role in influencing children.

The culture of the home, generated by the adults living or working there, is crucial.

A restrictive, unsupportive, discouraging and punishing culture will result in instability, hostility and, possibly, severe disruption.

Where children live in homes which have clear, fair boundaries, where they feel safe, encouraged and appropriately rewarded, they will thrive and do well. Such homes will also experience less instability and disruption.

It is for the adults in each home to create their own culture, but the following may be helpful. The following should be read in conjunction with Family Service Values and Principles

1.	Listen to and empathise with children, respect their thoughts and feelings and take their wishes into consideration.
2.	Look for things that are going well, or any step in the right direction, and appropriately reward it.
3.	Rewards should be used in a creative and diverse way, specific to children’s needs, capabilities and interests.
4.	This may mean that children are rewarded with toys, games, activities or monetary rewards.
5.	But all ‘tangible’ rewards should be accompanied by use of ‘non tangible’ encouragement and support - by staff and carers demonstrating to children that they have done well.
6.	Such ‘non tangible’ rewards include praising, smiling, touching and hugging children.
7.	Children usually benefit, early on, from rewards which may appear to outweigh that which is expected. This is normal; over time rewards can be more relevant as children’s self esteem and skills improve. For example: children who have few social or life skills and whose self esteem and confidence is low may require forms of encouragement and reward which are intensive, frequent or even excessive in order to help/remind them that they are doing well and appreciated. a child who has previously been unable to get up for school may be offered an expensive present or activity for getting up on time for a few days.
8.	Over time, as children achieve what is expected, such rewards should be reduced or children should be expected to achieve more for the same or a similar reward.

2. Planning for Success

Also see Flowchart - Encouraging and Rewarding Success .

Where behaviour is the cause for concern it is critical that plans are established to manage and hopefully change the behaviour.

Consistency is the key, where staff/carers manage behaviour inconsistently, little if any progress will be made; it may result in more disruption.

Where staff/carers work together, improvements will be made.

The setting of objectives or expectations must not be ad hoc or unplanned. It should be part of a Strategy, depending on children’s assessed needs, interests and capabilities.

Planning is critical; particularly where children’s behavioural needs are complex or where behaviours give rise to serious concern, such as violence, drug or substance misuse, self harming, bullying.

In such situations a Behaviour Management Plan must be drawn.

Behaviour Management Plans should summarise how behaviours should be managed, including the Strategies that will be adopted in managing the behaviours; they should also state how acceptable behaviours will be encouraged and promoted.

These Strategies can include Therapeutic Interventions, Physical Interventions, Sanctions and other measures; for example the use of incentive or reward programmes, charts etc.

Children should be involved in drawing up Behaviour Management Plans and should understand the relevance of them; though this may not always be possible, for example, where the child has severe learning disabilities.

Children should be also be capable of achieving what is expected; maybe with help or support from an adult or mentor, which may include another child.

Expectations placed upon children should never be beyond their capabilities; start small and encourage steps in the right direction.

Over time, children should be encouraged and supported to acquire the skills and level of responsibility and freedom which is within their capabilities and understanding; in turn, this will improve the their self image and confidence.

If children are capable of it, they must be involved in monitoring and reviewing their plans - and in agreeing new objectives and strategies.

3. Reminders and Reprimands

3.1 Reminders

Whilst it is important to reward acceptable behaviour, it is also critical to manage unacceptable or disruptive behaviour in the same, positive and consistent manner.

Matters of concern must be raised and discussed with the child, with a view to giving the child a fresh start - with support and encouragement.

If misbehaviour is persistent or serious, other strategies may have to be adopted; but minor or non-persistent behaviours should result in staff/carers reminding or cautioned children.

This is a strategy adopted successfully by the criminal justice system, assuming that children respond positively to cautions accompanied by active encouragement and support to put things right.

Reminders and cautions should be clear and to the point, with clarity about:

The behaviours which are unacceptable;
The impact or influence that the behaviour is having on the child or others;
Clarity about what is accepted;
Help, advice and encouragement to put things right;
A Fresh Start with no recriminations or further reminders.

Staff/carers should employ a range of non-verbal and verbal techniques to show their disapproval; but they must avoid moody looks, innuendo and public scoldings.

Any step in the right direction must be approved of and rewarded whilst mistakes or problems should be openly discussed and strategies for change identified and encouraged.

The overall strategy should be to help the child do well.

3.2 Reprimands

Where behaviour is persistently or seriously unacceptable, it may be appropriate to reprimand children.

However reprimands may only be used in the following circumstances:

If children are capable of behaving acceptably and, preferably, understand what is expected;
Where children have persistently or seriously failed to do as required/expected;
Where nothing else can be done to change the behaviour, for example, by encouraging and rewarding acceptable behaviour rather than noticing and reprimanding unacceptable behaviour.

If it appears that a Reprimand is justified, it should preferably be delivered in private, on the spot or as soon after the misbehaviour as possible.

Reprimands don’t have to be loud but the person delivering them should appear ‘in charge’ or ‘in control’ and it should be said with feeling, with the adult stating clearly what is wrong, how s/he and others are affected by the misbehaviour and - critically - what should be done to put things right.

The person delivering the reprimand should provide the child with an opportunity to explain but should not necessarily expect an apology. However, there should be clarity for the child that improvement is expected - and as necessary the adult should discuss what support and encouragement will be given to put things right.

An effective reprimand is over and done with in a few minutes - and then the child should be given a fresh start.

4. Sanctions

4.1 Guidance on use of Sanctions

Sanctions can be very effective but, before imposing them, think about it.

Children may have had their fill of sanctions, usually imposed inconsistently, unfairly or as acts of revenge. They may have been sanctioned or punished inappropriately; blamed for other people’s misbehaviour or mistreatment.

Before imposing sanctions, adults should do all they can to support and encourage children to do well.

If children do not behave acceptably, strategies should be adopted that are encouraging and rewarding.

Rather than noticing and sanctioning misbehaviour it is always better to notice and reward good behaviour - or any step in the right direction.

For example, it may be more effective to allow a child to have use of a video or TV at bedtime for getting up on time, rather than taking the TV away for getting up late. Same deal, different meaning!

The former is discouraging and causes resentment; the latter is encouraging, can improve self-esteem and relationships between children and staff/carers.

Be creative, think outside the box!

If children continue to behave in unacceptable ways, they should be reminded about what is expected and given further encouragement to get it right.

If misbehaviour persists or is serious, effective use of reprimands can act as a disincentive or firm reminder. If this does not work, or may not, sanctions may be effective.

Where sanctions are used they must be reasonable and the minimum necessary to achieve the objective. Also, there should be a belief that the sanction will have the desired outcome - increasing the possibility that acceptable behaviour will follow.

If Sanctions are imposed, adults should apply the following principles:

Sanctions must be the exception, not the rule. A last resort.
Sanctions must not be imposed as acts of revenge or retaliation.
Think before imposing the sanctions; don’t apply it in the heat of the moment.
Sanctions may only be imposed upon children for persistent or serious misbehaviour; where reminders and reprimands have already failed or are likely to fail.
Sanctions should only be used if there is a reasonable chance they will have the desired effect of making the point and in reducing or preventing further unacceptable behaviour.
Before applying any sanction, make sure the child is aware that his/her behaviour is unacceptable and, if possible, warn him/her that sanctions will be applied if the unacceptable behaviour continues.
It is the certainty not the severity of sanctions that is important.
Sanctions should only last as long as they need to, allowing the child the opportunity to make a fresh start as quickly as possible.

4.2 Approved Sanctions

Certain sanctions are approved to be imposed on Looked After Children.

4.3 Non-Approved Sanctions

The following sanctions are non-approved, which means they may never be imposed upon Looked After Children:

Any form of corporal punishment; i.e. any intentional application of force as punishment, including slapping, punching, rough handling and throwing missiles.
Any sanction relating to the consumption or deprivation of food or drink;
Any restriction on a child’s contact with his or her parents, relatives or friends; visits to the child by his or her parents, relatives or friends; a child’s communications with any of the persons listed below; or his or her access to any telephone helpline providing counselling or advice for children;

This does not prevent contact or communication being restricted in exceptional circumstances, where it is necessary to do so to protect the child or others.
See the following:

Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure

Family and Friends Placements Procedure
Any requirement that a child wear distinctive or inappropriate clothes;
The use or withholding of medication or medical or dental treatment;
The intentional deprivation of sleep;
The modification of a child’s behaviour through bribery or the use of threats;
Any sanction used intentionally or unintentionally which may humiliate a child or could cause them to be ridiculed;
The imposition of any fine or financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum by way of reparation;
The Court may impose fines upon children which staff should encourage and support them to repay.
Any intimate physical examination of a child;
The withholding of aids/equipment needed by a disabled child;
Any measure which involves a child in the imposition of any measure against any other child; or the Sanction of a group of children for the behaviour of an individual child;
Swearing at or the use of foul, demeaning or humiliating language or measures;

The persons with whom the child may have contact, in relation to c. above, are:

Any solicitor or other adviser or Advocate acting for the child;
Any officer of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service appointed for the child;
Any social worker for the time being assigned to the child by his placing authority;
Any person appointed as an Independent Person in respect of the Complaints Procedure;
Any person appointed as an Independent Visitor;
Any person representing the Regulatory Authority;
Any representative from the local authority in whose area the child is placed;
Any person with delegated authority from the Secretary of State to conduct an inspection of the home where the child is placed.