Positive Behavioural Support – North East and Cumbria

Programmes of PBS learning

Recruitment Criteria for Adult Social Care Providers

Background

As Part of the Transforming Care Programme, funding has been secured for Northumbria University to co-develop, validate, co-deliver and evaluate programmes of learning in Positive Behavioural Support for the North East and Cumbria, which enable the achievement of the competencies defined in the PBS Competence Framework (PBS Coalition 2015)and provide an academic award. The region is using a workforce development approach which is a system wide approach, focusing not only on the education of individuals but also on developing infrastructure in organisations for PBS to be supported and enabled in practice. This includes investment in three regional PBS Workforce Development Manager posts,one each aligned to each collaborative commissioning hub to support people in learning and assessing PBS competence in the workplace and to support providers to embed this way of working into the culture of their organisations.

Recruitment in this initial year will be focused on organisations who wish to commit to develop a sustainable whole organisation approach to PBS. This will involve commitment within an organisation to develop

  • a practice leader in PBS ( to undertake the PG Cert /Ad Dip in Leading PBS in organisations Programme)
  • 5 PBS facilitators who are leading local teams (to undertake the Certificate in Facilitating PBS in Teams Programme)
  • 25 support workers or family carers providing direct support (to undertake the Certificate of Competence in PBS Programme)

The PBS facilitators recruited should have responsibility for facilitating learning of the support workers recruited as the model requires them to provide coaching, observation, feedback and ongoing supervision.

Programmes of Learning

There are different levels of PBS learning as indicated above.This reflects the PBS Competence Framework (2015) which, acknowledges that PBS is often provided by a variety of people with a range of competencies. All will be delivered via blended learning, which involves University based induction time, e learning, locally delivered workshops, guided study, practice based learning & competency assessment, and academic assessment.

1. PBS Practice Leadership

Level 6/7 – Leading PBS in Organisations. On completion of this programme, participants will gain an Advanced Diploma (level 6) or Post Graduate Certificate (level 7). The programme is made up of 3 modules, delivered over 9 months.The blended learning approach requires some initial induction in the University setting but is predominately practice based learning, made up of e learning, reading, completion of work based learning, workbooks and assessment.

Modules: 1. Principles of PBS, 2. Applying PBS in Practice, 3. Leading PBS in Organisations

Suitable for people who are working in organisations who are responsible for leading/supportingteams using PBS with people with behaviour that challenges. For example, PBS behaviour specialists or leads in organisations/services who are responsible for PBS delivery.

2. PBS Facilitators

Level 4 – Certificate in Facilitating PBS in Teams (level 4). The programme is made up of 3 modules delivered over 9 months. The blended learning approach requires some initial induction in the University setting but is predominately practice based learning, made up of e learning, reading, completion of work based learning, workbooks and assessment

Modules: 1. Foundations of PBS, 2. Supporting PBS inpractice, 3. Facilitating PBS in Teams

Suitable for people who are coaching or supervising support staff in teams that are working directly with people with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges. For example, team leaders, senior support workers etc.

3. PBS for Support workers/family carers

Level 4 – Award of competence in PBS. The programme is made up of 2 modules delivered over 6 months.The blended learning approach requires some initial induction in the University setting but is predominately practice based learning, made up of e learning, reading, completion of work based learning, workbooks and assessment

Modules: 1. Foundations of PBS, 2. Supporting PBS in practice

Suitable for front line staff or a family carer working directly with someone with a learning disability/autism with behaviour that challenges.

The Transforming Care Board have considered the recruitment and selection criteria. Commissioners will take the lead in disseminating the information and invitation to adult social care providers in their area of the opportunity to access the programmes, making clear the obligations and expectations of doing so. A senior person with authority regarding workforce development from such organisations will be invitedto a recruitment event in their area where information that is more detailed will be given and applications invited.

7 September, 12.30-3.30 pm Northern Design Centre, Gateshead

15 September, CREA, Penrith, 1-4pm

Those wishing to attend should contact Alison Branch

Recruitment and selection of appropriate organisations and individuals

1. Generic criteria

  • There will be up to 10 adult social care provider organisations recruited per region covered by a collaborative commissioning hub (10 in Northern Cumbria, 10 in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, 10 in Durham, Darlington, Tees).
  • Commissioners will identify a range of large and smaller provider organisations who provide significant learning disability/autism services for adults whose behaviour may challenge. They may target providers on their complex needs frameworks or offer opportunities for other providers who have the potential to be on the preferred provider frameworks.
  • In order to enable a robust evaluation study, the organisations need to be large enough to recruit a practice leader for the level 6/7 programme, plus 5 PBS facilitatorsin teams plus 25 support workers or family carers per PBS facilitator to undertake the programme (31 people in total)

One PBS leader (Level 6/7 programme) 1

PBS facilitator PBS facilitator PBS facilitator PBS facilitator PBS facilitator (Level 4, 3 modules)5

SW/Carer SW SW SW SW (level 4 2 modules) 25

  • They MUST also have a similar type/number of staff who are NOT accessing the PBS programme in this first phase who agree to act as a control group, so that changes which occur can be shown to be as a result of undertaking the programmes rather than by chance.
  • See appendix 1 for details of the evaluation study

2. Organisational Commitment of provider organisations

  • Organisational commitment to adopt PBS within their services, with this support evidenced by senior/board level commitment
  • Demonstrate an understanding of what is required to deliver a PBS approach within their organisation evidenced by existence of, or commitment to developrelevant policies, approaches to risk, data collection and cultural change.
  • Organisations should be contractually obliged to commit the resources required (e.g. release of staff for learning, supervision, assessment; appropriate IT equipment to access the e-learning elements of the programmes) to support this model of PBS workforce development in their organisation
  • Commitment to contribute to regional evaluation of this workforce development approach (see appendix for more detail of what his entails)
  • If individual staff fail to complete the funded learning programme (in the absence of extenuating circumstances), e.g the organisation does not release them to attend, theorganisation will be contractually obliged to pay the full costs of the place for each worker ( £2,600 for level 6/7 programme, £450 for level 4 programme). As staff turnover may affect this, it is important that there is individual commitment and organisations should consider this when offering the opportunity and nominating staff to participate in the funded programme.

3. Individual suitability

Teams of staff are to be recruited form each organisation. Whilst organisations will nominate interested workers, the University reserves the right to review applications and interview nominated participants to ensure they have the required entry criteria, understand the implications and requirements of the programme and are committed to the personal development involved. Individual criteria are as follows:

Level 6/7 awards

  • Appropriate academic achievement to be eligible for undertaking a level 6/7 level award
  • Level 7 – people need to evidence that they have successfully completed study at degree level (level 6) previously.
  • Level 6 – people need to evidence that they have successfully completed previous learning at diploma level (level 5) or equivalence.
  • Minimum 2 years experienceof working with people with learning disabilities and/or autism and behaviour that challenges
  • Appropriate position/role in organisation to manage/influence PBS delivery withconfirmation this issupported at senior/ board level.
  • Supported by their organisation to undertake this programme.
  • Commitment to completing a rigorous programme of learning which, will involve learning through blended learning approaches, written assignments, workplace activities and assessment of competence in the workplace.
  • Commitment to attend regular supervision with a regional PBS workforce developmentmanager
  • Commitment to participate in the regional evaluation of the PBS workforce development project
  • Commitmentand time to support the development of level 4 PBS Facilitators as part of this practice leader role.

Level 4 awards

  • Evidence of functional maths and literacy skills for level 4 awards (evidenced through GCSE attainment at grade C and above or level 1 pre-entry check).
  • Commitment to completing a programme of learning which will involve learning through blended learning approaches, assignments, workplace activities and assessment of competence in the workplace
  • Commitment to participate in the regional evaluation of the PBS workforce development project

For practice facilitators

  • Minimum 1 years’ experienceworking with people with learning disabilities and/or autism and behaviour that challenges.
  • Commitment to attend regular supervision with a practice leader
  • Appropriate position in organisation to influence PBS delivery in a team e.g. senior support worker/team leader.
  • Commitment to support the development of support workers/family carers (level 4 PBS) as part of this role

For support workers

  • Must have completed induction & probationary period.
  • Must have demonstrated in that period the required values base for the provision of person centred support

Alison BranchDr.Markku Wood

Senior Clinical Trainer PBSSenior Lecturer/Chartered Clinical Psychologist

NEC Transforming CarePBS Programme Leader

Northumbria University

Judith ThompsonDr Anne McNall

Network Manager & Quality Assurance LeadAssociate Professor

Learning DisabilityDirector of Strategic Workforce Development

NE & Cumbria LearningDisability NetworkPBS Project Leader

NHS England NorthNorthumbria University

Charlotte CarrProfessor Karen McKenzie

Programme Manager Learning DisabilityProfessor of Psychology

Health Education England NorthPBS Evaluation Leader

Northumbria University

Appendix 1

Title: Evaluating a Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) Workforce Development Package

Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) is an evidence-based approach which is effective in helping to support individuals who display behaviours that challenge. This project is to evaluate the impact of a PBS educational programme on the knowledge, confidence and practice of those who complete it. We will also be measuring the impact on the service users with a learning disability that they support. In order to help know if any changes in these areas are due to the PBS programme, we will be inviting staff from support services who have not yet undertaken the programme to take part too, acting as a control group.

In order to take part your organisation must both be eligible to send staff on the programmes and meet the criteriabelow:

  1. Have identified staff who support individuals who display behaviours that challenge; who will be participating in the PBS programme run by Northumbria University and who are willing to take part in the evaluation.
  2. Have an equivalent number of staff who support individuals who display behaviours that challenge, who are not yet due to attend the training but who are willing to be control group participants
  3. Be willing to provide and support access for the research team to existing records in relation to the service users being supported by participating staff (where consent has been obtained to do so)
  4. Be willing to support participating staff to complete the measures and assessments required as part of the project e.g. through allowing them time to take part in the evaluation and providing access to services as outlined below. The evaluation will involve a pre and post evaluation online survey of workers knowledge and confidence, as well as direct observation of practice when working with people with learning disability/ autism with, or at risk of behaviours that challenge.
  5. Allow and support access by the research team to the service, in order to video record interactions and assess practice in relation to managing behaviours that challenge.
  6. Support the research team to obtain consent from service users (or others e.g. legal guardians, as appropriate) to participate in the project.

This study will have full ethical approval from the Department of Psychology Ethics Committee at Northumbria University.

If you would like to find out more about the PBS programme, please contact Anne McNall () or AlisonBranch ()

If you would like to find out more about the evaluation aspect of the project, please contact Karen McKenzie ()

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