challengbehaviourmentalhealth

Winner of the Greater London Training Award

Course Profile: Challenging Behaviour & Mental Health

This course will help participants understand some of the causes behind various challenging behaviours (Aggressive/resistance/anti-social behaviour/sexual disinhibition) encountered in mental health settings and practical skills and strategies for addressing such issues both on an individual and group basis.
The course will also explore how staff can avoid contributing towards negative behaviour by negative responses to service users.
Anti-discriminatory practice will be integrated into the course material

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the course participants should be able to:
• Define what is meant by challenging behaviour
• Understand some of the pressures and frustrations behind challenging behaviour
• Identify the range of behaviours that are regarded as challenging in a mental health setting
• Understand how we negatively label clients behaviour, and how this can reinforce challenging behaviour
• Identify a range of positive/effective strategies such as prevention and deflection that can prevent or remedy challenging behaviour
• Understand the implications of working with challenging behaviour in mental health settings and in the context of key working relationships
• Develop ways to work cooperatively with other staff, clarify the need for Supervision and support in working with clients with challenging behaviour
• Consider challenging behaviour in the context of a multi-racial and anti-disciminatory framework

Course content:

• Definitions of “challenging behaviour”
• An audit of challenging behaviour that participants have encountered
• Naming other challenging behaviours that might occur in the workplace
• An overview of “challenging behaviour” with a Person-Centred focus:
Challenging for whom?
Labeling as a means towards oppression
Institutional practice as a contributor to the perception of someone as being “challenging”
• Experiencing a mental health challenge
How might the experience lead to challenging behaviour?
A social perspective
Physical effects
Sexuality
Financial
Spiritual
etc
• Worker’s perspectives of supporting people with mental health needs:
Stress
Frustration
Fear
Power and control issues
Job satisfaction
Values
• The cycle of oppression
• The origins of violence in developmental, psychological, social, familial, cultural, personality, gender, sexuality, and environmental contexts
• Factors that contribute towards aggressive behaviour (with particular emphasis on verbal/non-verbal communication and the physical environment)
• How staff behaviour might contribute to/reinforce aggressive behaviour
• Avoiding violence
• Listening as a means of diffusing difficult situations
• Managing aggression safely & within the legal framework
• Learning after the event (including caring for the victim/other service users)
& team work; group support, Supervision, record keeping and training

Workshop:

The workshop time will serve to help staff explore a range of other “challenging behaviours”
Case studies will highlight some examples that staff would have/might encounter in their work setting.
Each case study will be worked on in small groups and each group will present not only how they would manage this situation but likewise possible causation.
After each a large group discussion with trainer input will consider a range of strategies that might be effective in the management of the situation.

Training methods:

• Ice breakers Role Play
• Discussion in pairs, small Group work
• Word storming method Case studies
• Tutor presentations handouts

2^{nd floor, 42 Station Rd., Portslade, East Sus}^{sex,
BN41 1AG

Tel: 01273 414000 Fax: 01273 422777 e mail:
admin@normanmark.net
www.normanmark.net}