Search results for ‘Subject term:"challenging behaviour"’ Sort:
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Children in foster care with challenging behaviour in Wales (UK): key themes and issues for practice and research
- Authors:
- PITHOUSE Andrew, LOWE Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Families in Society, 89(1), January 2008, pp.109-118.
- Publisher:
- The Alliance for Children and Families
Foster care in Wales (UK) engages frequently with children thought to present with challenging behaviour. It is essential we gain a deeper understanding of their behaviour in order to inform our thinking about how we provide support to children and carers. The paper presents key findings from research into a total population of fostered children in four neighbouring local authorities in South Wales who were considered to exhibit challenging behaviour. The paper examines children’s characteristics and key processes in fostering and in doing so, outlines the very different behaviours and difficulties associated with these children as perceived by carers. The article concludes with some reflection on the term ‘challenging behaviour’ and its sufficiency to account for difficulties in foster placements.
The management and treatment of challenging behaviours
- Authors:
- LOWE Kathy, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 10(2), April 2005, pp.34-37.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Considers the kinds of treatment available for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. Draws on research data on the use of reactive strategies and behaviour plans for 235 children and adults rated by carers are extremely challenging, and 276 rated as very challenging, to identify any trends in the management and treatment of challenging behaviour. Finds and increase in written plans for adults but not for children, and no information on the extent to which plans are based on sound functional analyses and contain proactive as well as reactive strategies. Only half the plans were said to have been drawn with any support from behavioural specialists, and their was not discernible change in the use of reactive strategies.
The definition of challenging behaviour in practice
- Authors:
- LOWE Kathy, FELCE David
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 23(3), 1995, pp.118-123.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Two studies explored how severely challenging behaviour might be defined in practice. Associations between behaviour and severity of management problem in the first study suggested that outer-directed behaviour tended to be rated as more challenging. The characteristics of people referred to specialist challenging behaviour services were compared in the second study to similarly labelled people not so referred. Differences again highlighted outer-directed behaviour disruptive to the material or social environment.
The evaluation of periodic service review (PSR) as a practice leadership tool in services for people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour
- Author:
- LOWE Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 15(3), July 2010, pp.17-28.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The performance of front-line managers is a crucial factor in determined whether service use outcomes are achieved. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the managerial approach known as periodic service review (PSR) in specialist services for people with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour, and investigate its perceived usefulness as a practice leadership tool. A system of PSR was implemented in specialist health services in Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board in South Wales for people with challenging behaviour, to support the adoption of a positive behavioural approach. The extent and accuracy of PSR implementation, its impact on staff knowledge and attitudes, and its value as a practice leadership tool were assessed. The results indicated that PSR was implemented regularly, scoring was based accurately on tangible evidence, and increased scores over time indicated service improvement in line with PSR principles. Staff generally welcomed PSR as a quality monitoring tool, and greater knowledge of the rationale and process for PSR was associated with more positive attitudes. Managers regarded PSR as a valuable aid to practice leadership and had used innovative implementation methods to maximise its acceptance by staff teams. The style of management and need for support from the wider organisational structure are discussed as critical factors in successful implementation.
Staff training in positive behaviour support: impact on attitudes and knowledge
- Authors:
- LOWE Kathy, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(1), January 2007, pp.30-40.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Positive behavioural support is increasingly viewed as the preferred service approach for people who challenge, but skills are insufficiently widespread. The need for effective staff training has been highlighted as a key factor in high quality service provision, with investigators recommending a multidimensional approach to increase effectiveness and produce changes in work performance. Attitudes and knowledge of registered (qualified nurses) and non-registered (unqualified nursing assistants) staff in specialist health care services in and area of South Wales were assessed via self-completion questionnaires before and after the delivery of a newly accredited taught course in PBS and at a 1-year follow-up. Significant increases in knowledge were evident immediately after the training for both groups, with further increases evident over time for the non-registered staff who completed the qualification. Initial changes in attributions immediately after training reverted to baseline levels over time. Enduring change occurred in perceived confidence, which significantly increased both for registered and non-registered staff. The training had a positive effect on knowledge and perceived confidence but little enduring effect on attributions or emotional responses. The importance of training conducted in conjunction with allied changes in organizational systems to ensure ongoing management attention is discussed.
Key characteristics of children in foster care with challenging behaviour
- Authors:
- LOWE Kathy, PITHOUSE Andy
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 23(1), 2005, pp.17-30.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Given the concern that foster care is ever more engaged in dealing with children and young people with special needs, particularly in relation to challenging behaviourm, it is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the behaviour of the children, their placement history and current relationships in order to inform our thinking about foster provision and support. This article examines children's characteristics as found in a total population of fostered children in four neighbouring Welsh unitary authorities who were considered to exhibit challenging behaviour. It seeks to contextualise selective features of the children given to carers by authorities; levels of child disability; placement history; contact with family; participation outside the home; perceived challenging behaviours and carer morale and stress. In doing so, the article outlines the very different behaviours and difficulties perceived by carers. It is concluded that the term 'challenging behaviour' may lend itself too readily to explain difficulties in placements and thereby obscure the complex interplay of other possible causes such as carer capacity, training, support and care management.
Training foster carers in challenging behaviour: a case study in disappointment?
- Authors:
- PITHOUSE Andrew, HILL-TOUT Jan, LOWE Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Family Social Work, 7(3), August 2002, pp.203-214.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article sets out key features of an investigation conducted into the impact of training foster carers in techniques to manage challenging behaviour. The authors identified a sample of children in foster care in four authorities in South Wales who were selected by a checklist as showing behaviours that could be defined as challenging. From this search procedure we identified their foster carers and created a training intervention group for 53 carers looking after 49 children and a non-intervention comparison group of 53 carers looking after 54 children. Both groups of carers were interviewed using a range of measures before and after the delivery of the training in order to identify any changes they perceived in the conduct of children and changes they perceived in their own capacities as carers.
Residential behaviour and staff interaction with people with intellectual disabilities and seriously challenging behaviour in residential services
- Authors:
- FELCE David, LOWE Kathy, BLACKMAN Derek
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Handicap Research, 8(4), 1995, pp.272-295.
- Publisher:
- BIMH Publications
The behaviour of residents with severe intellectual disabilities and severely challenging behaviour and the interactions they received from staff were observed. Eight people lived in traditional hospitals and eight in community settings. The two groups were individually matched by adaptive ability. Looked at two case studies which, with other recent research, point to the impact which the content and focus of staff attention can have on resident activity patterns. Comparison to research on people with less severe challenging behaviour supports the contention that individuals with the most severe challenging behaviours tend to lead more impoverished lives.
Foster carers who care for children with challenging behaviour: a total population study
- Authors:
- PITHOUSE Andrew, LOWE Kathy, HILL-TOUT Jan
- Journal article citation:
- Adoption and Fostering, 28(3), Autumn 2004, pp.20-30.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Given the concern that those undertaking the foster care task in the UK may not have all the skills and capacities necessary to care for the special needs of looked after children, particularly those with challenging behaviour, it is essential to gain a deeper insight into what carers themselves own by way of personal background, experience and perception about their role. This is important, for if we are to 'professionalise' the carer role we need to know more about those in whom we would seek to build capacities in order to make them 'professional'. Thus we need to know more about carer attitudes, motives and experience in order to design the right sort of capacity-building and not simply to think that a 'one size fits all' response of training and support will suffice. The authors examine carer characteristics as found in a total population of carers (n=115) in four neighbouring Welsh unitary authorities caring for all children (n=114) considered to exhibit challenging behaviour. Selective findings are presented and connected to other relevant UK research. Key categories include the carers' social background, tenure in fostering, children fostered, their training, their perception of the fostering role within the local authority, their views on support from social services and their experience of stress. A concluding section identifies those areas where capacity-building in carers is most pressing.