Positive behaviour support

We believe all behaviour is communication. When someone expresses distress through their behaviour, they’re telling us something – about an unmet need, a difficult experience, or something in their environment that isn’t working for them.

What positive behaviour support is

Positive behaviour support (PBS) is how we listen. It’s a person-centred approach that focuses on understanding why someone behaves the way they do, and finding ways to meet their needs that respect their dignity and improve their quality of life.

Traditional care often focuses on stopping a behaviour. Our approach asks different questions: what is this person trying to tell us? What do they need? How can we change the environment or our approach to help?

We have a dedicated Central PBS Team — including specialist leads and practitioners — who work directly with our support teams across all our learning disability services.

65%
reduction in physical restraint
73%
reduction in personal safety techniques
35/38
clients have had restrictive techniques removed from their support plans

What positive behaviour support means in practice

PBS is about building on strengths, not focusing on limitations. It’s about teaching new skills, creating better environments, and finding ways for people to communicate their needs that work for them.

 

Understanding communication

We work to understand the “why” behind distress — listening carefully to what someone’s behaviour is telling us about their needs.

Building new skills

We teach coping strategies and new ways to communicate, so that challenging behaviour is no longer the only way for someone to get their message across.

Creating safer spaces

We “design out” the need for restrictive responses — adapting room layouts, creating calm spaces, and ensuring people have the room they need to feel safe.

Quality of life champions

PBS isn’t just a clinical approach — it’s a daily practice. In every service, our Quality of Life Champions help turn PBS principles into real, joyful moments.

They help people build friendships, try new things, and take positive risks. Through initiatives like our Sussex-wide Pen Pal Scheme, we help people connect across services — reducing isolation and building communication skills through letters and art.

Making a difference

Martyn's story

Martyn lives in supported living and loves planning trips, helping with staff training, and being involved in decisions. He chooses where he goes on holiday, helps induct new staff, and opens team meetings.

“Come in and sit down. It’s great, I really love it.”

Read Martyn's full storyMore Southdown stories

Measuring effectiveness

We track every intervention through our RIMES monitoring system. If a restrictive technique hasn’t been used in three years, we review it with families and managers to remove it.

Of 38 clients who had restraint in their plans, 35 have had it removed entirely.

BILD ACT certified — meeting the highest national standards for restraint reduction and Restraint Reduction Network standards.

Anytime we use restraint, we risk traumatising someone. By reducing these interventions, we allow clients to lead their own lives and develop their own strategies for success.
Debbie Dacey, PBS Team Leader

Joined up care with family and community

We work in close partnership with families to make sure our support plans are consistent, familiar, and rooted in the history and preferences of the person we support.

We keep families informed and involved — not just when things are difficult, but as part of ongoing planning and review. Together, we ensure that every person at Southdown is seen for their potential, not their challenges.

Being part of a community matters. We support people to build connections, try new things, and take part in activities that bring them joy. Throughout the year, we bring people together for events like our summer Fiesta and Christmas celebrations — opportunities to have fun, meet others, and feel part of something bigger.

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