Positive Behaviour Support

Individuals supported by The Kent Autistic Trust have access to

our internal Positive Behaviour Support Team.

About Us

The Kent Autistic Trust has always had a clear philosophy regarding the support of those who experience distress and may show behaviours of concern, and this is embedded throughout training and practice.

We believe in being non aversive without exception. We will respond to people’s stress sensitively using low arousal approaches, but we will always place the emphasis on being proactive rather than reactive, and use positive motivation to elicit positive behaviours.

What is Positive Behaviour Support?

Sometimes anxiety, frustration, wants and needs manifest as “behaviours of concern”.

This can be very stressful for the individual, staff and families and can have a real impact on people’s safety, emotional wellbeing and community presence.

In order to support, we look to understand why the person is behaving the way they are. We can identify what needs to change around the person to avoid their distress, or teach the skills they need in order to meet their needs in more effective ways.

Positive Behaviour Support - is a combination of approaches based on:

Understanding that all behaviour happens for a reason and making the effort to find out what purpose it is serving for the person.

A focus on proactive support to avoid behaviours of concern occurring, rather than reactive or restrictive measures.
A focus on teaching the individual useful skills in communication and independence that achieve the same outcomes as their behaviour, so that they don’t have to rely on this anymore.
Providing person centred support, with a strong focus on human rights and community inclusion.

Positive Behaviour Support is an approach where the main focus is not actually on the persons behaviour but on increasing their quality of life. A very fortunate side effect of striving to provide a great quality of life is a reduction in the frequency and severity of distress experienced by the individual.

The Team

Our Local and National award-winning team comprises of staff who specialise in

Positive Support Approaches, Communication and Sensory support. We are committed

to integrating positive support into every aspect of the service provided to the people

we support.

“With a steadfast commitment to respectful, person-centred care, they’ve

revolutionised support for over 100 Autistic individuals. Their collective expertise has

led to life-changing transformations, fostering inclusivity and reducing restrictive

practices. Truly an exceptional winner that should be proud!”

National Learning Disability and Autism Awards 2024

Tamsin Gregory-Conquest
Head of PBS

Paul Cairns
Low Arousal and PBS Practice Lead

Natalie Atkins
Low Arousal and PBS Coach

Jodie Ray
Communication Practice Lead

Justin Isherwood
Autism Specialist
Occupational Therapist

Carmel Tucker
PBS Team Admin Assistant

Statement about PBS and behavioural approaches:

We are understanding and sympathetic to the voices of the autistic community who are expressing that the use of ABA and behaviour change techniques are not the services which autistic people want or need. We are aware many autistic people have experienced very poor services from people using these approaches. At Kent Autistic Trust we are confident that our approach is supportive, respectful and effective. We work closely with the people we support in our services and autistic advocates to ensure that we always remain in line with the values of the people we serve.

What we don’t do:

We don’t try to change a person’s autistic traits to make them “fit in”.
We don’t encourage masking.
We don’t give social skills training.
We don’t see a problem/behaviour, instead of a person.
We don’t try to use desensitisation to painful or uncomfortable sensory input.
We don’t use consequences to try and shape behaviour.

What we do:

We try to understand why a person is distressed – we are trained in considering and assessing the cause and purpose behind a person’s stress.
We make changes to the environment, people and approaches around the person.
We support people to avoid stressful triggers or learn skills to be able to cope/escape/communicate.
We respect stimming and routines that are enjoyable/soothing and not harmful to the person or others’ rights.
We use an autism-favourable and low arousal approach to environments and interactions.
We look at a person’s whole life, their quality of life, their autonomy and fulfilment.
We use a trauma informed approach – we put an emphasis on building relationships, trust and safety.
We work with the person, their family and their supporters to co-produce their plans.
We support staff to ensure their confidence and resilience to be able to work with people, even at times of stress.
We are trained in PASADD – screening of mental health signs in people with learning disabilities and autistic people (to avoid diagnostic overshadowing)
We train staff to have high skill in sensory awareness, communication knowledge and techniques, Active Support, meaningful engagement and goal setting.
We provide in-house coaching in implementing positive approaches and communication supports (e.g. PECS, Social Stories etc)
We have a specialist Occupational Therapist who can provide OT assessments and support recommendations adapted for autism.
We oversee the approach across the Trust through our Autism Specialist Audits.