Active Support – Fundamental to Positive Behaviour Support

Abstract

Support for people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour in the United Kingdom is currently under much scrutiny. Positive behaviour support has been put forward as the key approach for improving services for this group of people. Drawing on both the literature and on the practice experience of organisations, arguments are made that implementing active support can reduce the need for positive behaviour support and also support the implementation of positive behaviour support where this is needed. Key features of both active support and positive behaviour support are outlined and the fit between the two explained at both a general level and for the different stages of developing and implementing positive behaviour support interventions. It is suggested that implementing active support not only provides conditions in which challenging behaviour is likely to decrease, thereby reducing the need for the implementation of positive behaviour support, but, where such implementation is necessary, it can provide a valuable foundation upon which positive behaviour support can be built. Appreciating the extent to which active support complements and in fact sets the context for successful implementation of positive behaviour support will help practitioners in this field develop a successful approach to challenging behaviour.