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Behaviours that challenge

Some of the people we support can do things that challenge other people.

What are behaviours that challenge?

Challenging behaviours can damage people’s quality of life and safety. They may lead to responses that are restrictive or that lead to the person being excluded from their community in some way.

When people behave like this, we try to understand the behaviour and what causes it.

How do we try to understand it?

We see these behaviours as a form of communication. Through their behaviour, the person is communicating that their needs are not being met.

It is the task of the team supporting that person to work out what they are communicating through their behaviour.

To do this, we ask questions like:

  • What does the behaviour look like?

  • How often does it happen?

  • Where does it happen?

  • How long does it last?

  • Who is around when it happens?

  • How do other people respond when the behaviour happens?

We also look at what happened just before and just after the behaviour.

It is essential to us that we don’t look at what the person is doing in isolation. We think about the person’s quality of life – how they spend their time, what is important to them, the relationships they have with others, and their opportunities for having choice and control. We believe that a good quality of life is central to supporting behaviours that challenge.

What do we do to address behaviours that challenge?

We then develop plans that:

  • aim to prevent the behaviour from occurring in the first place

  • respond to the behaviour in order to meet the person’s needs and ensure that they, and others around them, are safe.

In doing this, we follow the principles of Positive Behaviour Support. This has been shown to improve the quality of life for people supported, and to minimise challenging behaviour.

Our staff are also trained in PROACT-SCIPr-UK®, using courses tailored to the people we support and their staff team.

This greatly improves a team’s understanding of what the person they support is trying to communicate through their behaviour. It enables them to develop strategies that aim to meet the person’s needs and so reduce their frustration and anxiety.


Find out about Positive Behaviour Support


Contact us

Contact us

Head Office

Head Office
1 St Andrew's Court, Wellington Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3WT View Map
T: 01844 267800 F: 01844 267829 E: info@affinitytrust.org
Media enquiries to:
1 St. Andrew's Court, Wellington Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3WT
T: 07553 264 975 E: PressOffice@affinitytrust.org

Central England

Central - Divisional Office
Rowan Room, Acacia Room, BT Room, Poplar Room and Office Ground floor, National Training Centre 3 Gilmour Close Leicester LE4 1EZ View Map
T: 0116 236 3793 F: 0345 643 7094 E: infocentral@affinitytrust.org
Sheffield
For enquiries about Sheffield-based services
T: 07387 058 872 (9am-3.45pm Monday-Thursday only) E: infosheffield@affinitytrust.org

East England

East - Divisional Office
U18, South Fens Business Centre, Fenton Way, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire PE16 6TT View Map
T: 01354 696009 F: 08456 437521 E: infoeast@affinitytrust.org
Enquiries for Norfolk and Suffolk should be directed to the Divisional Office.
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North England

North - Divisional Office
Unit 12, Curtis House Business Centre, Leeds, LS9 9LF View Map
T: 0113 468 4460 E: infonorth@affinitytrust.org
Bradford District Office
Unit 9 Parkview Court, St Paul's Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD18 3DZ View Map
T: 01274 533553 E: infoshipley@affinitytrust.org
West Midlands Office
Flat 7, Parry’s Court, Woodside Place, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 4AA View Map
T: 01543 578764

Positive Behaviour Support for children, young people and their families

Positive Behaviour Support
1 St. Andrew's Court Wellington Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3WT View Map
T: 07341 478228 E: paultaylor@affinitytrust.org

Scotland

Scotland - Divisional Office
62 Viewfield Road, Ayr KA8 8HH View Map
T: 01292 436030 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Oban Office
First Floor, Glenshellach House, 7e Glengallan Road, Oban, PA34 4HG View Map
T: 01631 571311 F: 01631 566708 / 0872 111 4616 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Aberdeen Office
87a Urquhart Road, Aberdeen, AB24 5ND View Map
T: 01224 039264 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Isle of Bute Office
18 East Princes Street, Rothesay, Isle of Bute PA20 9DL View Map
T: 01700 500376 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Irvine office
Suites 2/1 and 2/2, Landek House, 44-46 Bank Street, Irvine KA12 0LP View Map
T: 01294 446600 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org

South & South West

South - Divisional Office
Suites 53-55, Aldershot Enterprise Centre, Mandora House, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2PW View Map
T: 01252 311188 F: 01252 311170 E: infosouth@affinitytrust.org
Somerset Office
Mendip Court, Bath Road, Wells, Somerset BA5 3DG View Map
T: 01749 605594 E: infosouth@affinitytrust.org

South East, Bedford and Northamptonshire

South East - Divisional Office
Suite 2+3, Henwood Pavilion, Henwood, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8DH View Map
T: 01233 665324 E: infosoutheast@affinitytrust.org

Specialist Support

Specialist Support
Head Office, 1 St Andrew's Court, Wellington Street, Thame View Map
T: 01844 267800 F: 01844 267049 E: info@affinitytrust.org