7 1 Promoting Positive Behaviour November 2018
7 1 Promoting Positive Behaviour November 2018
7 1 Promoting Positive Behaviour November 2018
Policy statement
We believe that children flourish best when their personal, social and emotional needs are understood, supported
and met and where there are clear, fair and developmentally appropriate expectations for their behaviour.
As children develop, they learn about boundaries, the difference between right and wrong, and to consider the
views and feelings, and needs and rights, of others and the impact that their behaviour has on people, places and
objects. The development of these skills requires adult guidance to help encourage and model appropriate
behaviours and to offer intervention and support when children struggle with conflict and emotional situations. In
these types of situations key staff can help identify and address triggers for the behaviour and help children
reflect, regulate and manage their actions.
Procedures
In order to manage children’s behaviour in an appropriate way we will:
attend relevant training to help understand and guide appropriate models of behaviour;
implement the setting’s behaviour procedures including the stepped approach;
have the necessary skills to support other staff with behaviour issues and to access expert advice, if
necessary;
ensure all staff complete the Promoting Positive Behaviour programme, on Educare
(http://eyalliance.educare.co.uk/Login.aspx)
Stepped approach
Step 1
We will ensure that EYFS guidance relating to ‘behaviour management’ is incorporated into relevant policy
and procedures;
We will be knowledgeable with, and apply the setting’s procedures on Promoting Positive Behaviour;
We will undertake an annual audit of the provision to ensure the environment and practices supports healthy
social and emotional development. Findings from the audit are considered by management and relevant
adjustments applied. (A useful guide to assessing the well-being of children can be found at
www.kindengezin.be/img/sics-ziko-manual.pdf)
ensure that all staff are supported to address issues relating to behaviour including applying initial and focused
intervention approaches (see below).
Step 2
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We address unwanted behaviours using the agreed and consistently applied initial intervention approach. If
the unwanted behaviour does not reoccur or cause concern then normal monitoring will resume.
Behaviours that result in concern for the child and/or others will be discussed between the key person, Special
Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or/and manager. During the meeting, the key person will use their
knowledge and assessments of the child to share any known influencing factors (new baby, additional needs,
illness etc.) in order to place the behaviour into context. Appropriate adjustments to practice will be agreed and
if successful normal monitoring resumed.
If the behaviour continues to reoccur and remains a concern then the key person and SENCO should liaise
with parents to discuss possible reasons for the behaviour and to agree next steps. If relevant and
appropriate, the views of the child relating to their behaviour should be sought and considered to help identify
a cause. If a cause for the behaviour is not known or only occurs whilst in the setting then the behaviour
coordinator will suggest using a focused intervention approach to identify a trigger for the behaviour e.g. ABC
chart.
If a trigger is identified then the SENCO and key person will meet with the parents to plan support for the child
through developing an action plan. If relevant, recommended actions for dealing with the behaviour at home
should be agreed with the parent/s and incorporated into the plan. Other members of the staff team should be
informed of the agreed actions in the action plan and help implement the actions. The plan should be
monitored and reviewed regularly by the key person and SENCO until improvement is noticed.
All incidents and intervention relating to unwanted and challenging behaviour by children should be clearly and
appropriately logged on child incident form.
Step 3
If, despite applying the initial intervention and focused intervention approaches, the behaviour continues to
occur and/or is of significant concern, then the manager/assistant manager and SENCO will invite the parents
to a meeting to discuss external referral and next steps for supporting the child in the setting.
It may be agreed that the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) or Early Help process should begin and
that specialist help be sought for the child – this support may address either developmental or welfare needs.
If the child’s behaviour is part of a range of welfare concerns that also include a concern that the child may be
suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, follow the Safeguarding and Children and Child Protection Policy
(1.2). It may also be agreed that the child should be referred for an Education, Health and Care assessment.
(See Supporting Children with SEN policy 9.2)
Advice provided by external agencies should be incorporated into the child’s action plan and regular multi-
disciplinary meetings held to review the child’s progress.
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We use an initial problem solving intervention for all situations in which a child or children are distressed on in
conflict. All staff use this intervention consistently.
This type of approach involves an adult approaching the situation calmly, stopping any hurtful actions,
acknowledging the feelings of those involved, gathering information, restating the issue to help children reflect,
regain control of the situation and resolve the situation themselves.
High Scope’s Conflict Resolution process provides this type of approach but equally any other similar method
would be suitable. Periodically the effectiveness of the approach will be checked.
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angry, staff will speak to them calmly, encouraging them to vent their frustration in other ways by diverting the
child’s attention.
Staff should not use physical intervention – or the threat of physical intervention, to manage a child’s
behaviour unless it is necessary to use ‘reasonable force in order to prevent children from injuring themselves
or others or damage property‘ (EYFS).
If ‘reasonable force’ has been used for any of the reasons shown above, parents are to be informed on the
same day that it occurs. The intervention will be recorded as soon as possible within the child’s file, which
states clearly when and how parents were informed.
Corporal (physical) punishment of any kind should never be used or threatened.
Bullying is a behaviour that both parents and practitioners worry about. Bullying is a deliberate, aggressive and
repeated action, which is carried out with intent to cause harm or distress to others. It requires the child to have
‘theory of mind’ and a higher level of reasoning and thinking, all of which are complex skills that most three-year-
olds have not yet developed (usually after the age of four along with empathy). Therefore, an outburst by a three-
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year-old is more likely to be a reflection of the child’s emotional well-being, their stage of development or a
behaviour that they have copied from someone else.
Young children are keen observers and more likely to copy behaviours, which mimic the actions of others,
especially the actions of people they have established a relationship with. These are learnt behaviours rather than
premeditated behaviours because children this young do not have sufficiently sophisticated cognition to carry out
the type of bullying an older child can do. Unless addressed early, this type of pre-bullying behaviour in young
children can lead on to bullying behaviour later in childhood. The fear is that by labelling a child as a bully so early
in life we risk influencing negative perceptions and expectations of the child which will impact on their self-image,
self-esteem and may adversely affect their long term behaviour. This label can stick with the child for the rest of
their life.
Further guidance
Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (DfE 2014)
Behaviour Matters (Pre-school Learning Alliance 2016)
CIF Summary Record (Pre-school Learning Alliance 2016)