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The therapy engagement rooms offer opportunities for observation by
consultants, meaning that young people have improved access to on-site
appointments.
The hub also provides shared office space for the Nursing and Therapy teams, to
work more closely together for an even more collaborative approach.
Personal care:
Learning to undertake personal care routines is undertaken within the Waking
Day curriculum as part of the development of independent living skills such as
learning to acquire appropriate sleeping and toileting patterns, appropriate
mealtime behaviour, learning to shop, prepare and serve food with increasing
levels of independence, undertaking household chores, learning to share, and
developing a sense of family and community.
Behaviour Management:
We have a high staff to young person ratio and a positive approach towards
behaviour support. Each young person is treated with dignity and respect. All staff
wear a uniform so that young people understand they are there to help.
The school uses a range of both proactive and reactive strategies to support
young people in learning to self-manage behaviour. All behaviour is seen as a
form of communication and is managed in a positive way by teaching young
people to substitute more appropriate behaviour. We do not use punitive
methods or sanctions.
There is considerable expertise within the Positive Behaviour Support, therapy,
senior management and wider staff teams in supporting challenging behaviour.
Each young person has a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Plan which includes
proactive and reactive strategies to support them in learning to self-manage
behaviour and ensures a consistent approach is employed throughout the
Waking Day. It is reviewed regularly by the Positive Behaviour Support team,
Learning & Wellbeing Manager, Keyworker, Learning Specialist, Therapists and
other professionals within Prior's Court School. Strategies are carefully considered
by all staff concerned, often in consultation with parents. We have had
considerable success with our young people in this area.
We have adopted the Team Teach approach using de-escalation and positive
management techniques, further details of which may be obtained from the
Director of Young People's Learning or the Director of Young People's Wellbeing.
A key element in supporting behaviour is the use of the TEACCH system of
structured teaching with structure in the organisation of the day and the layout of
classroom and living spaces. Regular exercise and the use of areas of space within
Prior's Court School campus are also part of the strategies to reduce anxieties and
learn to self-calm.
Further support:
The Wellbeing and Learning departments are supported by an extremely
experienced Senior Leadership team and onsite multi-disciplinary teams. See
section two of this document for further details.
Supporting the young person to make choices and give their views: