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Team Teach is the positive behaviour training used at Prior's Court, which
provides a holistic approach to understanding and de-escalating behaviour. We
believe the Team Teach approach helps young people to learn to make choices
and to begin to take control of their behaviour. All young people at Prior's Court
have a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Plan within their This Is Me Plan which
will list the proactive and reactive strategies for behavioural support, as well as
listing the most effective Team Teach physical interventions to use in response to
identified behaviours.
There is an expectation that staff show self-restraint rather than applying physical
restraint; they should seek to actively prevent and predict rather than react and
respond. This is in line with national guidance. The ways in which we take control
have been designed to be effective, respectful and safe and as non-intrusive as we
can make them. Team Teach emphasises positive relationships between staff and
young people. It aims to protect and promote this. Team Teach stresses that 95%
of crisis situations can often be resolved through appropriately calm, controlled,
dignified and skilled de-escalation intervention. The physical intervention
approaches described will generally only be appropriate as a last resort.
We operate in accordance with the Children's Home Quality Standards
(paragraphs 9.44 to 9.46), which states that restraint may be necessary as a
consequence of a child's impairment or disability, for example to limit selfinjurious
behaviour. Any use of such restraint will follow a rigorous assessment
process and be necessary and proportionate. Wherever such restraint is planned,
it will be identified within the young person's Positive Behaviour Support plan and
will include aims to bring about the circumstances where continued use of such
restraint will no longer be required.
Further details about the approach described above are available in our Positive
Behaviour Support policy which can be viewed on our website or by contacting
Prior's Court School directly.
Staff are trained in the methodologies which make up our approach from
induction onwards. A two-day Team Teach training programme is undertaken at
induction with refresher training provided to ensure all staff are fully trained for
this aspect of their role. A team of staff are qualified Intermediate Team Tutors,
with a smaller team qualified as Advanced Tutors, all providing training, advice
and guidance for staff.
Recording of data to monitor all physical interventions and incidents is
undertaken using Prior Insight, our data recording system, which ensures timely
and accurate reporting.