When behaviour becomes challenging, our attention naturally tends to focus on what is happening in front of us.
Someone is shouting. A person is refusing to engage. Someone is becoming distressed, withdrawing or acting in a way that others find difficult to understand. However, behaviour is often more complicated than what we see on the surface.
For many people, particularly those who have difficulties with communication or emotional regulation, behaviour can be a way of expressing something they cannot communicate in another way.
What Is the Behaviour Telling Us?
People communicate in many different ways. Speech is only one part of communication and not everyone has the ability or opportunity to explain how they are feeling or what they need.
Someone may become distressed because they are overwhelmed. They may be frustrated because they cannot make themselves understood. They may react strongly to a change in routine, an unfamiliar environment or something that causes discomfort.
If we focus entirely on the behaviour itself, we can miss the reason behind it. This is particularly important when working with children and adults who may have communication difficulties, additional needs or difficulties with emotional regulation.
Understanding the person and their circumstances can provide valuable information about what may be contributing to the behaviour.
Looking Beyond the Immediate Situation
A behavioural incident rarely happens in isolation.
What happened immediately beforehand? Has the person experienced something similar before? Are there particular situations, environments or interactions that appear to act as triggers?
These questions can help staff identify patterns and consider whether there are ways to prevent situations from escalating.
For example, someone may find busy environments overwhelming, struggle with unexpected changes or need more time to process information. Making reasonable adjustments to the environment or the way information is communicated may reduce the likelihood of distress.
This does not mean that every challenging behaviour can be prevented. It does mean that understanding potential triggers can help staff respond more effectively.
Supporting Communication
Communication needs to be considered as part of behavioural support. For some people, this may involve using visual information, signs, symbols, communication aids or allowing additional time for someone to respond.
For others, it may simply mean changing the way a question is asked, reducing unnecessary information or giving someone the opportunity to explain what they need. The approach will depend on the individual.
There is no single communication strategy that will work for everyone, which is why taking the time to understand the person is so important.
Emotional Regulation and Behaviour
Emotional regulation can also play a significant role in how someone responds to difficult situations. When a person becomes overwhelmed, their ability to process information, communicate clearly or make decisions can be affected. If they are already distressed, adding pressure or confrontation may cause the situation to escalate further.
Recognising early signs of distress can give staff an opportunity to respond before the situation reaches crisis point. This might involve giving the person space, changing the environment, reducing demands or using an agreed support strategy.
The response should always reflect the circumstances and the individual's needs.
Understanding Does Not Mean Excusing
Recognising behaviour as communication does not mean that all behaviour is acceptable. Staff still need to maintain appropriate boundaries and respond when behaviour creates a risk to the individual or others. The important distinction is that understanding the reason behind behaviour can help inform the response.
Instead of simply asking how to stop the behaviour, we can also ask what is contributing to it and what might help prevent it from happening again.
That approach can support both the individual and the staff working with them.
A More Informed Approach to Behaviour
Effective behavioural support is not about finding one response that works in every situation. It is about understanding people, recognising potential triggers, considering communication needs and responding appropriately to changing circumstances.
At SecuriCare, our training in preventing and managing challenging and hazardous behaviour helps organisations develop practical skills for recognising, assessing and responding to behavioural risk.
Whether staff are working in education, health and social care, charities or other environments where they support people, understanding behaviour can be an important part of keeping everyone safe.
Get in touch with SecuriCare to find out how our training can support your organisation.
