<aside> 💡 Applicable to: All

This policy takes account of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations (2013) and the National Minimum Standards for Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (Department for Education).

This policy has been approved by the OMH Board of Trustees

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Policy Statement

We aim to promote positive behaviour through affective communication, high quality relationships and by providing fun and exciting activities.

We recognise that some holiday makers who attend the OMH residential holidays may at times exhibit risk behaviour which may result in harm to themselves or others, or damage to property.

At all times our organisation aims to manage behaviour in a way which is respectful and dignified for the individuals involved. We acknowledge at all times the rights of an individual to be cross or upset, but will support and encourage individuals to express these feelings safely, and in ways acceptable to those around them. We acknowledge behaviours as a form of communication, the reasons for a child behaving in an inappropriate or challenging way can be varied; they may include frustration, anxiety, difficulties communicating, habitual or learnt behaviours, event triggered or attention seeking behaviours.

A guiding principle throughout is that we should strive to identify precursors to risk behaviour and help individuals to avoid a crisis occurring, through the use of proactive de-escalation and intervention skills.

Procedures on holiday schemes

The following procedures are in place to minimise risk behaviour:

  1. The holiday staff have clear expectations for appropriate behaviour from holiday makers and these are communicated in a way which is accessible and meaningful to the individual. This may include verbal warnings, an agreed reward system or social scripts and stories.
  2. Every holiday maker has a personalised plan for their care which notes their likes and dislikes, potential / known triggers for risk behaviour and strategies to prevent this occurring. This is based upon information from parents, care and education providers and previous knowledge of holiday maker. Holiday makers who have previously exhibited behaviour that challenges on a holiday or who are known to have behaviour that challenges will also have an individual behaviour management plan.
  3. These plans are updated on a daily basis to reflect new information, and shared among group leaders, and then disseminated to senior team members and the individual’s one-to-one helpers.
  4. The holiday also provides for a small number of holiday makers who have higher support needs (medical or behavioural) They are assigned ‘special’ experienced helpers who provide continuity of care during the week.
  5. Best Practice Guidelines created by OMH emphasise general ways to positively manage behaviour. These include offering positive choices and giving warnings when a favourite activity is coming to a close, use of visual resources, use of sensory breaks, opportunities for quiet times, swapping volunteers, opportunities to spend time on a favourite activity.
  6. One-to-one volunteers are encouraged to request support if they feel a holiday maker is feeling anxious or cross, so that a senior team member can offer help or take over.
  7. Senior team members are aware of anxiety and defensive behaviours (which may lead to risk behaviour) and have experience-based skills to help avert a potential crisis.
  8. The senior team includes staff who are trained in Safety Intervention for Children and Young People(TM) approaches delivered by the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI). CPI training is provided internally by volunteers who are licensed by CPI to train. These licenses are renewed annually.
  9. The Registered Manager and child leads regularly review behaviour records in order to recommend modifications to future practice and these are recorded on individual behaviour support plans which are reviewed annually.
  10. The Registered Manager reports annually to Ofsted the number of times that restraint was used and the number of children restrained.
  11. Group leaders, special helpers and the senior team have an additional in-house training package on managing and supporting behaviour.