Positive behaviour support - new policy and guidelines
The Department of Child Safety is developing new policy and procedures for carers and staff who provide care for children and young people.
Why is this project happening?
The new policy and procedures relating to positive behaviour support are to assist carers and staff in responding to a child's behaviour, and includes developing guidelines for the use of interventions when responding to extreme or dangerous behaviours.
When a child enters out-of-home care, the department has a responsibility to make sure that a child's needs are responded to appropriately. This involves being sensitive to the trauma that a child has experienced, the provision of placements with skilled foster and kinship carers and workers, and the necessary support services to assess and respond to individual needs.
For further information relating to current training and resources provided for carers, refer to:
- Carer handbook and carer information sheets - resources for approved and prospective carers about particular parenting topics
- pre-service training - contains learning modules relating to:
- context of foster care
- understanding the past for a child or young person
- early days in a placement
- quality care - working together
- standard training - contains learning modules relating to:
- promoting positive behaviours
- caring for children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse
- carer support, advocacy and self care
- advanced training - contains learning modules relating to:
- attachment
- loss and grief for children in care
- protective behaviours series
- strategies for managing abuse related trauma.
How can I participate?
As part of this consultation, you are invited to make a written submission to share your views and experiences of responding to children's behaviour in out-of-home care. Your feedback will be considered to inform the development of policy and procedures on positive behaviour support.
In making your response, please consider the following issues:
- experiences and views on responding to children's behaviour in a positive way
- experiences and views on carers using interventions to respond to extreme and dangerous behaviours
- what has worked well in your experience, particularly to de-escalate behaviour?
- what should be included in the policy and procedures?
- how can better support and education be provided to foster and kinship carers in responding to children's behaviours, particularly in relation to training resources?
You can make your submission by:
- Email:
- Policy feedback - policyfeedback@childsafety.qld.gov.au
- Mail:
- Positive Behaviour Support Project
Department of Child Safety
GPO Box 806
Brisbane Qld 4001
For further information about making a submission, contact the Children in Care Team on (07) 3239 0950.
All submissions will be stored and used in a way that respects your confidentiality and privacy. No names or identifying information will be published or disclosed. It is entirely optional for you to provide your name and phone number or email at the end of your feedback, however it would assist us should we need to clarify any information given.
Should information involve specific case matters or information that raises concerns about a child in care, the matter will be referred to the relevant child safety service centre.
The closing date for written submissions is Friday 21 September 2007.
What are the expected outcomes?
The project is expected to deliver:
- policy and procedures on positive behaviour support informed by current research
- guidelines in relation to the use of physical intervention by carers in both residential and family based care settings.
- Last updated
- 4 September 2007