Positive Behaviour Support

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At City Care Partnership, Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) is at the heart of everything we do. It’s not about “managing behaviours” — it’s about understanding people, meeting their needs, and helping them thrive.

Whether you're new to social care or have years of experience, PBS offers a clear, ethical, and evidence-based framework for supporting Autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities — especially those who may sometimes express themselves through behaviours described as ‘challenging’.

What Is PBS — and Why Does It Matter?

PBS starts from a simple truth: All behaviour has meaning.

When someone shows behaviour that others find difficult, it’s often because they’re trying to express a need, a feeling, or a reaction to their environment. Instead of asking “How do we stop this behaviour?”, PBS asks:

What is this person trying to tell us?
How can we support them more effectively — and more respectfully?

By responding with empathy, adapting environments, and meeting needs in personalised ways, the behaviour becomes less necessary — and the person is empowered to live well, on their own terms.

What PBS Looks Like in Practice

PBS at City Care is never one-size-fits-all. It’s a deeply personalised approach built around each person’s experiences, strengths, and aspirations. In practice, this means:

Listening closely to individuals and those who know them well
Understanding behaviour in context, not isolation
Making changes to reduce distress or triggers
Teaching new skills to support communication, choice, and autonomy
Celebrating progress — both big and small

The following video has been supplied by our partner organisation Redstone PBS, who we work closely with to create and manage our support. To visit their site click their logo:

Our PBS Principles

Our practice is rooted in national best practice, backed by decades of learning and shaped by what works for the people we support. Our PBS model includes:

A focus on quality of life as the main outcome
Person-centred planning at the core of everything
Functional assessments to explore what behaviour is communicating
Proactive support strategies that reduce the likelihood of difficulties
Replacing punishment with understanding, encouragement, and respect
Working in partnership with families, professionals, and other agencies
Supporting long-term change, not short-term control

To achieve through the use of this PBS policy and wider initiatives across the organisation

Training and Support for Our Teams

You don’t need to be a PBS expert to join City Care — you just need to care, listen, and be ready to learn.

All our colleagues receive:

A clear introduction to PBS during induction
Ongoing access to formal training and development, including:

PBS Certificate
Advanced Certificate
Advanced Professional Diploma

Support is always available through experienced peers, managers, and our Central Support Team (CST) — helping ensure PBS is practiced consistently and confidently across all services.

Why This Matters — For Families, Professionals and Partners

Choosing the right support is a big decision. We work hard to make sure it’s the right one. PBS ensures that our services are not only safe and person-centred, but also rooted in accountability, dignity, and outcomes that last.

Families can trust that their loved one’s wellbeing and voice always come first
Professionals can be confident in a model that is values-led, evidence-informed, and rigorously quality-monitored
Commissioners can rely on a provider with a strong track record of delivering transformative outcomes

Creating a Culture of PBS

At City Care, PBS is more than a model — it’s a mindset.

We are building a culture where:

People feel safe, heard, and respected
Staff feel skilled, supported, and proud
Everyone involved in care is part of the journey

Together, we make a real and lasting difference.

We’re also proud to work in partnership with Redstone PBS, whose clinical expertise supports the delivery, review and continuous improvement of our PBS model.

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