Positive Behaviour Support Helpline

Bild have been providing a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) helpline to provide support for family carers and support staff during Covid-19.

Life with Covid-19 restrictions can feel particularly isolating and lonely. It helps to talk to someone who understands our situation, and family and friends will likely always be our first choice. But sometimes it helps to talk to someone who is hearing it for the first time, and who has experience and expertise with similar situations.

Supporters, carers and family members might want to discuss how they are doing, to gain reassurance that they are doing the right thing, or they might want to talk through some ideas and get some practical suggestions. Here’s what one user said about the helpline:

“Having someone on the other end of the phone has so helped me.  I feel so isolated and lonely dealing with everything on my own… It’s been so helpful to have someone to help you get focused and give you reminders about what to do. A lot of people need this…you’ve both helped me focus on what to do and given me some counselling. This is especially helpful in a covid world where we can’t meet face to face”

The overall aim of PBS is to improve the quality of a person’s life and that of the people around them. PBS is especially appropriate when someone is distressed or if their behaviour is concerning or challenging.

How can I contact the helpline?

We are offering group sessions via Zoom, facilitated by our PBS consultants and family members of people with learning disabilities who are training to become PBS Peer Educators. Find out more and book onto a group session here>

PBS helpline legacy resources

We have spoken to many people on the helpline since April 2020 and there seem to be three themes to the calls; three areas that people have asked for support with. We have produced some resources based on these three themes that we hope you might find useful:

1. Self-help

In stressful times we can find it hard to see the wood for the trees. Making decisions is hard or seems impossible and the smallest problem can become huge; this is a natural reaction to stress. We have produced some resources based on this theme that we hope you might find useful. You can access these here>

2. Understanding behaviour

When people we care for behave in ways that challenge us, we can be left confused and upset. We might take it personally, as if the person is behaving like that on purpose. However, we know that behaviours that challenge are usually about someone trying to get their needs met and that there is always a reason for the behaviour. Here is more information and suggestions>

3. Accessing services

Finding the help you need isn’t always easy. Services can seem like a mystery or can be hard to get hold of. Here are some suggestions for accessing services and talking to professionals>