Celebrating Alexandra: Her impact through positive behaviour support

Posted 25/06/2024

Alexandra Sim, Acting Community Support Leader for Thera (Scotland), recently put on a training workshop to help staff implement positive behaviour support approaches into their day to day practices.

Alexandra Sim, Acting Community Support Leader and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) coach at Thera (Scotland), recently put on a bespoke training session for her staff team which focused on understanding PBS approaches in their day to day practices.

Thera’s PBS framework is a person-centred and holistic approach containing many elements of good practice which includes ensuring that every person supported by Thera is at the centre of their support.

PBS stands for Positive Behaviour Support. Thera’s holistic approach to PBS includes focusing on the person’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social well-being, using models such as PERMA-H training, Trauma Informed Support, understanding Mental Health and using Applied Behaviour Analysis as a method to allow behaviour science to help us understand what someone might be struggling or trying to tell us through their anxiety or behaviour.

Thera’s PBS approach focuses on Quality of Life, making sure that all support provided is person-centred, values based, and human rights led.

It is particularly important for Thera (Scotland) to be exceeding in ensuring positive behaviour support practices and approaches are being adopted by staff teams and utilised in their support. Matt Bindon, Head of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) for Thera Group, explains:

Scotland have produced some excellent Positive Behaviour Support resources and are one of the leaders in the development of PBS across the United Kingdom. With this, it has been great to see Thera (Scotland)’s PBS coach Alex recently carry out a bespoke PBS training session for her staff team to help further develop their knowledge in understanding PBS approaches in day-to-day practices. Alex has shown real commitment by embedding PBS as part of improving quality in the lives of people supported in Thera (Scotland), and we are continuing to further develop Alex’s PBS knowledge and skills as part of being an essential and effective Practice Leader.

Scott Harkness, Operational Manager, also commended Alex’s proactive approach to adopting PBS:

Since starting her PBS learning journey, Alex has embraced the knowledge and successfully cascaded bespoke training for our teams in the Highlands in a meaningful way. This in turn has a positive impact on practice and the support the people we support receive. Well done Alex, thank you for your hard work!

Find out more about how Thera (Scotland) can support you to live the life you choose!