Positive Behaviour Support & Physical Interventions Training

All of our courses with physical interventions components (breakaway and/or restrictive physical interventions) are approved by the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) and certified through the BILD-ACT scheme in association with UKAS.

PLEASE NOTE: From the 1st April 2021 Providers of NHS commissioned services are required through the standard NHS contract to ensure that their training in restrictive practices has been certified as compliant with the Restraint Reduction Network standards. At this time, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will expect all regulated services across health and social care to only use training in restrictive practices that are certified as complying with the Restraint Reduction Network training standards.

We do not use a specific acronym or name for the physical interventions aspects of the training but it is equivalent to Positive Handling a term often used in schools and education services), MAPA (managing aggression and potential aggression) and MOVA (management of violence and aggression).  However, we do not use pain compliance-based skills, nor any restraint that compromises the airway, breathing or circulation.  Our training is safe, ethical and always emphasises the importance of prevention and de-escalation.

Our Positive Behaviour Support and Physical Interventions courses are available at 3 levels.  We also offer a train-the-trainer option.  Click on the course title for more information:

Level 1 - PBS: Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Developing Proactive Support Strategies

Level 2 - PBS & Breakaway/self-protection skills

Level 3 - PBS, Breakaway/self-protection skills & restrictive physical intervention skills

Train-the-Trainer (for the delivery of Levels 1, 2 and 3 training)

Level 2 and Level 3 training is approved by the RRN and certified by BILD-ACT/UKAS as suitable for the education, health and social care sectors providing services for:

• Adults
• Children
• People with mental health conditions
• People with learning disabilities
• Autistic people
• People with acquired brain injury
• People living with dementia

Naturally, there will be some variation to the course content depending on the service and the precise service user group.  Accordingly, the content of each programme can be adapted to the needs of the commissioning organisation as long as it does not impact the certification requirements.  For services supporting younger children for example, we have a range of adapted techniques to suit their size and vulnerabilities.  In addition, where specific or bespoke restraint techniques are required, we are able to provide either extended techniques from our current portfolio or work with the commissioning organisation to develop and risk assess new techniques.

All of our techniques taught are independently risk assessed by Browns Health and Safety Consultants.

We are strong advocates of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) and believe it can be applied with great effect across many service settings but again, respect that some services already have strong and effective (possibly equivalent) models of behaviour support.  Our aim is to work with you in embedding evidence-based, ethical approaches to behaviours of concern and we are accordingly happy to adapt the course to fit with your requirements.

“The training is innovative and creative utilising a range of approaches never seen before. This means that not only is the training fit for purpose but is also delivered in an effective way that will hold the participants attention and will enable them to remember the content long after the training is complete. One example of this is the use acronyms such as STEPS and REFLECT. The training content is contemporaneous, valid and evidence based, in summary, excellent…I would highly recommend to any commissioners for training.”

- Justine Barksby, RNLD, BSc(hons), MSc, PGCHE, PGcert (Management), Lecturer, School of Health Sciences, The University of Nottingham (MARCH 2012)

Our training is delivered in accordance with the RRN Training Standards 2019. Accordingly, any organisation commissioning training will need to adhere to the guidelines within the standards. To find out more, please read our current policy: