Positive Behaviour Support Conference in Cumbria

Lead Behavioural Specialist Tracie Gudgeon and Area Behavioural Specialist and Scheme Manager, Ryan Pearce from Lifeways’ Kendal services, joined over 100 people at the first conference for the North East & Cumbria PBS Community of Practice, at the Rheged Centre in Penrith.

The event was supported by Health Education England and North East & Cumbria NHS Transforming Care. It was an amazing opportunity to share the work the Lifeways Specialist Support Team are facilitating across the country. Tracie and Ryan spent time talking to family carers, social and health care professionals and other provider organisations who are setting out their PBS strategies to ensure Positive Behavioural Support best practice is embedded within large national organisations.

Along with sharing Lifeways’ experience in driving change and enhancing the quality of life for people with behaviours of concern, they also had an opportunity to attend Skills Workshops run by internationally renowned speakers such as Viv Cooper OBE (The Challenging Behaviour Foundation ) and Dr. Nick Gore (Tizard Centre University of Kent ). One workshop included a Restrictive Practices Review presentation and highlighted some of the challenges other organisations are facing regarding methodology, outcomes evaluation, and organisational impact.

Resilience in Stressful Times was the topic for another workshop which promoted mindfulness and mental wellbeing amongst both the people we support and the staff who often work in highly stressful conditions.

PBS is an all embracing philosophy of support and both Tracie and Ryan found the experience of being surrounded by likeminded individuals seeking to learn and share support best practice, both invigorating and positive.