4.5. Explain how to support an individual and others following an incident of challenging behaviour

This guide will help you answer 4.5. Explain how to support an individual and others following an incident of challenging behaviour.

Supporting people after an incident of challenging behaviour is a sensitive and structured process. The approach needs to prioritise physical safety, emotional wellbeing, and recovery for everyone involved. The work must follow organisational procedures, legal requirements, and best practice guidance set out in UK health and social care standards.

Challenging behaviour can include aggression, withdrawal, property damage, verbal abuse, or refusal to follow instructions. It can be caused by frustration, communication difficulties, pain, illness, mental health issues, environmental triggers, or emotional distress. After an incident, people may experience fear, confusion, guilt, anger, or shame. Your role is to help them feel safe, heard, and supported.

Immediate Actions After the Incident

The first step is to make sure the environment is safe. This may include removing objects that could be used as weapons, increasing staff presence, or moving individuals to a quieter space. The priority is to protect all people from harm.

Check whether anyone is injured. Give first aid if you are trained to do so, or call for medical help. If emergency services are needed, call them without delay.

If possible, reduce noise and stimulation. This can help people calm down. Avoid loud voices, rushing movements, or making unnecessary demands during this stage.

Keep communication simple and calm. Use short sentences. Speak slowly. Avoid arguing or challenging the person who has displayed the behaviour until they are ready to discuss it.

Reassuring the Individual

Once the incident has been contained and everyone is safe, focus on helping the individual who showed challenging behaviour. They may be feeling overwhelmed or ashamed. A calm and non-judgemental approach is key.

Ways to offer reassurance include:

• Speaking gently and at their pace
• Avoiding blaming language
• Letting them take time before talking
• Offering a drink of water
• Keeping your own body language open and relaxed

The aim is to support emotional regulation. If the person has communication difficulties, use their preferred method, such as sign language, pictures, or writing.

Supporting Staff and Others Affected

Challenging behaviour incidents often impact other individuals, such as staff members, other service users, visitors, or family members. They may feel frightened, stressed, or angry.

Support may include:

• Removing them from the scene if they are distressed
• Listening to their account of what happened
• Acknowledging their feelings without judgement
• Encouraging them to take a short break if safe and appropriate

Debriefing sessions help people process the event. These sessions can take place later the same day or soon after, depending on the severity of the incident. They should be done in a private setting.

Following Organisational Policies

UK health and social care settings have specific policies for responding to challenging behaviour. These might be called behaviour support plans, incident reporting protocols, or safeguarding policies.

You must record accurate, factual details of the event. This includes:

• Date, time, and location
• Who was present
• Sequence of events
• Exact words or actions used
• Any harm or damage caused
• Actions taken by staff
• How the situation ended

Avoid making assumptions or personal judgements in records. Only write what you saw or heard.

Timely reporting ensures managers can review the incident, identify learning points, and provide support or retraining if needed.

Emotional Support and Reflection

Incidents of challenging behaviour can be emotionally draining. Emotional support is necessary for everyone involved.

For the individual, this may mean:

• Offering one-to-one conversations in a private, comfortable space
• Allowing them to explain their perspective
• Encouraging them to talk about their feelings if they are ready
• Linking them with counselling or mental health services if needed

For staff, emotional support can include:

• Peer support and informal conversations
• Access to an employee assistance programme
• Supervision that addresses emotional impact without blame
• Opportunities to discuss how the incident links to behaviour triggers or care plans

Providing emotional support prevents long-term stress and promotes wellbeing.

Restoring a Sense of Safety

After an incident, people may feel unsafe. The environment may need adjusting to reduce future triggers. Examples include:

• Changing seating arrangements
• Introducing calming spaces
• Adjusting schedules to prevent overcrowding or time pressures
• Setting clearer communication signals between staff

Restoring a sense of safety involves both physical and emotional measures so people can return to daily routines without anxiety.

Reviewing Behaviour Support Plans

Many individuals displaying challenging behaviour already have personalised care or behaviour support plans. After an incident, it is good practice to review these plans.

This review may include:

• Identifying triggers from the incident
• Assessing whether existing strategies were followed
• Adding new strategies if needed
• Involving the individual in creating solutions
• Updating risk assessments

A review can help prevent similar incidents and improve support.

Multi-Agency Involvement

Some situations may need input from other professionals or agencies. This could include mental health teams, social workers, occupational therapists, or psychologists. Multi-agency work can provide a fuller picture of why the behaviour occurred and what support is needed.

Any sharing of information must follow the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR. Only share details with people who have a legitimate reason to know.

Offering Restorative Opportunities

If appropriate, consider restorative approaches. These are conversations or activities aimed at repairing relationships. They focus on understanding the impact of behaviour and finding ways forward.

Restorative work may involve:

• Bringing together individuals affected in a safe setting
• Talking about feelings, impact, and future wishes
• Agreeing actions to help rebuild trust

This approach is not suitable for every case, but when used well can help reduce future incidents.

Training and Skills Development

Challenging behaviour can create ongoing stress for staff and individuals. Organisations can reduce this by offering regular training in topics like:

• Positive behaviour support
• De-escalation techniques
• Mental health awareness
• Trauma-informed care
• Record keeping and reporting

Staff who are confident in their skills are more likely to respond calmly and effectively in future incidents.

Understanding Triggers

One of the most helpful long-term strategies is to understand what triggered the behaviour. Triggers can be obvious or hidden. Examples include:

• Sensory overload, such as bright lights or loud noise
• Pain or illness
• Changes in routine
• Frustration from communication barriers
• Emotional stress or mental health conditions

By identifying triggers, health and social care workers can adapt the environment, communication, or activities to reduce the likelihood of a repeat incident.

Rest Periods and Recovery Time

Some individuals need time alone after an incident. Others feel more secure with a trusted person nearby. Respecting their recovery style is important.

Recovery time might involve:

• Sitting quietly in a calm space
• Listening to music
• Engaging in a light activity they enjoy
• Having a drink or snack

This helps regulate emotions and signals that the episode has passed.

Recording and Sharing Learning

Incidents provide opportunities for learning. Organisations should use records and debriefs to highlight:

• Which strategies worked well
• Which strategies did not work
• Any gaps in training or resources
• Environmental changes that could help

By sharing learning through team meetings or supervision, staff can develop better responses for the future.

Managing Reactions from Peers

In group settings such as care homes or supported housing, other residents or service users may be unsettled by challenging behaviour incidents. Supporting them involves:

• Explaining in simple terms that staff are helping the person
• Reassuring them that they are safe
• Distracting them with a different activity
• Allowing them to share their feelings in a one-to-one setting afterward

This helps maintain harmony and a sense of community in shared living environments.

Self-Care for Staff

Incidents can be physically and emotionally taxing for workers. Self-care is important for maintaining performance and wellbeing. This can include:

• Taking regular breaks
• Using debrief sessions positively
• Talking to trusted colleagues
• Practising relaxation techniques
• Seeking supervision if feeling overwhelmed

Healthy staff are better able to support individuals and others effectively.

Following Up in the Days After

Support should continue beyond the immediate aftermath. In the days following an incident, consider:

• Checking in with the individual to see how they are feeling
• Observing any changes in behaviour
• Following through on agreed adjustments
• Monitoring the environment for stress triggers
• Updating any involved professionals

Ongoing follow-up shows care and helps to maintain stability.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

There are laws and ethical guidelines that influence how we respond to challenging behaviour, including:

• The Care Act 2014
• The Children Act 1989 and 2004 (if working with children)
• The Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

These require respect for rights, personal dignity, and safety. Restrictive interventions should only be used as a last resort and in proportion to the risk.

Final Thoughts

Supporting an individual and others after challenging behaviour is about more than just calming a situation. It is about maintaining dignity, safety, and wellbeing while learning from what happened. This process needs patience, careful observation, and effective communication.

Good support involves immediate reassurance, an honest review of events, and a plan to reduce the risk of recurrence. When handled with understanding and structure, these incidents can lead to better outcomes for the individual, the staff team, and the wider care environment.