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Jason is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, based in the East London NHS Foundation Trust, with over 15 years of experience of working with adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. He has supported the development of services for people with learning disabilities who present with behaviour that challenges and adult autism diagnostic and intervention services in a number of North London boroughs. In recent years Jason has contributed to research in the field of learning disabilities exploring the effectiveness of training staff teams in Positive Behaviour Support in reducing behaviour that challenges and factors that impact upon the implementation of Positive Behaviour Support.   

The Importance of Positive Behaviour Support at the Organisational Level: Understanding Me Prevents Losses & Hurt  

Over the last decade there have been a succession of examples where compassion within organisations supporting people with learning disabilities with behaviour that challenges has broken down leading to abusive practice e.g. Winterbourne View, Mucklemore Abbey and Whorlton Hall. Whilst Positive Behaviour Support informed approaches have been endorsed as the approach of choice in supporting individuals with behaviour that challenges a number of studies have indicated that just training staff to deliver this approach can be insufficient in effecting significant organisational and behavioural change. Similarly, there is increasing focus on how we develop compassionate organisations rather than just teaching individuals to provide compassionate care. We review the theoretical understanding and the learning from research evidence that accounts for the challenges of effecting significant organisational and behavioural change in services. The role of psychologists in supporting a culture of compassion within organisations supporting people with learning disabilities with behaviour that challenges is considered in the context of implementing effective positivebehaviour support and preventing abusive practice.