Behaviour Management Policy

Full policy

Behaviour Management Policy

We believe that children and adults flourish best in an ordered environment in which everyone knows what is expected of them and children are free to develop their play and learning without fear of being hurt or hindered by anyone else. We aim to work towards a situation in which children can develop self-regulation and self-esteem in an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement.

To achieve this: All adults at the setting will ensure that the nursery rules with regards to behaviour are applied consistently, so that children have the security of knowing what to expect and can build up useful habits of behaviour. All adults will ensure they are a positive role models for the children regarding friendliness, care and courtesy. Adults in the nursery will praise and encourage desirable behaviour such as kindness and willingness to share. We will take positive steps to avoid a situation in which children receive adult attention only in return for undesirable behaviour.

Children who misbehave will be given one-to-one adult support in seeing what is wrong and work towards a better pattern. Where appropriate this might be achieved by a period of "reflection time" with an adult where the child and adult can sit together and reflect on what has happened. In cases of serious misbehaviour, such as racial or other abuse, the unacceptability of the behaviour and attitudes will be made clear immediately, but by means of explanations and this will be communicated with parents.

In any case of misbehaviour, it will always be made clear to the child or children in question that it is the behaviour and not the child that is unwelcome. Adults will not shout or raise their voices in a threatening way. Adults in the nursery will make themselves aware of, and respect, a range of cultural expectations regarding interactions between people. Any misbehaviour will be handled in a developmentally appropriate fashion, respecting individual children's level of understanding and maturity.

Recurring problems will be tackled by the nursery, in partnership with the child's parents, using objective observation records to establish an understanding of the cause. One form of this type of observation is the Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence (ABC) method. If negative behaviour continues, an ABC behaviour plan may be put into place to see what is causing the negative behaviour and where it may stem from. Adults will be aware that some kinds of behaviour may arise from a child's special needs.

Self-Regulation Self-regulation is the ability to manage our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. What are some ideas we can use to help children learn self-regulation? Sharing and turn taking activities Group/circle times and interaction Distracting to different activities of interest Indoor and outdoor opportunities Providing choices and encouraging independence How will staff promote positive behaviours and the skills needed for these? Develop realistic expectations Discuss rules and boundaries positively Be supportive and encouraging Model positive behaviour, self-regulation and staying calm Provide activities around the childrens interests and the things they enjoy Use rewards and positive reinforcement Manage own stress

Intervention and Physical Restraint In the unlikely event that the above behaviour management policy fails, and a child's behaviour requires physical intervention, the procedure outlined below would be implemented. When possible, adults will aim to distract and re-direct the child's attention. Adults will not use any form of physical intervention, e.g. holding, unless it is necessary to prevent personal injury to the child, other children, an adult or serious damage to property. Where physical intervention is appropriate, this will be achieved with the minimum force and for the minimum time. Any such incident is recorded the parents/carers informed of the incident on the day.