Studio III
Dr Andy McDonnell,
andym@studio3.org
June 2014
About us
• We were established in 1992.
• We provide high quality evidence based training in
the specialist field of managing aggressive and
challenging behaviour.
• Studio 3 is renowned for the development of Low
Arousal Approaches to managing behaviour
throughout the UK and Europe.
• We consider ourselves to be market leaders in
challenging behaviour training for a variety of care
settings.
Our services
• We work in Canada, Denmark, Sweden,
Germany, UK wide, Ireland. Israel, Greece,
Malta, South Africa.
• Currently developing projects in France, Hong
Kong and Australia.
• We are the originators of the low arousal
approach to physical intervention
• Studio 3 Training Services
• Studio 3 Clinical Services
• Atlass – Children & Families - Autism
• Low Arousal – Stress Management in Crisis's
Low Arousal Approaches
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Is a resource for families, carers and professionals looking for
information on the Low Arousal Approach.
The Low Arousal Approach emphasises a range of behaviour
management strategies that focus on the reduction of stress,
fear and frustration and seeks to prevent aggression and crisis
situations. The low arousal approach seeks to understand the
role of the ‘situation’ by identifying triggers and using low
intensity strategies and solutions to avoid punitive
consequences for individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
The low arousal approach seeks to understand the role of the
‘situation’ by identifying triggers and using low intensity
strategies and solutions to avoid punitive consequences for
individuals from a variety of settings. Low arousal approaches
are part of the SPELL framework developed for people with
autism.
Why Train Staff
• Staff training is expensive.
• High staff turnover makes delivering staff
training difficult in ‘real world’ settings’.
• Relatively low pay in the care sector
makes the migration of staff to other services
much more of a reality.
• Good organisations invest money in staff
training for frontline staff.
A Systemic Approach
• Training to be effective requires
organisational support.
• We provide training systems.
• We actively support the development of
best practice in terms of policies, support
plans and procedures and the
implementation of our methods.
• Influencing organisations to operate within
a low arousal framework is a long term
process.
Why Studio 3?
• We don’t just train we campaign
• We are advocates for banning prone and supine holds
from training (See Millfields Charter)
• We provide a training system, not just training courses.
• We focus on developing a culture change strategy in
partnership with our customers
• Our goal is to achieve organisations that have a focus
on the reduction of restrictive practices.
• We have a proven track record.
• We set very high quality standards.
• We are scientist practitioners.
Our Courses
• An Introduction to managing challenging behaviour - One day
• Managing challenging behaviour including physical
intervention techniques - Three days
• Designing non-aversive reactive plans - Two days
• Designing risk assessments - One day
• Parents Training – Autism
• Autism Awareness
• Safeguarding children- One day
• Safeguarding Adults - One day
• Atlass Course 5 days
• Low Arousal Practitioner Course – 5 Days
• Train the Trainer Managing Challenging Behaviour
Studio 3 Clinical Services
• Clinical Psychology Support Services. We
are an experienced team of professionals
from many different but inter-related
disciplines. Our staff work with individuals
with a range of difficulties as well as with
their carers using systemic, evidence based
approaches. Our current work includes
individualised assessments, a range of
therapeutic approaches (including CBT and
counselling), staff and carer support.
The Atlass Programme
• ATLASS was formed by a group of Studio3 practitioners with
many years experience working with individuals with autism
spectrum disorders, their families and agencies who support
them. In our work we recognise that autism not only affects
the individual but also those around the individual and we
therefore take a holistic approach to support and
intervention.
• We have become increasingly aware of the role that stress
plays for the individual with autism, their experience of their
symptoms and for their family and carers. We have therefore
developed a range of services which specifically
acknowledges the management of stress and the
development of coping skills as an essential part of the
therapeutic process.
Applied Research
• We have substantial history in the behaviour
management field
• We are currently working in collaboration with the
Tizard Centre University of Kent on a number studies
which focus on the application of Low Arousal
Approaches
• Dr Roy Deveau is our Research Coordinator
• Our team is currently involved in writing an international
book about reducing restrictive practices (Professor
Jeffery Chan University of Queensland)
• We are currently writing a book which focuses on a
stress management approach to working with
behaviours of concern
UK Accreditation
• All our physical intervention courses are
BILD accredited.
• We support the Code of Practice, however
our training standards are well above the
requirements of this Code.
• In our view this code as developmental in
nature and we are advocating for
increasing quality standards.
Some of our Publications
Example Publications
• Deveau, R and McDonnell, A.A. (2009). As the last
resort: Reducing the use of restrictive physical
interventions using an organisational approach.
(The British Journal of Learning Disabilities)
• McDonnell (
• Dagnan D, Hull A & McDonnell A (2013) The
Controllability Beliefs Scale used with carers of
people with intellectual disabilities: Psychometric
properties. Journal of Intellectual Disability
Research. 57, 422-428.
Further Information
• General enquiries contact
info@studio3.org
• Useful websites:
• About Studio3: www.studio3.org
• Low arousal approaches:
www.lowarousal.com
• The Atlass programme:
www.atlassautism.com