A Community Response
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1991: Child Care Advisory Committee
How to support quality?
How to support inclusion?
Survey: 10% of children were described as
“challenging” by their ECE teachers.
• 1200 children lined up for assessment and
treatment!! There has to be a better way!
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Of the 10% described as
challenging…
• Very few will be able to access clinical
intervention.
• And;
• Positive relationships are critical for all!
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
In the eye of the beholder…
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Behaviour changes as the
circumstances change.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Factors Affecting Behaviour
• Child’s development, interests and
personality.
• Environment – physical
• Emotional environment
• A need is being met
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
The Emotional Environment
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Relationships with adults
Relationships with peers
Feelings of safety and security
Stress level
Reflect and reframe.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
The Physical Environment
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Toys and equipment
Room arrangement
Noise level
Temperature, light
Softness, textures
forgoodness
sake
Environmental Assessment
Tools: ECERS-R, ITERS-R,
FDCRS
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Environment - Structure
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Routines
Schedule
Consistency of caregivers
Support for caregivers – training,
mentoring, time to plan, time off
• Wages and working conditions
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Understand the Child to
Understand Behaviour
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Age
Physical development
Skills in all areas
Health
Temperament
Emotional state
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Child’s Needs
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Attention
Help with a developing skill
Wants something i.e. toy or object
Doesn’t want to do something
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Behaviour to meet needs.
• Observe and document
• What happens before, during and after the
behaviour?
• What patterns are repeated?
• What is the end result for the child?
• Is he/she meeting a need in either a
successful way or in a way that is frustrating
to the child and adult?
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Typical Behaviour & Typical
Strategies
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Re-direction
Set limits e.g. “when… then”
Allow for choice
Modelling
Tell the child what is expected
Acknowledge positive behaviour
Attention upfront.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
What is Challenging Behaviour
• Behaviour which puts self or others at risk of injury.
• Is seriously disruptive: i.e. dealing with behaviour
occupies much of teacher’s time.
• Continually inhibits positive interactions with peers
and adults.
• “Challenging behaviour challenges us as adults to
adapt the environment and / or the way we interact
with the child.”
– Setting the Stage for Successful Behaviour
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Five step process
• Reflect on your relationship with the
child.
• Gather information about the child.
• Gather information about the
environment.
• Observe the behaviour.
• Develop a plan.
• Reflect on progress and re-visit as
needed.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Implementing the plan successfully.
• Inform and engage everyone involved.
• Define the “new” skill or behaviour.
• Set goals – “Reduce frequency of incidents”
– “Reduce intensity of incidents”.
– “ Increase in use of new skills”.
Document to monitor consistency and to measure
change.
Focus on the positive!
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
The power of positive connections.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Scenario
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Dr. Jean Clinton and Lois Saunders
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
For Goodness Sake
Week One
Some background
For Goodness Sake, An Applied Approach to
Behavioural Intervention for Young Children, was
developed in Hamilton as a resource for early
childhood educators and caregivers who are
dealing with challenging and aggressive behaviour
among children in their care.
With the support of funding from the Ontario
Trillium Foundation and the Hamilton Community
Foundation, the resource was developed by the
Hamilton Early Learning Partners for Best Practice
(HELP-BP) and produced by MJM Productions
and Electra Communications of Hamilton.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Why communities need
For Goodness Sake
For Goodness Sake responds to the need for
support in dealing with young children who display
challenging and aggressive behaviour.
The Early Years Report (McCain, Mustard)
indicates that early child development initiatives
must include all children, including those living with
special difficulties and challenges, yet in many
cases, child care has been terminated due to
behaviour.
Furthermore, disruptive, acting out or aggressive
behaviours are the most common reason for
referral to children’s health services (Offord, Boyle
and Szatmari, 1987).
Interventions that focus on training parents and
caregivers to modify their interactions with their
forgoodness
children
2001) have shown success in
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
sake (Fick,
decreasing disruptive behaviours.
For Goodness Sake
Week Two
For Goodness Sake
Week Three
For Goodness Sake
• Fills a service gap in the area of
consultation regarding challenging
behaviour
• Addresses the need in a way that is
efficient in terms of deployment of
community resources
• Supports skill development among
parents, caregivers and early childhood
educators
• Addresses the societal concern that
Fraser Mustard speaks to in the Early
Years Report, i.e. the urgency of not
meeting the needs of our young children
and their caregivers, considered to be the
forgoodness
real brain
drain
fortoCanadian
culture
(Early
An applied
approach
behavioural intervention
for young
children
sake
Years Report, 1999)
For Goodness Sake
Week Four
For Goodness Sake
For Goodness Sake is a resource for early
childhood educators, community health
nurses and teachers.
Through its interactive CD format, For
Goodness Sake combines training along
with a system to guide practitioners and
parents in developing action plans to
address challenging behaviour and
support pro-sociality.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
For Goodness Sake
Week Five
Anticipated outcomes
• Lessened demand on
community mental health
consultation services
• Improvements in caregiver
confidence
• Improved school readiness
and pro-social skill
development
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
Evaluation by
research team
The Research and Evaluation committee of
Hamilton Early Learning Partners for Best Practice
(HELP-BP) is chaired by Dr. Jean Clinton and
includes researchers and epidemiologists from:
• McMaster University Department
of Psychology
• McMaster Children’s Hospital
• City of Hamilton Department of
Public Health and Community
Services, Program Policy and
Planning Division.
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
For Goodness Sake
Week Six
Currently under
evaluation
• Fidelity to training
• Change in teachers/caregivers
confidence
• Change in parents’ confidence in the
ability of teachers/caregivers
• Child outcomes will be evaluated in
conjunction with McMaster
University’s Community – University
Research Alliance (CURA) Project
forgoodness
sake
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children
For Goodness Sake
Week Seven
To order For Goodness
Sake:
The cost of For Goodness Sake is
$200.00.
To order a copy for your program
contact:
Lois Saunders, ECE,C
Affiliated Services for Children and
Youth
forgoodness
sake
E-mail: saunders@ascy.ca
An applied approach to behavioural intervention for young children