PBS Training: Building a Skilled and Confident Workforce
When I first started supervising PBS practice sessions, I thought the hardest part would be explaining the science.
I was wrong.
The real challenge was helping people feel capable — not just knowledgeable.
There’s a moment that happens sometimes in training. We’ll be practising a skill, or breaking down a behaviour sequence, and suddenly someone’s eyes light up. You can almost see the confidence switch on — that quiet, internal “Oh… I can actually do this.”
Those moments have stayed with me. Because PBS training isn’t just about understanding behaviour — it’s about building confidence in the people who support others every day.
What PBS Training Actually Means (Spoiler: It’s Not Just Attending a Course)
Positive Behaviour Support isn’t a one-day workshop you tick off a list.
The PBS Competence Framework (UK) makes this really clear. Competence is built across five domains:
- Values and person-centred practice
- Understanding behaviour
- Developing, implementing, and evaluating support plans
- Working in partnership with others
- Maintaining high-quality practice through reflection and supervision
In other words: PBS training should help people do PBS, not just talk about it.
When I train or supervise staff, I rely heavily on Behaviour Skills Training (BST) — because it’s one of the few methods consistently shown to build real, observable skills. BST includes:
- Explaining the skill
- Modelling it
- Practising it
- Providing feedback
It’s simple, structured, and incredibly powerful.
It’s also a world apart from traditional training where people nod politely and forget everything by the next morning.
The Confidence Shift
There’s plenty of research showing that confidence grows from competence — not from “being told you’re doing great,” but from experiencing success.
I’ve watched staff become more assured in tiny but meaningful stages:
- The first time they correctly identify the function of behaviour
- The moment a support plan suddenly “clicks”
- The relief when they realise they can run an intervention without feeling panicked
- The pride when consistency leads to better outcomes
One team member said after a few BST cycles,
“I didn’t realise I could actually do this.”
And honestly, that’s the moment I live for in this work.
That’s when a workforce starts becoming truly skilled — and more importantly, truly confident.
Five Pillars of Effective PBS Workforce Training
(mapped directly to the PBS Competence Framework)
1. Person-centred values and dignity
If training doesn’t start with values, everything falls apart.
Behaviour is communication — not “badness,” “defiance,” or “attention-seeking.”
When staff understand that, everything softens. Everything becomes more human.
2. Understanding behaviour
This is the “why” behind everything in PBS.
Without functional understanding, strategies become guesswork.
Good training helps staff see patterns and environmental influences with clarity rather than confusion.
3. Coaching and real-world practice (BST)
Here’s the truth: you can’t learn PBS purely through instruction.
It’s a doing discipline — you only get confident by rehearsing the skills, getting feedback, and refining.
This is the piece people enjoy the most once they get over the initial fear of role-play (And I understand — role-play can feel uncomfortable for anyone, especially when you’re practising scenarios that are emotionally complex).
4. Team collaboration
PBS falls apart if only one staff member is trained.
Consistency is everything.
Training should build shared language, shared values, and shared tools.
5. Reflection and ongoing supervision
Competence isn’t a finish line — it’s maintained over time.
People need safe, supportive supervision spaces to reflect, adjust, and keep growing.
Why This Matters for Children, Families, and Services
A confident, competent workforce can change the entire atmosphere of a service.
I’ve seen:
- Calmer classrooms
- Reduced stress for families
- Fewer restrictive practices
- More joyful interactions
- Better quality of life
- More dignity, more choice, more understanding
Research backs this up too:
- Gore et al. (2019) emphasise that high-quality PBS training improves adherence to values and practice standards.
- Beadle-Brown et al. (2020) found that well-trained staff deliver better outcomes and experience less burnout.
Simply put:
PBS training builds environments where children are understood, not managed.
Choosing Quality PBS Training
If you’re looking at PBS training for your team (now or in the future), here are the things I always recommend checking:
- Does it align with the PBS Competence Framework?
- Does it include practice and feedback, not just theory?
- Is coaching offered?
- Is supervision part of the process?
- Are values central — not an afterthought?
If the answer is “yes,” you’re on the right path.
A Note on Resources (for future readers)
I don’t offer training packages for organisations at the moment, but who knows what the future may bring?
For now, this article is here to help you understand what good PBS training looks like — and why confidence matters just as much as skill.
There’s a moment after a good practice session where people pack their things quietly, smiling in that slightly tired-but-proud way.
Someone cracks a joke.
Someone else says, “That actually made sense today.”
And for a brief second, I think:
Yes. This is it. This is how we build a workforce that truly sees behaviour as communication — and supports people with dignity and skill.
Those moments keep me grounded in why this work matters.
References
Beadle-Brown, J., Grey, B., & Ashton-Smith, J. (2020).
Implementing positive behavioural support: Changing social and organisational culture.
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 33(4), 584–595.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12702
Gore, N. J., McGill, P., Toogood, S., Allen, D., Hughes, J. C., Baker, P., Hastings, R. P., Noone, S. J., & Denne, L. D. (2019).
Positive Behavioural Support: A competence framework.
International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support, 9(1), 1–16.