Behaviour is an important form of communication for all babies and children - what can be seen as difficult or disruptive behaviour is often at the end of a sequence of behaviours which may have been happening across several hours, leading to the behaviours that parents and families are worried about.
The iHV developed a suite of resources as part of our ‘Changing Conversations Understanding Behaviour’ project - funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing, and in collaboration with The Challenging Behaviour Foundation and The Sleep Charity - with a wealth of resources to support your practice and to share with families.
Some families may respond to behaviours they find challenging by using restrictive practices as a form of behaviour management. However, these practices are often misunderstood, and there are many misconceptions about their use - particularly in relation to what is developmentally appropriate and safe. For example, approaches that may be suitable for an 18‑month‑old would not be appropriate for a 3‑year‑old.
To support greater awareness and understanding of restrictive practices in the early years - and their impact on babies, children and families - we invite you to watch and share the animation below. Co-produced with parents, the animation reflects their lived experiences and voices throughout their family journey, and was developed by Fettle Animation.
iHV Resources
📃 Good Practice Points and Parent Tips
Developed in collaboration with topic experts, health visitors, and other professionals, our resources draw on the latest available evidence at the time of publication. Each resource is produced through a robust quality assurance process and peer reviewed to ensure accuracy, relevance, and strong alignment with health visiting practice.
Approaches to working with families to understand and support behaviour
Good Practice Point
Understanding behaviour to support the sensory needs of children with autism
Good Practice Point
Supporting sleep habits in children with additional needs, with accompanying Sleep Diary to share and use with families
Parent Tip
Changing Conversations: Autism & Supporting Behaviour Ambassador
🏷️ Cost: From £265
🕒 Duration: 1 Day
👥 Suitable for: Health Visitors (inc. Specialist Health Visitors) and Skill Mix
External Resources
The Anna Freud mental health charity produces a range of resources for parents on supporting common difficulties in the early years – including aggression, anxiety and tantrums. Find out more here.
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation - for support for children with severe learning disabilities. Find out more here.
The Sleep Charity – Provides training for practitioners and resources for parents on children’s sleep problems. Find out more here.