3. Behaviour as communication

When all around are losing control of themselves, the first thing you need to do is keep a hold of yourself.

These four questions will help you keep cool and aware in any crisis or perhaps debrief at the end of a shift or difficult situation.



What am I feeling now?

What is important about being in touch with our own feelings when responding to a crisis? What affect do our feelings have on our behaviours in a crisis?

What does this young person feel, need and want?

How can an understanding of this question guide us to a better, more appropriate response? How will meeting the young person's needs help de-escalate the situation?

How is the environment affecting the young person?

What elements might escalate the situation? How can we modify the environment to decrease the stimulation? What are the home's expectations in a crisis?

How do I best respond?

How will our response be more likely to succeed after considering the four questions?