Nick Barratt wins BILD ‘Innovation in PBS’ Award

Earlier this year Nick Barratt, Head of Dimensions Behaviour Support, won the British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) ‘Innovation in PBS’ award due to his role in implementing ‘Activate’ within Dimensions.

Activate is a new model of support for people with learning disabilities and autism. It combines the established principles of Positive Behaviour Support, Active Support and Periodic Service Reviews, with a bespoke model built around 8 domains of social care. Activate ensures that everyone supported by Dimensions will benefit from a Positive Behaviour Support based approach, whether or not the individual has behaviours that challenge.

Activate stems from research conducted by Dimensions with the University of Kent Tizard Centre and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation, and funded by the NIHR School for Social Care Research. In a randomised controlled trial, the model led to increases in the quality of support provided, and a reduction in challenging behaviour of over 60%.

Dimensions employs over 6000 support workers, who in turn provide support to 3500 people. In order to implement Activate across Dimensions, Nick and his team developed training to equip 440 “Activate Sponsors” with the skills to teach every support worker how to use the Activate model. We believe that, never before, have so many support workers been trained to deliver Positive Behaviour Support as a fundamental aspect of the support they provide.

Nick has played a key role throughout: from facilitating the original study, to designing the training and implementing the model nationwide. Converting a piece of academic research into a working approach to supporting people has not been easy. The training time and costs alone have been immense, and an entire new technology platform has been required. Throughout, Nick provided guidance to ensure the model remains faithful to the underpinning research, and continues to share knowledge across the sector by presenting on Activate at Conferences.

We are delighted that Nick has won the award and has been recognised for his leadership in driving PBS-based change into the social care sector, for his commitment to ensuring PBS continues to represent a badge of the highest quality support, and for his extensive influence beyond Dimensions’ boundaries.

About Nick

Nick is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst specialising in learning disability and autism, with a particular emphasis on behaviours that challenge. As Head of Behaviour Support at Dimensions, Nick manages the Behaviour Support Team and is responsible for policy and practice in Positive Behaviour Support.

Nick is involved in key initiatives aimed at improving the quality of PBS in the UK. He was a member of both the working group that developed the PBS Competence Framework, and the PBS Academy.

Nick serves on the board of the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis, and chairs a professionals’ group – the Applied Behaviour Analysis Forum. He is a member of the following special interest groups: organisational behaviour management, acquired brain injury, and positive behaviour support.

Nick co-authored a book on behaviour support with Baroness Sheila Hollins, creator of the Books Beyond Words series, which is aimed at people who find it easier to understand pictures than words. The book is called Feeling Cross and Sorting It Out.