After a behavioural incident, the moments that follow are just as crucial as managing the crisis itself. The focus must shift from immediate safety to recovery, understanding, and learning. A structured and empathetic debriefing process is essential for reducing the future use of restrictive practices and rebuilding relationships. It allows everyone involved to feel safe and supported.
Here are ten tips to guide you through the post-incident process.
1. Address Immediate Emotions First (The ‘Hot Debrief’)
Before any analysis can take place, emotional needs must be met. The ‘hot debrief’ is a session for all involved parties, including the individual and staff, to deal with the emotions they experienced. This is not the time to analyse what went wrong; it is purely for venting and emotional support. It should be a non-judgemental session with a trusted colleague or facilitator, with the primary goal of helping everyone return to their emotional baseline.
2. Give Everyone Time to Recover
Following a crisis, individuals often experience a ‘post-crisis drain’ and may be in a fragile emotional state. It can take very little to trigger another escalation. It is vital to give the person, and the staff involved, time and space to rest and recover before attempting a more structured conversation. Rushing this process can be counterproductive.
3. Involve the Person with Lived Experience
The person at the centre of the incident must be included in the debriefing process wherever possible. Their perspective is invaluable for understanding what happened. Use communication strategies the person is comfortable with and approach the conversation with empathy. This collaborative approach demonstrates respect and leads to more effective support strategies.
4. Conduct a Formal, Structured Debrief
Once emotions have settled, a structured debrief should take place to gather information. This is a fact-finding, not fault-finding, exercise. A useful method is for everyone involved to write down two things that went well and two things that could have been done differently. This helps to create a balanced view of the incident.
5. Look Beyond the Behaviour to Understand “Why”
The ultimate goal of debriefing is to learn. Use the information gathered to look beyond the behaviour and understand its function. Ask key questions: “What did the person want to get?” or “What did they want to get away from?”. Look for any setting events—things that may have happened earlier in the day or even the day before—that increased the likelihood of the behaviour occurring.
6. Use the Learning to Inform Future Practice
Information from a debrief is only useful if it is acted upon. The learning gathered should be used to review and amend the person’s individual support or response plans. Consider environmental factors that may have contributed, such as noise or over-stimulation. This process helps to move from a reactive to a proactive approach.
7. Involve the Wider Team and Family
The insights gained from debriefing should be shared with everyone who supports the individual, including family members where appropriate. This ensures a consistent and informed approach. A team is not just those on a single shift; it includes everyone involved in the person’s care and support.
8. Maintain a Safe and Respectful Environment
For a debrief to be successful, it must be conducted in a safe environment where people feel able to speak openly without fear of blame. Interact with all participants with dignity and respect at all times. Pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal communication and use active listening skills throughout.
9. Distinguish Debriefing from an Investigation
It is crucial to remember that debriefing is not an investigation. Its purpose is to learn and improve support, not to assign blame. However, if at any point you suspect that a violation of law, such as abuse or neglect, has occurred, you must pause the debrief and immediately follow your organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures.
10. Follow Your Organisational Policy
Every organisation must have a clear policy on positive behaviour management, which includes guidance on reporting and debriefing incidents. This policy acts as your primary professional safeguard. Following it, along with specific service guidance and the person’s individual plans, protects you, the individual you support, and your organisation.
James Hourihan BScEcon, MScEcon, PGCertLDis, MIoD, FRSA
