Behaviour
De-escalation: What is it and how do I do it?
Help a distressed young person come back down, using your voice, your body and the room around you, then rebuild things afterwards.
- 27 minutes
- 7 modules
- 0.5 CPD hours
- Certificate
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What you'll learn
- Use the escalation curve to judge when and how to step in
- Keep ABC charts to find a young person's triggers and early signs
- Calm a situation with a low, slow voice, short phrases and real choices
- Adjust your body language, distance and the room to lower tension
- Help a young person recover, reconnect and reflect after a crisis
About this course
When a young person is shouting, crying or about to bolt, your own heart is pounding too. The instinct is to reason with them, and it rarely works, because a brain in that state isn't ready to listen.
De-escalation gives you something better to do. The escalation curve shows you where a young person is and when to step in, and ABC charts help you spot the triggers and early warning signs. You'll practise keeping your voice low and slow, using short repeated phrases and offering real choices. Just as useful are the things you do without words: 'think animal', lower the lights, give space and watch your own posture.
Once the peak has passed, a drink, a snack and time to rest come before any talking it through. The ideas come from a specialist teacher who supports autistic young people and those with SEMH needs.
- For middle leaders, senior leaders and 2 other roles. All phases.
7 modules
Open in order
- 2 min
Introduction
- 2 min
Wrap Up & Resources
- 4 min
What is the escalation curve?
1 question
- 6 min
When to De-escalate
- 7 min
De-escalation – verbal strategies
1 question
- 4 min
De-escalation – nonverbal strategies
1 question
- 4 min
De-escalation – What comes next?
1 question