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Challenging Behaviour (Blended Learning)

This course will equip you with knowledge, skills and competence in supporting individuals with intellectual disability who present with challenging behaviour.

Minor Award

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Course overview

This course is designed to equip the learner with knowledge and skills in supporting individuals with learning disability who present with challenging behaviour.

The course is scheduled to run online 1 evening a week, Wednesday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm for 12 weeks.

The initial class and all assessments will take place in the Monavalley Campus

Please note  all Learners must have competent written and spoken English (CEFR B1 or Higher).

What will I study ?

  • Define the concept of "challenging behaviour"
  • Identify inappropriate behaviour presented by an individual with intellectual disability
  • Describe behaviour in observable, measurable terms
  • List the goals of Positive Behaviour Support
  • Explain how internal factors, related to a person's health and well being, can underlie challenging behaviour
  • Explain how external factors related to the environment and the reactions to behaviour, can underlie challenging behaviour
  • Define the terms "positive reinforcement", "negative reinforcement", "antecedent" and "setting events"
  • Recognise examples of positive and negative reinforcement of inappropriate or challenging behaviour in daily situations in the lives of people with intellectual disability
  • Recognise examples in the daily lives of people with intellectual disability, where inappropriate or challenging behaviour is being maintained by the setting events and antecedents prior to the behaviour
  • Demonstrate how the parts of the Antecedent, Behaviour Consequence (ABC) model work together
  • Use an ABC chart for recording observations of inappropriate or challenging behaviour
  • Gather and record information about an individual with intellectual disability that can be used in the analysis of challenging behaviour and development of a support plan
  • Distinguish between inappropriate behaviour and challenging behaviour
  • Describe the challenging behaviour presented by an individual with intellectual disability in terms that are observable and measurable
  • Outline the typical strategies used by staff and carers for dealing with inappropriate behaviour
  • Outline the values underpinning Positive Behaviour Support
  • Evaluate how well the goals and values of the Positive Behaviour Support model fit in with the policies of a service provider relating to challenging behaviour
  • Discuss how challenging behaviour can be reinforced both positively and negatively
  • Explain why negative reinforcement and punishment are not used in the Positive Behaviour Support model
  • Outline the guidelines for selecting skills to teach
  • Discuss a range of characteristics that promote positive environments.

What is the certification?

QQI Level 5 Minor Award Certificate in Challenging Behaviour (5N1706)

What are the entry requirements?

  • Applicants will be expected to demonstrate a standard of knowledge, skill and competence equivalent to NFQ Level 4 when accessing a Level 5 programme.
  • Mature applicants with relevant life and work experience.
  • Must have a motivation to learn, an interest in the subject and the ability to acquire the knowledge, skills and competencies set out in the course.
  • Must be able to work with responsibility and demonstrate the ability to work on their own initiative.

What is the cost?

Fees apply to all part-time programmes.
A fee waiver is in place for applicants in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. You can check your fee waiver eligibility with Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP), INTREO or your Local Employment Service (LES) office.
Learners in employment may also be granted a fee waiver under the Skills to Advance Initiative. For more details on this please contact Claire at [email protected]

Still have questions?

Contact our Kerry College Admissions Offices – Tralee on 066 714 9696, Killarney on 064 662 2593 or [email protected]

Part-time Courses - FAQs

FET is short for Further Education & Training. Kerry College is an integrated college of FET. This means we do both progression-focused further education programmes and a range of employment-focused skills training programmes.

We enroll twice each year - January and September.

Part-time programmes run on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, Friday afternoons, Saturday mornings, and increasingly online.

This depends on the course you choose. 

Some courses have long waiting lists, others - not so much. Places are filled on a first-come, first-served basis so the best advice we can offer is to apply in plenty of time.

We enroll over 1000 applicants to our part-time courses each year - so it's always busy.

As places are offered based on the date of application, our team could be working their way down through the list.

That said, always check.

You can call Mary on our Part-time courses team at 066-7149696.

Although all of our part-time courses are fee-paying, we do have a DEASP Fee Waiver in place for those in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. 

This is subject to a waiting list and demand for course places.

Most part-time courses run at Kerry College are Minor awards.

A Minor award is commonly referred to as a module - but also as a component certificate or a certificate of unit credit.

These single 'modules' may be completed and certificated individually. All minor awards are linked to a major award that allows learners to collect and build their minor awards and work towards gaining a major award.

Applications for all part-time programmes should be made online - via the Kerry College website or www.fetchcourses.ie

FETCH COURSES is the national application system for all FET course applications. 

All new applicants must set up a free account on www.fetchcourses.ie. You must use this to apply for all further education and training progarmmes anywhere in Ireland. 

For existing Fetch Courses account holders, login and apply as before. 

You can reset your password using your email or mobile phone. When you do, make sure you keep it for future reference.

Bear in mind, FETCH uses your PPS number to identify you - so although you might be able to set up a second account - it won't work properly.

If you're still stuck, contact our Admissions team on 066-714 96 96

No, aside from the DEASP Fee Waiver, all part-time courses are fee-paying.

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