What is the most common problem faced when planning for interventions in schools?

Think of an intervention you have tried to implement previously. Did it succeed or fail? What were the factors that led to this outcome?

Reflect on your practice. Are you the kind of practitioner that…

· Prefers a ridged plan?

· Can be flexible but needs a robust framework?

· Can be too flexible and get lost if there is not enough direction?

· Gets lost in the small details?

Consider the implementation of this program at your site.

· Who is being made accountable for it?

· What are the expectations around engagement for staff and students?

· Has there been an opportunity for feedback?

Now, the easy part of the CPS model has been done. You have:

· Considered your plan for intervention

· Investigated the behaviours, functional needs and lagging skills

· Prioritised the list of unsolved problems

Now is the time to plan for action!

Below is the ‘Problem-Solving Plan’. This document will help you frame the following topics, conversations, and actions around the behaviours you are intervening in and the lagging skills you seek to develop.

This is, in essence, an accountability document that plainly sets out who is responsible for what aspect of the program and the outcome of each step.

This document will be filled in as we progress through the CPS model and will assist in making sure each step is carried out in order and with fidelity.

You may see some similarities between the problem-solving plan and the One Child One Plan (OCOP) process or the functional barrier process. The goals set out can also be used to complete these forms; in turn, these other forms can inform your unsolved problems.

There is no reason to double up on work. If you have an informed document such as an OCOP or functional barriers from which you can draw these goals, I encourage you to do so.

I warn, however, that OCOP goals are often only aspirational goals and not explicit behaviours or the context in which challenging behaviours occur. In such cases, you may need to investigate further what the OCOP goals look like as explicit behaviour.

Sit down with the relevant stakeholders again and select your three highest-priority unsolved problems – the ones you should intervene in first. If this is your first time experiencing the CPS model, you can just choose one and focus on applying the model effectively for the first time.

Outline the explicit problem and, working through the sheet, complete all the information you can relating to your student intervention.

Set the document aside and refer to it when you complete each step. Remember to fill in each step as you go.

I encourage you to write your reflections in a journal or Word document using these guiding questions:

What accountability documents (for behaviour management) already exist at your site?

What behaviours are expected of someone taking the ‘lead’ in a behaviour intervention?

Is there a way to ensure that OCOP or functional barrier documents are all cross-referenced at site to prevent additional work?