About Us
In December 2005 Behavioural Support Strategies (BSS) was adopted by The Practice Advisory Committee as our trading name and BSS was created as an independent Scottish entity offering training and support to develop and implement the BSS program of dealing with challenging behaviour in Scotland. BSS is now managed by VSA.

The need to establish BSS was driven by changes in European and Scottish legislation e.g. Human Rights Act 1998 and Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 which required organisations to have recognised systems of accountability in place to ensure quality of provision for people who use services. The BSS approach is an established and recognised method of achieving this for people who on occasions may challenge services.

The BSS approach offers a step by step process for crisis intervention and prevention. The BSS programme promotes the Whole Person Approach and aims to provide a framework for the use of proactive support for the management of behaviours that challenge. It emphasises as a very last resort the use of Reactive Strategies and Physical Interventions.

Each person's needs are assessed to emphasise positive behaviour changes, with staff actively working to support the individual develop new skills and improve self-control.

The BSS programme does acknowledge that on occasions Physical Interventions are appropriate to deal with a specific crisis. A suite of core interventions are approved, all of which are designed to protect the individual from injuring him/herself or others. These interventions are used as a last resort.

The BSS program was developed for service users, their families’ carers and direct care staff who provide support for:

  • People with a Mental Illness or Mental Health problem
  • Older people
  • People with Dementia
  • Children in Residential schools
  • Adults and children with complex support needs
  • Adults or children with physical sensory and learning difficulties
  • Younger adults (Adolescent)s in transitional services
  • Adults or children challenged by Autism

BSS is managed by VSA.
Registered Scottish Charity SC 012950.
Company Registration No. 18487. VAT Registration No. 265 8668 08.
The company is registered in Scotland as Aberdeen Association of Social Service operating as VSA, with registered Head Office 38 Castle Street, Aberdeen, AB11 5YU.