Professional development

If you are seeking to develop your understanding of challenging behaviour and/or learning disability, we have listed some ways you can get involved. Additionally, you can consult our list of academic courses which may be of interest.

CBF Workshops

The CBF provides a variety of workshops designed for family carers and professionals who support individuals with severe learning disabilities and/or challenging behaviours. These workshops include Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), Trauma Awareness, Whole Family Approaches, Communication and Challenging Behaviour and Pica Awareness.

Unlike most other training on the market, all CBF training workshops are genuinely co-produced and co-delivered with family carers. The interactive workshops provide practical skills and strategies that help professionals working within the system reflect on the quality of support at an individual, local and systemic level.

You can get involved by signing up or booking your place at our workshop here.

Resources and Research

The CBF has a range of resources offering support and information about challenging behaviour and connected issues both for professionals and family carers. We are also engaged in various research studies with the aim of improving the lives of individuals with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges.

To learn more about our resources and the research we are involved in, please click on the links below.

Find out more about our resources here.

Find out more about our resources for commissioners here.

Find out more about the research we have been involved in here.

Ways you can get involved

Join our Professionals Email Network, a discussion forum for professionals working in the field of challenging behaviour associated with learning disability.

“The support from the Professionals’ Email Network is invaluable.”
(Social Worker)

Apply to be a core member of the Challenging Behaviour National Strategy Group

Sign up to our Paving the Way mailing list to receive updates about policy and projects related to children and young people with severe learning disabilities

Academic courses

Click on the name of the university below to link up to further details about each course. Please note that inclusion on this list should not be taken as a recommendation by the Challenging Behaviour Foundation. Please contact the universities themselves for further details.

Courses: Degrees about learning/intellectual disabilities

Undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ABAI (certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst) or UK-SBA (UKBA(cert)

Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Positive Behavioural Support in organisations, develops knowledge, understanding and competence in using PBS

Masters Degree

Postgraduate certificate (autism children)

Distance Learning course focusing on in-depth theory, understanding of clinical issues and practice

Online learning with a focus on disability rights

Courses: Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

Part-time MSc, PgDip, or PgCert in Positive Behaviour Support

Full-Time or Part-Time MSc in Positive Behaviour Support

workshops in Understanding Challenging Behaviour (UCB), Supporting Behaviour Change (SBC), Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) - UCB and SBC combined, PBS Awareness, Pica Awareness and Communication and Challenging Behaviour

Courses: Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA)

A part-time MSc course

Full-time or part-time postgraduate courses - Masters (MSc), Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) or Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert).

Full-time or part-time postgraduate courses - MSc, PDip or PCert.

Full-time 2 year MSc course.

Full-time or part-time MSc course.

Courses: Degrees about Autism

Autism Studies MA, PGDip, PGCert Autism Studies (Distance Learning), MA, PGDip, PGCert

Part time postgraduate degrees in Autism and Learning.

Part time course in Professional Educational Studies course which can specialise in teaching people with Autism.

Postgraduate degrees in Autism (MEd, PgDip, PgCert).

MA in Special Educational Needs (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

Part time postgraduate course in Autism

Full-time or part-time post graduate course in Autism Spectrum Conditions and Learning

Full-time or part-time MA in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Part time MA in Autism

Full-time or part-time MA in Special and Inclusive Education (Autism)

The National Autistic Society provides a list of CPD and University accredited qualifications offering professional development on autism and related conditions.

Courses: Learning Disability Nursing (Undergraduate)

Click on the university titles below to visit each page.

Click on the above link to read the course details