Supporting Supply, Agency and Temporary Staff with Behaviour

Whether it’s long-term cover, or the occasional day of agency support, temporary members of staff are an increasingly common feature of our organisations. Against the backdrop of a multi-sector recruitment and retention crisis, agency and supply staff provide a much-needed service, enabling our settings to function well and provide continuous care.

However, for the individuals we support, sudden changes in staffing can sometimes be unsettling. For example, if individuals expect certain members of staff to be present at certain times, the unexpected arrival of an agency worker can elicit feelings of anxiety, confusion and uncertainty. And for some, this can lead to an increase in distressed behaviours.

It’s vital, then, that we take the time to welcome and induct temporary staff into our settings, making sure they are equipped with the tools they need to understand our approach to behaviour, so that they can offer the best, most appropriate support.

Challenges for agency and supply staff

In an ideal world, there would only ever be a limited need to employ temporary agency staff in our organisations, but with high staff turnover and factors such as illness or parental leave, the reality is that education and health and social care settings often utilise practitioners from agencies to provide care and cover.

Some of the challenges include:

1: Lack of time and capacity to read key documentation

Sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, plans are put in place at the very last minute, making things feel rushed and manic. The focus is on getting a practitioner to the right place, at the right time, leaving little or no capacity to brief them on important policies and processes. Hurried handovers also present little opportunity for agency staff to read through individual support plans that would provide valuable insight into a child, young person or adult’s unique needs and preferences.

2: New and unfamiliar environments

Agency staff can often find themselves navigating unfamiliar environments and may not know where or how to locate resources, agreed systems around behaviour, or how to contact key people.

Crucial information may be known between staff, but not recorded anywhere. For example, if an individual needs a specific object to help them regulate, but it’s not clear where this is kept or the information is not included in their individual support plan, it is difficult for agency staff to support effectively.

3: Diverse perspectives on behaviour support

Like most things, attitudes and approaches to behaviour are continually evolving. For some professionals working in supply and other agencies, it might have been some time since they were employed within a setting, or they may have worked at organisations with different views about behaviour support. Their approach and views may be out of alignment with current practice, or our chosen approach.

As a result, they may need extra support and time to digest any updates or changes in guidance while acquainting themselves with our working practices.

4: Challenges around relationship-building

We know that relationships are key to effective behaviour support. Full-time or permanent staff often have more opportunities to build these relationships and learn more about those they support. This enables them to make informed decisions around how best to manage moments of crisis or distress.

For those working in agency or supply roles, building relationships can prove much harder. Relationships can’t be ‘acquired’ or copied, but temporary staff may not have the time or capacity to forge deep bonds, due to the transient nature of their roles.

How can we best support agency and supply staff?

Despite the numerous challenges, there are many ways we can work together with supply and agency staff, to empower them with the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to acclimatise quickly to our settings, and offer the best to support to our children, young people and adults.

1: Create welcome packs

As far as possible, we need to enable agency staff to ‘hit the ground running’ once they arrive in our settings, and one way of doing that is by creating welcome packs.

These do not have to be particularly detailed, or onerous to put together; in fact, the more succinct they are, the better. In terms of contents, they might contain copies of important policy documents, relevant individual support plans, pen portraits or communication passports for particular individuals, and a list of key members of staff and how to contact them. Ideally, staff are provided with these before their start date or time, to give them an opportunity to process the information, get prepared, and raise any queries.

2: Plan structured orientation opportunities

If we want to ensure that agency workers are supporting individuals in a way that aligns with our approach and values, it can be helpful to plan for a structured orientation session. Of course, this is not always practical or possible, but it may be something that we can facilitate, especially if we have advance notice of cover and it is for a longer-term placement.

So, how might this look? It could be the case that we invite staff to visit our setting before they begin, at a time when we have the capacity to meet with them. We could conduct a tour of the building, highlighting where resources are kept and where other staff members can be found. We can make introductions and answer any questions they may have. Ensuring temporary staff know how and where to access support is crucial.

Orientation sessions also offer the chance to discuss key individuals and clarify effective strategies that have worked in the past. We can build confidence and knowledge, enabling agency workers to feel supported and well-prepared.

3: Facilitate relationship-building

We know that relationships are the foundation of effective behaviour support, even in shorter-term contexts. Although it might be challenging to replicate the deep bonds that permanent staff can forge with individuals, we can still provide information and opportunities that can help someone form the basis of a good relationship.

Documents such as pen portraits can provide insight into a person’s interests, likes and dislikes, and areas of strength. This information can be elaborated upon by holding conversations with existing staff, where possible, and making time to get to know individuals. Even if there are limitations around time and capacity, we can still encourage new staff to build rapport with the individuals in our settings.

4: Prioritise wellbeing for all staff

The wellbeing of all staff is essential in any organisation, including any cover or agency staff. When people feel encouraged, valued and well supported, they are more likely to approach their work with positivity and commitment.

Despite the time and capacity constraints, there are many ways we can support staff wellbeing, and ensure everyone feels welcome and included:

• Greet them warmly and ask their name
• Enquire as to whether they have any specific needs e.g. dietary, accessibility
• Ensure they know how to access key areas of the building
• Introduce them to other team members by name
• Check in regularly with them throughout the shift or day
• Reassure them that we understand the challenges they may face
• Make sure they know who they can go to if they are worried about anything
• Be patient and allow time for them to process the information they are receiving from us
• Find time to debrief before they leave
• Forging longer-term solutions

No matter what the recruitment and retention landscape, there is undoubtedly always going to be a need for supply and agency workers within our organisations. It’s crucial then, that we consider longer-term solutions to the obstacles they might face and work together to build a framework that works for everyone.

This might include forging more sustainable, two-way relationships with agencies and temporary staff; planning ahead (where possible) for periods of leave or absence; setting up recruitment fayres or open days; and adopting a proactive approach to inducting new staff. Over time, and with buy-in from leaders and other professionals, this broad spectrum of measures will ensure that we can confidently support supply and agency staff, and provide continuous, high-quality support to every individual in our care.

If you’d like to talk to us about your needs when it comes to supporting behaviour in your setting, please get in touch any time.