Behavioral Support

The Importance of Behavioral Support

Challenging behaviors are a natural part of childhood, but past trauma, instability, and other difficult experiences can magnify these behaviors in children. TCM recognizes the importance of individualized behavioral support and implements comprehensive strategies that promote positive behaviors, emotional regulation, and personal growth. Children at TCM may exhibit a range of behavioral challenges that stem from various factors, including trauma, attachment issues, developmental delays, and environmental stressors. These challenges can result in behaviors such as aggression, defiance, withdrawal, self-harm, or difficulty managing emotions.

Comprehensive, Personalized Behavioral Support

Effective behavioral support is essential for promoting the well-being and success of the children in our care. TCM serves children from many different backgrounds, situations, and disabilities, so we recognize how crucial it is to individualize our expectations to account for these differences. While we hold children to a high standard for behaviors, these standards are determined by the capabilities of the individual child. Our individualized behavioral plans help children develop positive behaviors, enhance emotional regulation, and build resilience by dealing with underlying problems, teaching coping skills, and providing a supportive environment. We use a variety of strategies to support the children at TCM:

• Individualized Behavior Plans: For children who need extra behavioral support, TCM utilizes personalized behavior plans tailored to their unique needs, strengths, and challenges. These plans detail specific goals, interventions, and strategies to identify target behaviors and expectations.
• Positive Behavior Reinforcement: Positive behavior reinforcement is an important part of behavioral support at TCM. We strive to recognize desired behaviors through encouragement, recognition, and motivation. Positive reinforcement techniques, which include praise, rewards, and incentives, are used to promote and reward expected behaviors.
• Therapeutic Interventions: Licensed therapists are part of each child’s behavior support team at TCM. Using various therapeutic techniques, our therapists help children learn to process and manage their emotions, develop appropriate coping mechanisms, and address any underlying issues that might be contributing to challenging behaviors.
• Structured Environment: TCM provides a structured and reliable environment with clear expectations, routines, and boundaries. That consistency and predictability help children feel safe, secure, and supported, which reduces uncertainty and encourages positive behaviors.
• Supportive Relationships: Each child at TCM has a team that works together to make sure they are getting the support they need. This team can include legal guardians, caseworkers, social workers, educators, houseparents, therapists, and other relevant members. Our community at TCM strives to form supportive and nurturing relationships with children and serve as positive role models, mentors, and advocates.
• Collaboration with Community Resources: TCM collaborates with various therapists and educators in our community to access specialized services and interventions that children might need beyond the scope of what we can provide on our campus. This multidisciplinary approach ensures that children receive comprehensive support designed to meet their individual needs.

TCM is dedicated to providing all children with the behavioral support they need to grow and succeed. We don’t expect their behaviors to fit into a certain mold but rather work to meet each child at their level. We use behavior strategies and plans tailored specifically to them so that they can reach their fullest potential.