S for Stealing

When a child develops a habit of stealing it can be quite distressing for everyone involved. For the parents of the child who steals, they feel embarrassed, annoyed at their child and worried about the child's future. For the person from whom the item is stolen, it is a painful experience and can leave them feeling shaken, angry and fearful that it will happen again. If the stealing behaviour is prolonged and ongoing, it deteriorates the bonds of value, trust and respect within relationships and affects how others see, react and engage with the child. The climate of the context (e.g. childcare, early childhood, primary and secondary school, disability support and youth services) can also change dramatically. A considerable amount of time and energy can be spent on the child showing the stealing behaviour, which can have a deleterious effect on the quality of the learning experience for all the children. Research consistently shows that managing behaviour is linked to staff experiencing high levels of stress, burnout and job dissatisfaction. Based on the evidence-based Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approach this user-friendly guide, S for Stealing will help you develop a comprehensive PBS plan step-by-step:
1. Work out why your child is stealing (assess),
2. How to respond when your child steals (manage), and
3. How to prevent them from stealing (prevent). Use the practical tools (checklists, forms and strategies) provided to develop comprehensive PBS plans that can be used to support children of all ages consistently in all contexts. This invaluable resource is useful for parents, caregivers, educators in childcare, early childhood, primary and secondary schools, disability, mental health, allied health and supervisory professionals.