Positive Handling emphasises a spectrum of gradual and graded responses to reduce the probability of challenging behaviour escalating towards violence. 

The emphasis is always on preventative measures, diffusion and de-escalation, which should make up more than 95% of responses. 

 

Where these approaches are insufficient, there are risk-reduced physical interventions which form part of a holistic response. 

 

Research has shown that staff trained in physical techniques as part of a holistic approach, are better at  de-escalation than those trained in de-escalation skills alone.