SBD Program
What is Severe Behaviour Disorder?
Severe Behavioural Disorders (SBD) in children are complex, often causing difficulties in daily functioning, relationships, and learning. These disorders involve persistent, disruptive behaviours that go beyond the typical developmental phase and can greatly impact the child’s and family’s life. Understanding these disorders is essential for providing effective care and interventions.
Key Points
What are Behavioural Disorders?
Behavioural disorders are mental health conditions that lead to persistent disruptive behaviours. Examples include:
- Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder (ADHD)
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
- Conduct Disorder (CD)
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)
Severe Behavior Disorders (SBD) Curriculum
Randburg Clinic School follows the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), as prescribed by the
Department of Education. The curriculum is adapted to meet the specific needs of learners with severe behavior disorders.
Key features include:
- Baseline Assessment: Used to determine each learner’s current functional grade level.
- Individualized Instruction: Lessons are adapted to ensure learners access and make progress in the general curriculum
- Inclusive Approach: A variety of strategies are used to accommodate the diverse strengths and aptitudes of learners
There are no fixed grades at our school. Learners are placed in the phase, according to their chronological age. They are then taught at their functional level through curriculum differentiation by the teachers. Learners are also allowed to work at a pace that is suitable to their overall needs. As a school focused on supporting the education of children with Severe Behavior Disorders, behavior modification is at the backbone of our curriculum. We aim to help children learn to regulate their emotions, better equip them with inter-personal skills and encourage them to foster their decision making skills. All this is done through our trained staff demonstrating unconditional positive regard; implementing clear structure and routine as well as firm rules of engagement. We endorse and implement Collaborative and Proactive Solutions. (www.livesinthebalance.org) As we have found it to be research based and effective in modifying the behavior of our learners. Additionally, we have a Big Buddy system that is run where learners are paired with a young adult who serves as a role-model as well as mediator should the need arise.
Our classroom setup
We have a maximum of 10 learners per class. In our Foundation Phase we have classroom based teaching, whereas in our Intermediate Phase learners’ minds are prepared for high school through them rotating to different classrooms.
Our language of learning, teaching and communication
Our language of learning and teaching is English and our First Additional Language is Afrikaans.
School Hostel
The SBD Program
The SBD program may include learners be housed at the school. Learner arrive Monday morning and return home every Friday afternoon.
The Hostel manager and child youth care workers are responsible for the learners when it is not school hours all through the night.
* Learner go through an assessment that determines if they will benefit from the hostel program, otherwise they become day scholars.
