The theory that underpins safe prevention and management of violence and aggression across all care settings — adult residential and domiciliary care, children's homes, supported living and supported accommodation. Covers the law for adults and for children, why aggression happens, the crisis cycle, de-escalation, personal safety, the strict principles governing restrictive interventions, and post-incident learning. Physical intervention techniques are taught only face to face: this course pairs with a practical competency assessment delivered by your organisation's instructor and recorded on the platform.
What this course covers
- Explain the legal frameworks governing responses to violence and aggression for adults and for children and young people
- Identify the causes and functions of aggressive behaviour and the stages of the crisis cycle
- Apply primary prevention: environments, relationships and plans that reduce the likelihood of violence
- Use de-escalation skills as the core professional response to rising aggression
- Maintain personal safety through awareness, positioning and knowing when to withdraw
What's in each section
Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA) runs across 12 sections, each ending in a quick knowledge check:
- Violence, Aggression and Your Work
- The Law: Adults
- The Law: Children and Young People
- Why People Become Aggressive
- The Crisis Cycle
- Primary Prevention: Upstream of Everything
- De-escalation: The Core Skill
- Personal Safety
- Restrictive Intervention: The Principles
- After an Incident
- Reducing Restraint: The Organisational Duty
- Your Practical Competency Sign-Off
How much does Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA) training cost?
£3.99 per person on Care2Learn, with no minimum order and no subscription. If your team needs a full training matrix rather than one course, a subscription from £1.99 per learner per month covers every course in the catalogue — see the 2026 price comparison.
Who needs it
Every care setting — adult residential and domiciliary services, children's homes, supported accommodation and supported living. The theory is for all staff; your organisation's instructor delivers the face-to-face practical to those whose roles require it. Completion is recorded with the date taken and the date it is next due, so it appears correctly on your training matrix and can be evidenced at inspection.
What the learner receives
A certificate in their own name carrying our CPD Member badge (The CPD Certification Service), showing the completion date and the renewal date a year later, downloadable at any time. The record belongs to the learner, not just the employer — it travels with them rather than sitting in one provider's system.
Related courses
Providers usually assign these alongside Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA).
- Positive Behaviour Support — 45 min online, £3.99 per person
- Trauma-Informed Practice & ACEs — 45 min online, £3.99 per person
- Lone Working — 45 min online, £3.99 per person
- Risk Assessment & Safety Planning with Young People — 40 min online, £3.99 per person
You can also browse the full catalogue, or read about the Care Certificate for staff new to care.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA) training take?
About 45 min of e‑learning, across 12 sections with 15 assessment questions. Learners can stop and resume at any point, and it works on a phone.
What does Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA) training cover?
By the end of the course a learner should be able to explain the legal frameworks governing responses to violence and aggression for adults and for children and young people; identify the causes and functions of aggressive behaviour and the stages of the crisis cycle; apply primary prevention: environments, relationships and plans that reduce the likelihood of violence. The full list of learning outcomes is set out above.
Is Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA) CPD Aligned, and how is it assessed?
Yes — it is CPD Aligned, and the certificate carries our CPD Member badge. The assessment is multiple choice with a pass mark of 70%; attempts are recorded and learners can retake it. Renewal is set at 12 months from the completion date, so the course reappears on your training matrix when it is due.
Does the online course teach physical intervention techniques?
No — deliberately. Physical skills learned from a screen are dangerous, so this course carries the theory: the law for adults and for children, why aggression happens, the crisis cycle, de-escalation, personal safety and the strict principles governing any restraint. All physical techniques are taught face to face by your organisation's instructor, practised under supervision and assessed in person — and their sign-off is recorded on the platform beside the theory, exactly as the sector trains moving and handling and the Care Certificate.
Does this count towards the Care Certificate?
No — this is a standalone course rather than one of the Care Certificate standards. The Care Certificate is available as its own guided course for staff who are new to care.
Start Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression (PMVA) today
£3.99 per person pay-as-you-go — buy it for yourself, or put your whole team on a subscription from £1.99 per learner a month.
Buy this course — £3.99 Add to your team