How Behaviour Support makes a positive difference

Positive behaviour support services aim to help people experiencing behaviours of concern. Behaviours of concern are behaviours that adversely impact the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or those around them, and that may also increase the risk of harm. Positive behaviour support services aim to support these individuals to live a life that is in alignment with their values, goals, wants and needs, to improve their quality of life and reduce behaviours of concern.

The approach is holistic, considering the person’s history, social support networks, environment, and activities that bring meaning and purpose to their lives, in order to facilitate meaningful change to the lives of people we work with and those within their support systems, whether they reside with their families or supported independent living providers.

Image: Positive Behaviour Support Process, United DisAbility, 2025.

Who might benefit from seeking behaviour support?

Positive behaviour support services are available under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). They are listed as ‘specialist behavioural intervention support’ and/or ‘behaviour management plan and training in behaviour management strategies’. This means eligible individuals can receive professional positive behaviour support from a registered behaviour support practitioner.

People with disabilities who experience behaviours of concern will benefit from this service. This includes individuals across the lifespan, from young children through to older adults. They may reside at a range of settings, including home, the community, or within Supported Independent Living accommodations.

How does Positive Behaviour Support work?

When you engage with Positive Behaviour Support services, a Behaviour Support practitioner will work closely with the person with disability and their support networks, such as family members, Supported Independent Living providers, and other key supports. Using a holistic approach, the practitioner considers the person’s history, environment, social connections, and the activities that bring meaning and purpose to their life. This comprehensive understanding helps guide strategies that create meaningful, lasting change for both the individual and the people who support them.

What steps are involved in Positive Behaviour Support?

1. A positive behaviour practitioner will first get to know the person receiving services and their support networks to gain an understanding of the person; their likes, dislikes, goals, values, and unmet needs.
2. The behaviour practitioner will then work with the person and their support system to gather information to complete an assessment known as a ‘Functional Behaviour Assessment’ that gathers information on the person, their environments, their history, and on the behaviours of concern. This information will help those supporting the individual identify why the behaviour is occurring and why it is continuing.
3. The information gathered will inform the development of a ‘Comprehensive Behaviour Support Plan’, which is a plan outlining how change will be facilitated, within the person and within their systems. The practitioner will work alongside the person and their support systems to support this change.

This may look like:

• Supporting individuals to develop new skills that are essential to their health and wellbeing, such as emotional regulation and communication skills.
• Providing coaching and training to the support systems of those we work with to understand how they can implement proactive strategies that prevent behaviours of concern and improve the person’s quality of life. This may include strategies that address the person’s environment, communication needs, ability to exercise choice and control in their lives, community engagement, their sensory needs, and health and wellbeing needs.
• Providing coaching and training in de-escalation strategies to support the safety of all and minimise harm during a behavioural escalation.

Therapy Focus’ Positive Behaviour Support services

At Therapy Focus, some of our therapists specialise in positive behaviour support. Our behaviour support specialists work as part of our transdisciplinary therapy teams, helping people with disability address challenges and achieve their goals. Services are tailored to the unique needs of each individual and can be provided at home, at school, in our offices, in community settings or online via teletherapy.

Examples of behaviours that our therapists can provide support for include:

• Running away (absconding)
• Physically or verbally being aggressive towards siblings/parents/family members
• Spitting, faecal (poo) smearing
• Harming to self or others
• Withdrawal