Positive Behaviour Support

What do we do?

Behaviour Support Practitioners help understand and respond to behaviours that may be causing harm or distress.

They work with the person, their family, and support network to look at why the behaviour is happening and what the person might need. The aim is to create practical, respectful strategies that support the person’s wellbeing and help make everyday life safer and more manageable.

Understanding Behaviours

Behaviours of concern are actions that may be distressing or harmful to the person or others. These behaviours are often a way of communicating when something isn’t right.

Examples include:

Yelling or swearing
Hitting or hurting self or others
Breaking or throwing things

All behaviour has a purpose. It might be a way to:

Express frustration or distress
Avoid something overwhelming
Get help or connection
Cope with sensory overload

We aim to understand why it’s happening. A neuroaffirming approach focuses on meeting the person’s needs with respect, kindness, and support.

Strategies that support you.

Sometimes people show behaviour that’s hard to manage. This can happen when they feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or can’t tell others what they need.

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is about understanding why the behaviour is happening and helping the person in a kind and respectful way.

It looks at what the person might need, what’s happening around them, and how to make things easier. Sometimes the person needs help learning new skills. Other times, the environment needs to change to better support them.

PBS also teaches safer ways to manage feelings, solve problems, and ask for help.

Support from calm, understanding people is important. They can help before things get too hard and keep everyone safe if needed.

PBS respects that everyone is different and helps people find what works best for them.

What to Expect from a Behaviour Support Practitioner?

Step 1 - Assess

A Behaviour Support Practitioner helps people who may show behaviours that are distressing or unsafe. These behaviours usually happen when a person’s needs aren’t being met, or when they’re having trouble communicating, coping, or feeling safe.

We work together with the person, their family, and support team to understand what’s going on and how to help.

What We Do

We support people through a range of practical steps:

Get to know the person – We take time to understand their strengths, needs, routines, and what’s important to them.
Do assessments – We gather information by talking with people who know the person well and by observing routines. This helps us understand why the behaviour is happening.
Develop a Behaviour Support Plan – This plan is made just for the person. It includes strategies that reduce behaviours of concern, build on strengths, and increase safety and quality of life.
Create Safety Plans – If there’s a risk of harm, we include step-by-step instructions for keeping the person and others safe.
Train and support others – We help support workers, educators, and family members understand and use the plan in real life.

How Long Does It Take?

Initial assessment and information gathering – Usually starts within a few weeks of referral.
Interim Behaviour Support Plan – If restrictive practices are used, we aim to complete an interim plan within one month.
Comprehensive Behaviour Support Plan – This is usually completed within 3 months, depending on the person’s needs and the complexity of the behaviour.

What Makes Us Different

We see behaviour as communication—not as something "bad"
We focus on improving the person’s quality of life, not just reducing behaviour
We listen, ask questions, and involve everyone in the process
We don’t jump to quick fixes—we work with care, respect, and evidence-based strategies