A guide to understanding what a positive behaviour support plan contains, how practitioners develop it, and what NDIS participants and families can expect from the process.

What Is Positive Behaviour Support?

Positive behaviour support (PBS) is an evidence-based, person-centred framework for supporting individuals who experience behaviours of concern or impact their wellbeing or safety.

It’s built on a core principle: all behaviour serves a purpose. When someone is withdrawing, experiencing periods of high distress, or showing behaviours that may place themselves or others at risk, they are communicating something.

This could relate to an unmet need, discomfort, frustration, or emotional distress. Rather than focusing on stopping a behaviour, PBS seeks to understand why it’s happening.

Research consistently shows that interventions informed by this kind of functional understanding tend to be more effective than those that don’t consider the purpose behind the behaviour (Gore et al., 2013).

A 2023 systematic review confirmed that PBS, when delivered with adequate staff training, produces consistent reductions in behaviours of concern and measurable quality-of-life improvements across disability support settings (Konstantinidou et al., 2023).

The goal of PBS is not only to reduce behaviours of concern, but to improve overall quality of life, build meaningful skills, and work towards reducing and eliminating restrictive practices where these are in place.

The Two Types of Behaviour Support Plans

Under the NDIS, there are two types of behaviour support plans. Understanding the difference can help set clear expectations.

Interim Behaviour Support Plan

An interim plan is a short, practical document designed to address immediate safety concerns.

If a person’s behaviour places themselves or others at risk, or if practitioners already use restrictive practices, they must develop a plan quickly. In these situations, the behaviour support practitioner typically provides an interim plan within the first month.

It’s important to note that this timeframe specifically applies when restrictive practices are in place. In other situations, timelines may vary depending on individual needs and circumstances.

An interim plan is not the complete picture. It provides immediate, practical strategies while practitioners conduct more detailed assessment work.

Comprehensive Behaviour Support Plan

A comprehensive plan is the detailed, long-term version. Practitioners develop it based on a thorough functional behaviour assessment; it provides a deeper understanding of why behaviours occur, along with proactive strategies, skill-building approaches, and a clear pathway for reducing restrictive practices over time.

Where practitioners use restrictive practices, they generally develop this plan within six months, in line with requirements from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Outside of these situations, timelines may vary depending on the individual.

For many participants, the process begins with an interim plan before progressing to a comprehensive plan.

What You’ll Find Inside a Comprehensive PBS Plan

A comprehensive behaviour support plan is a detailed document designed to guide consistent, supportive care. While each plan is tailored to the individual, it will typically include the following sections:

About the Person

This is one of the most important parts of the plan. It focuses on the individual beyond their behaviours—capturing their strengths, preferences, goals, communication style, emotional wellbeing, sensory needs, and personal history.

This helps ensure that everyone involved understands the person as a whole.

Functional Behaviour Assessment Summary

This section outlines what the assessment has identified. For each behaviour, it may include:

• What the behaviour looks like, how often it occurs, and how intense it is
• The known triggers and setting events
• What situations are higher or lower risk
• What function the behaviour is serving for the person, the “why” behind the behaviour

Formulation and Hypotheses

Here, the practitioner brings together assessment findings to develop a clear, evidence-informed understanding of behaviour. It connects the person’s environment, experiences, and needs with the role the behaviour is serving.

Goals

Goals are specific, measurable, and focused on more than behaviour reduction. They often include:

• Quality of life improvements
• Increased independence
• Development of communication or coping skills
• Participation in meaningful activities

Behaviour Support Strategies

This section outlines practical strategies used in daily support. These are typically grouped into three areas:

1. Ecological strategies: These focus on the environment such as routines, physical spaces, and access to preferred activities to reduce stress and support participation.
2. Skill-building strategies: These involve teaching new skills that meet the same need as the behaviour. For example, supporting someone to request a break in a way that works for them, rather than becoming overwhelmed.
3. Response strategies: These explain how others should respond if behaviours occur, focusing on safety, de-escalation, and respectful support. They also include guidance on what happens after an incident.

Restrictive Practices Information (If Applicable)

If practitioners use restrictive practices, they must clearly document them. This includes:

• Why the practice is considered the least restrictive option
• Evidence that it is necessary for safety
• A clear plan for reducing and eventually removing the practice

State or territory requirements must authorise all restrictive practices, and practitioners must report them to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Monitoring and Review

The plan outlines how progress will be tracked using behaviour data, incident reports, quality-of-life indicators, and feedback from the person and their support network.

All behaviour support plans should be reviewed regularly and at least every 12 months.

How the Process Works?

• Getting started: Your practitioner gathers consent, reviews reports, and speaks with you and your support network.
• Interim planning (if required): If immediate safety concerns exist or practitioners use restrictive practices, they may develop an interim plan early in the process.
• Functional behaviour assessment: This involves observation, discussions, and data collection to understand patterns, triggers, and underlying needs. This stage may take several weeks.
• Developing the comprehensive plan: Practitioners develop your plan collaboratively, with your involvement and input from your support network. Documentation includes how you participated in the process.
• Implementation and training: Your practitioner supports those around you to understand and apply the plan consistently.
• Ongoing monitoring and review: The plan is regularly reviewed and updated as needs change.

Please note: timelines can vary depending on individual circumstances, and the process is guided by what is appropriate for the person.

How Connect Allied Health Approaches PBS

Our PBS practitioners work as part of a multidisciplinary team that may include occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, developmental educators, and physiotherapists.This allows us to better understand and address factors that may sit behind behaviour, such as communication needs, sensory processing differences, emotional regulation, or physical challenges.

Where appropriate, this may involve collaboration within our team or with other providers already involved in your support.

Accessing PBS Through Your NDIS Plan

Positive behaviour support may be funded through your NDIS plan, depending on your individual goals and circumstances. Funding is often included under the “Improved Relationships” category, although this can vary.

If you’re unsure whether your plan includes PBS funding, speaking with your support coordinator, plan manager, or NDIS planner can help clarify your options and next steps.

How to Get Started

If you’d like to explore your options, learn more about positive behaviour support, or understand whether a PBS plan may be suitable for you or someone you support, you’re welcome to get in touch.

Our team is happy to provide information and answer any questions, so you can make an informed decision about your next steps.

Contact Us Online

Phone: (08) 8337 8770

Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information about positive behaviour support. It is not a substitute for professional assessment. If you have concerns about behaviours of concern, we encourage you to consult a qualified behaviour support practitioner.

References

Beqiraj, L., Denne, L.D., Hastings, R.P., & Paris, A. (2022). Positive behavioural support for children and young people with developmental disabilities in special education settings: A systematic review. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 35(3), 719–735.

Gore, N.J., McGill, P., Toogood, S., Allen, D., Hughes, C., Baker, P., Hastings, R.P., Noone, S.J., & Denne, L.D. (2013). Definition and scope for positive behavioural support. International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support, 3(2), 14–23.

Konstantinidou, I., Dillenburger, K., & Ramey, D. (2023). Positive behaviour support: A systematic literature review of the effect of staff training and organisational behaviour management. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 69(1), 29–44.