Positive behavior support is not about eliminating problem behavior. It is about understanding the reasons behind the behavior and teaching new skills that improve a person’s quality of life.

Positive Behaviour Support is an evidence-based approach that focuses on understanding why behaviours occur and developing strategies that improve quality of life for the child and their family. It is not about punishment or forcing compliance. Instead, it aims to reduce challenging behaviours by teaching new skills, improving communication and adjusting the environment to better support the child’s needs.

PBSP is especially effective for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD, as well as young people who experience sensory difficulties, emotional regulation challenges or patterns of behaviour that impact their safety, learning or relationships.

Our clinicians provide behaviour support that is gentle, respectful and tailored to the individual child. Every plan is grounded in understanding, collaboration and dignity.

Challenging behaviour is a form of communication. It often reflects unmet needs, frustration, sensory overload, skill gaps or difficulty expressing emotions. Children do not behave this way by choice. They behave this way because they are trying to cope with something they cannot yet manage independently.

Positive Behaviour Support helps families understand the reason behind the behaviour so that strategies become more effective and less stressful for everyone involved.

PBSP can be helpful when a young person is experiencing:

• meltdowns or intense emotional outbursts
• physical aggression or property destruction
• school refusal or withdrawal
• difficulty following routines
• impulsivity or unsafe behaviour
• avoidance, shutdowns or overwhelm
• communication breakdowns
• sensory-related behaviour
• challenges related to autism or ADHD

Behaviour is rarely a single issue. A respectful, whole-child approach is essential.

The first step in PBSP is understanding the function of the behaviour. This includes:
• collecting information from parents, teachers and support staff
• observing the child in their environment
• identifying triggers and patterns
• reviewing communication needs
• understanding sensory influences
• exploring emotional regulation difficulties

A functional assessment allows us to create a plan that is personalised, accurate and practical.

Once we understand why the behaviour is occurring, we develop a clear, structured PBSP that includes:
• proactive environmental strategies
• teaching replacement skills
• communication supports
• sensory strategies
• routines and predictability supports
• safety considerations
• parent, school and support worker guidelines
• behaviour response strategies that are calm and non-punitive
• monitoring and review procedures

Plans are easy to understand, family-friendly and created collaboratively with everyone involved in the child’s care.

Children learn best when strategies are realistic, consistent and matched to their developmental stage. PBSP sessions focus on building skills such as:
• communication and requesting
• emotional awareness
• coping tools for overwhelm
• social understanding
• functional independence
• safer behaviour alternatives
• flexibility and transition skills

Skill building is always paced gently and delivered in a supportive way.

Behaviour change requires consistency. We work closely with parents, teachers and support workers so everyone is using the same strategies. This may include:
• coaching sessions
• school visits
• modelling strategies
• joint planning meetings
• training support workers
• reviewing progress and adjusting the plan

Families often report that behaviour becomes more predictable and manageable when everyone feels confident in their approach.

Our PBSP services are suitable for:
• children and adolescents
• neurodivergent young people
• children with autism or ADHD
• families needing behaviour guidance
• children on an NDIS plan
• schools seeking behaviour support for a student
• families seeking clarity on challenging behaviour

The goal is always to support the child’s wellbeing, independence and safety.

Positive Behaviour Support aligns with NDIS guidelines and can be used as evidence for:
• NDIS reviews
• school adjustments
• funding applications
• progress reports
• functional needs assessments

Families receiving NDIS funding can access PBSP as part of their Capacity Building supports.