What Is Positive Behaviour Support Under the NDIS?

A practical guide for participants, families, carers and support coordinators

Positive behaviour support (PBS) under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an evidence-informed, person-centred approach to understanding why behaviours occur and improving quality of life. It combines assessment, practical changes to the person’s environment, skill building and guidance for the people who provide support.

PBS is not punishment and it is not simply about stopping behaviour. It looks at what the behaviour may be communicating, what needs are not being met and what safer, more effective support could help. When restrictive practices are involved, behaviour support must focus on reducing and eliminating their use.

In brief

1. PBS focuses on the whole person, their rights, goals, strengths and everyday environment.
2. A behaviour support practitioner gathers evidence before recommending strategies.
3. Support may include assessment, a behaviour support plan, skill building and training for the support team.
4. NDIS funding and regulatory requirements depend on the participant’s plan and circumstances.

What does positive behaviour support mean?

Positive behaviour support is a rights-based framework that considers behaviour in the context of a person’s health, communication, relationships, routines and environment. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework emphasises human rights, the person’s voice, strengths-based practice, collaboration and evidence-based decision-making.

The first task is to understand why the behaviour may be happening. A practitioner considers possible unmet needs, pain or health factors, communication barriers, sensory needs, trauma, changes in routine and environmental demands. Support can then focus on prevention, communication, coping, emotional regulation, participation and daily living skills.

PBS also gives families, carers and workers practical guidance so they can respond safely and consistently in a way that ensures the particpant’s needs are met. The strategies should be realistic for the places where the person lives, learns, works and participates in the community.

What are behaviours of concern or distress?

The NDIS commonly uses the term “behaviours of concern”. Some people and providers prefer “behaviours of distress” because it puts greater emphasis on the person’s experience and what their behaviour may be communicating.

These terms can describe behaviour that causes significant distress, creates a risk of injury, limits participation, affects relationships or property, makes essential services difficult to access, or leads others to use restrictive responses. Examples can include hitting, biting, self-injury, property damage, intense emotional outbursts, withdrawal, or leaving an environment in a way that creates an immediate safety risk.

An observed action does not explain its cause. The same behaviour may be linked to pain for one person, sensory overload for another, or difficulty communicating for someone else. Assessment is therefore essential before strategies are chosen. Read LiveBig’s person-centred explanation of behaviours of distress and behaviours of concern.

What can positive behaviour support help with?

PBS is designed around outcomes that matter to the individual. Depending on the person’s assessed needs and goals, it may help them to:

1. communicate needs, choices, discomfort and preferences more effectively
2. recognise and respond to early signs of distress or sensory overload
3. cope with transitions, unexpected change or demanding environments
4. build emotional regulation, social, daily living and independence skills
5. take part more safely at home, school, work or in the community
6. experience fewer or less severe high-risk situations
7. receive more consistent support from family members, carers and workers
8. reduce and, where possible, eliminate restrictive practices

Progress does not always mean that a behaviour disappears. It may look like earlier communication of distress, safer responses, greater choice and participation, fewer crises, or a support team that is more confident and consistent.

How does positive behaviour support work?

PBS is a collaborative, step-by-step process led by a behaviour support practitioner. It combines proactive strategies that aim to prevent distress with clear, least-restrictive responses for situations when behaviour occurs.

1. Understand the participant

The practitioner learns about the participant’s strengths, goals, preferences, communication, health, disability-related needs, relationships, routines and environments. The participant’s view of a good life should guide the work.

2. Identify patterns and context

Information is gathered about when and where the behaviour occurs, what happens before and after it, who is present, how others respond and what the person may be trying to access, avoid or communicate.

3. Complete a behaviour support assessment

The practitioner may use interviews, observation, existing reports, behaviour records, health and sensory information, and functional behaviour assessment methods.

4. Develop practical strategies

Strategies may change routines or environments, improve communication supports, teach replacement skills, offer safer alternatives and explain how to respond when behaviour occurs.

5. Train the people providing support

Where appropriate, the practitioner coaches family members, carers, support workers, teachers and other providers so the plan can be used consistently.

6. Monitor and review

The practitioner reviews feedback and data to see whether strategies are improving quality of life and reducing risk, then updates the plan as needs, goals or circumstances change.

What is a functional behaviour assessment?

A functional behaviour assessment is a structured way to develop a working understanding of why a behaviour occurs. It considers what the behaviour looks like, how often and how long it occurs, its severity, where and when it happens, what usually comes before and after it, and relevant health, communication, sensory and environmental factors.

It is not a test that the participant passes or fails. It helps the practitioner base support on evidence rather than assumptions, while keeping the behaviour in the broader context of the person’s life.

What is an NDIS behaviour support plan?

A behaviour support plan is an individualised document that turns assessment findings into practical guidance. It describes the participant’s strengths, preferences and goals; the behaviours being addressed; likely triggers or functions; preventative and skill-building strategies; safe response guidance; responsibilities; and arrangements for monitoring and review.

If a regulated restrictive practice is included, the plan must also document the relevant safeguards and how the practice will be reduced and eliminated. The legal and reporting requirements depend on the circumstances and the applicable state or territory authorisation process.

Interim and comprehensive behaviour support plans

Where a plan contains a regulated restrictive practice, current NDIS Commission guidance on plan timeframes says an interim plan must be developed within one month of the specialist behaviour support provider’s engagement and a comprehensive plan within six months. Those statutory timeframes do not apply to plans without regulated restrictive practices, although the Commission says they should still guide safe and quality services.

Who develops a behaviour support plan?

An NDIS behaviour support practitioner who has been considered suitable by the NDIS Commission undertakes behaviour support assessments and develops behaviour support plans. The practitioner must be engaged by a registered NDIS provider or be registered as a provider themselves. The Commission explains these requirements in its guidance for NDIS behaviour support practitioners.

Practitioners may come from psychology, occupational therapy, social work, education, behaviour analysis or another relevant discipline. For a particular participant, relevant experience, supervision, communication approach, cultural responsiveness and ability to work with the broader team are as important as the practitioner’s original profession.

Who may benefit from positive behaviour support?

PBS may be appropriate when behaviour causes distress or injury risk, interrupts daily life, limits school or community access, affects relationships, makes personal care or appointments difficult, places housing or support arrangements at risk, results in repeated crisis responses, or leads to the use or proposed use of restrictive practices.

A diagnosis alone does not determine whether PBS is needed. Support should be based on the individual’s circumstances, goals and assessed needs.

Is positive behaviour support only for autism?

No. PBS can support people with many different disabilities and support needs, including autism, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, psychosocial disability, neurological conditions, communication difficulties, or multiple and complex disabilities. Not every person with one of these conditions needs behaviour support.

Is positive behaviour support a form of punishment?

No. PBS should not rely on punishment, shame, threats, coercion or routine removal of rights. It focuses on prevention, communication, skill development, environmental change, dignity, choice, control and quality of life.

Does positive behaviour support involve restrictive practices?

PBS aims to reduce and eliminate restrictive practices. However, a behaviour support plan may include a regulated restrictive practice when strict legal, authorisation, reporting and oversight requirements are met.

The NDIS Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support Rules regulate five types of restrictive practice. The legal definitions are detailed; in plain language they are:

1. Seclusion: confining a person alone in a room or space where they cannot freely leave.
2. Chemical restraint: using medication primarily to influence behaviour, rather than to treat a diagnosed health condition.
3. Mechanical restraint: using a device primarily to prevent or restrict movement.
4. Physical restraint: using physical force primarily to prevent or restrict movement.
5. Environmental restraint: restricting access to parts of the person’s environment, items or activities.

Whether a specific action is a regulated restrictive practice depends on the circumstances and the law. Restrictive practices can have serious human rights impacts, must not become routine behaviour-management tools and should only be used as a last resort to prevent harm. Providers need appropriate clinical, regulatory and legal guidance rather than relying on general examples in an article.

What is the difference between positive behaviour support and psychology?

PBS focuses specifically on understanding behaviour in context, changing environmental conditions, teaching practical replacement skills and helping support teams respond consistently. Psychology may address a broader range of concerns involving thoughts, emotions, mental health, trauma, relationships and psychological wellbeing.

The services can overlap and may work together. For example, a psychologist may support anxiety or trauma, while a behaviour support practitioner examines how anxiety contributes to behaviour in particular environments. With the participant’s consent, both can contribute to shared goals. Read Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner vs Psychologist: What’s the Difference? for a fuller comparison.

Can other therapists be involved?

Yes. A behaviour support practitioner may collaborate with occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, physiotherapists, social workers, medical practitioners, teachers, support coordinators, family members, carers and implementing providers. Each discipline contributes a different perspective, while the participant remains central to planning and decisions.

For example, a speech pathologist may identify communication barriers; an occupational therapist may examine sensory needs, routines and daily activities; and a medical practitioner may investigate pain or physical discomfort. The behaviour support practitioner brings relevant information together to understand the behaviour and the participant’s goals.

What does positive behaviour support look like in everyday life?

These general examples show how assessment can lead to practical support. They are not individual clinical advice.

Distress during personal care

A practitioner might investigate sensory discomfort, pain or communication barriers; adjust the routine; offer more choice and predictability; introduce visual supports; teach a way to request a break; and coach carers to use a consistent approach.

Hitting when overwhelmed

The support team might identify noise, crowding or task demands; learn early warning signs; provide access to a quieter space; teach communication or regulation strategies; change how support is offered; and agree on a clear safety response.

Leaving an environment unexpectedly

Assessment might explore what the participant is trying to escape or access. Strategies could change environmental demands, teach a safer way to request a break, build tolerance gradually, improve communication supports and strengthen safety planning.

Read a LiveBig positive behaviour support case study for an example of how trust, assessment and tailored strategies can work in practice.

Is positive behaviour support funded by the NDIS?

It may be. The NDIS can fund behaviour support when it is related to the participant’s disability, is in line with their plan and meets all NDIS funding criteria. Funding is not automatic and depends on the participant’s approved plan and individual circumstances.

The current NDIS Behaviour Support Guideline says funded behaviour support can include:

1. behaviour support assessments
2. behaviour support plans aimed at reducing and managing behaviours of concern
3. training and monitoring staff who use a behaviour support plan
4. positive behaviour support training for a family member, friend or carer
5. interim behaviour support plans

NDIS-funded behaviour support must be delivered by a registered NDIS provider and by professionals with specialist behaviour support skills. If you are unsure whether your plan includes funding, speak with your NDIS contact, support coordinator or plan manager, or ask a registered provider to explain the service and likely costs before you enter a service agreement.

What should I look for in a behaviour support provider?

Choose a provider that can explain both its regulatory credentials and its day-to-day approach. Useful questions include:

1. Is the organisation a registered specialist behaviour support provider, and has the practitioner been considered suitable by the NDIS Commission?
2. What experience does the practitioner have with needs and circumstances similar to mine or my family member’s?
3. How will the participant be involved in setting goals, making decisions and reviewing the plan?
4. How will assessment findings become practical strategies and training for the support team?
5. How will progress, quality of life and risk be monitored, and how often will the plan be reviewed?
6. What fees, travel, reporting and training are included in the service agreement?
7. If restrictive practices are relevant, how will authorisation, reporting, safeguards and reduction be managed?

Be cautious of a provider that promises to “fix” a person or eliminate behaviour quickly. A suitable provider should explain how they will understand the participant, protect their rights, measure progress and adapt support over time.

What happens when you start positive behaviour support?

The pathway varies with the participant’s circumstances, complexity, risk, available information and whether restrictive practices are involved. A typical process is:

1. Referral or direct enquiry, followed by an initial discussion about goals, needs, funding and service availability.
2. Review of the participant’s plan and relevant reports, plus conversations with the participant and, with consent, people who know them well.
3. Observation and behaviour support assessment, including a functional behaviour assessment where appropriate.
4. An interim plan if immediate safety guidance is required, followed by a comprehensive plan based on fuller assessment.
5. Explanation and implementation of the plan, including training for the people responsible for using it.
6. Ongoing monitoring and review as needs, goals, risks or circumstances change.

Positive behaviour support at LiveBig

LiveBig is a registered NDIS provider offering positive behaviour support for children, adolescents and adults. Services include behaviour assessments, functional behaviour assessments, interim and comprehensive plans where required, practical strategy development, training for families and support teams, and support to reduce or eliminate restrictive practices where relevant.

Depending on location, availability and what is appropriate for the participant, support may be delivered at home, school, work, supported accommodation, in the community or by telehealth. LiveBig can also coordinate with occupational therapy, psychology, speech pathology, physiotherapy and social work when a multidisciplinary approach is useful.

You do not need a formal referral to enquire. Contact LiveBig’s Positive Behaviour Support team to discuss the participant’s needs, plan, location and service availability.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a referral to access LiveBig positive behaviour support?

No. You can contact LiveBig directly, or a support coordinator, plan manager, family member or another provider can make an enquiry with the participant’s consent.

Can positive behaviour support be delivered by telehealth?

Yes, when telehealth is suitable for the participant and the work being completed. Some assessment and implementation tasks may also need observation or collaboration in the person’s everyday environment.

How long does positive behaviour support take?

There is no single timeframe for the whole service. Time depends on risk, complexity, available information, assessment needs and how the participant’s situation changes. Specific regulatory deadlines apply when a behaviour support plan contains a regulated restrictive practice.

References and further reading

1. NDIS: Behaviour Support Guideline
2. NDIS Commission: How to develop behaviour support plans
3. NDIS Commission: Rules for specialist behaviour support providers and practitioners
4. NDIS Commission: Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework
5. Federal Register of Legislation: NDIS Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support Rules 2018
6. LiveBig: Positive Behaviour Support
7. LiveBig: Behaviours of distress and behaviours of concern
8. LiveBig: Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner vs Psychologist