Behaviour Support

What is Behaviour Support:

All behaviours happen for a reason, including challenging behaviours, and it's usually an attempt to regain lost control over something and a way of communicating an unmet need. 

Behaviours are another form of communication.

Behaviour support is a term describing a variety of strategies used to facilitate positive behaviour and manage behaviours of concern. A behaviour support approach tries to understand what maintains an individual's challenging behaviour and how to change it. It involves working with that person, and those participating in their care and education, to develop a plan to support the client in his or her journey to develop new skills, communicating effectively, managing emotions and so much more. 

The NDIS Commission explains that behaviour support takes an individualised approach that is related to the person’s needs to address the underlying causes of concerning or challenging behaviours. It also involves safeguarding the dignity and quality of life of people with disability who require specialist behaviour support.

Challenging behaviour occurs when there is a mismatch between a person's physical environment, emotional regulations or social skills and their ability to navigate or use skills, further impacting their quality of life. Behaviour support is mainly about improving the quality of life, and a reduction in challenging behaviours. 

How can Behaviour support help?

Every person is different. Depending on the person's needs and behaviours of concern, the goals of behaviour.

support may include:

• developing coping strategies and creative problem-solving skills 
• Learning to fully experience and express feelings in more appropriate ways.
• Empowering clients to communicate their needs in appropriate ways
•  Helping families and carers to understand the causes of behaviour and provide them with tools belt of strategies.
• Teaching appropriate replacement behaviours
• Increasing attention and compliance.
• Implementing environmental adaptations to support the client.

How is Behaviour Support Provided?

Behaviour support involves conducting an assessment to help understand what a person is trying to communicate through their behaviours. This will usually include meeting and talking to the person and/or their parents, carers, teachers or other professionals involved in their care. The Practitioner will usually spend time to observe the client in their home, community and/or educational and care settings. This gives them useful information about how the environment may be triggering concerning behaviours and what strategies would be most effective in those circumstances.

There are several evidence-based approaches for managing challenging behaviours. The practitioner will decide which one to take based on the needs of the client, the assessment findings, and their experience and training.

Safezone is primarily a consultative service that aims to empower the clients and their carers by guiding them and providing them with a 'tools belt of strategies' and skills that they could use to support the client in many different situations. The practitioner will provide training for the client and/or their family members in positive behaviour strategies, demonstrate the use of these strategies and monitor the client's progress throughout the program.