Positive behaviour support

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Opportunities for different types of disability work

This section introduces you to some of the different types of work you might do in a general support role and could help you to find the kind of work that most interests you in that role. 

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Positive behaviour support

General support roles often work with people who need support to better understand and manage their behaviour. Positive behaviour support takes a human rights approach, working with the participant to support them to understand the factors that influence their behaviour, to increase their independence and ability to manage their life. You will learn about the basic principles of positive behaviour support and how to apply them in practice. A behaviour support plan is required for delivering this type of support and it is developed by an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner. Practitioners must be considered suitable by the NDIS Commission (through an application process) before practicing as an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner. Like all support, this work requires solid, trusted relationships with the people you support, and your belief in their potential.

Things to consider

  • This work can be very rewarding but also challenging. Doing well requires you to develop resilience and take care of your own health and wellbeing. It is important to know when to seek support.
  • Reflective practice is an important part of these roles. It means participating in conversations with others to examine your own attitudes and values and consider how you may need to challenge your tendencies to improve the way you work.
  • As a support worker, you will need to work closely with NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioners to support participants with behaviours of concern. It is critical that you follow behaviour support plans and know when to ask for help if you are not sure what to do. You can find out more by checking out the capability: Support me to implement my positive behaviour support plan 
  • If you have a particular interest in further developing your interest in this type of support, you can seek out opportunities to deepen your skills to support participants who require more intensive support. You could also consider related types of support such as supporting people with psychosocial disability
  • You can find out more about this work by checking out the NDIS Workforce Capability Framework for capabilities that support the objectives for ‘Our relationship’, ‘Your impact’ and ‘Be present’ and the additional capabilities focused on support for people who need support to implement a positive behaviour support plan. These capabilities provide a good understanding of attitudes and behavioural indicators for doing this work well.
  • You could also find out more about becoming a behaviour support practitioner. An NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner is responsible for undertaking functional behaviour assessments, developing behaviour support plans and ensuring that workers responsible for implementing the plan have the capabilities they need. Detailed information on the capabilities required by NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioners are outlined in the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework (PBS Capability Framework). The NDIS Commission website contains information on applying for assessment as an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner. Practitioners require solid experience working with people who require positive behaviour support and should demonstrate adequate knowledge and skills across the domains of the PBS Capability Framework. The PBS Capability Framework does not require minimum years of practice, qualifications, training or professional development to be a behaviour support practitioner; however some practitioners may have health or allied health professional qualifications in fields such as social work, psychology, nursing, occupational therapy.
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