Positive Behaviour Support looks different every day, and that’s the point. We sat down with Sian McCue, Team Leader for Positive Behaviour Support at Hively Health’s Sunshine Coast clinic, to find out what an actual day on the job looks like: the home visits, the school transitions, and the small, consistent decisions that make the biggest difference for the people she supports.
What Drew Sian to PBS
Sian has spent over a decade in the disability and mental health sector, originally from the UK, and now leads Hively Health’s Positive Behaviour Support team on the Sunshine Coast. “It’s about creating long-term change through deep understanding, trust and collaboration,” she says. “I’ve always been passionate about supporting people in ways that honour their individuality and strengths. When I discovered PBS, it just clicked.” She’s known as an autism-friendly therapist on the Sunshine Coast, recognised for a calm, proactive, person-centred approach.
What A Typical Day Looks Like
There’s no single template for a day in PBS, and Sian says that’s exactly what makes it work. “The most impactful work happens when we stay curious and open to learning from each individual. It’s often the little things, like how we communicate, how we structure the environment, how we build trust.” One example she comes back to: noticing a participant becomes anxious in noisy environments, then planning ahead with tools like headphones or clear schedules. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all model. It’s deeply individualised.”
On any given day, Sian and the team might be in a hospital or mental health service, at a participant’s home, at a local park, or at a school. When they’re not out in the community, they’re based at Hively’s clinic in Birtinya, a suburb within Kawana Waters.
Working With the Support Team
“The team is everything,” Sian says. “They’re on the ground, observing, supporting, building relationships. PBS plans only work when the team is involved in developing them and believes in the person’s capacity for growth.” Training, collaboration and celebrating small wins are as much a part of the job as any formal assessment.
Sian’s team works closely with the wider network of services supporting Sunshine Coast families and carers — see the full list of organisations we partner with on our Sunshine Coast PBS page.
A Moment That Stuck With Sian
One case Sian still thinks about involved a young person struggling significantly with transitions. Working closely with the support team and family, Sian helped build a plan around predictability and choice-making, for young person who was really struggling with transitions. “Over time, we saw a huge decrease in distress and a big boost in confidence. It was beautiful to see the shift, not just in the individual, but in how the whole team responded with understanding and encouragement.”
What Sian Wishes More People Understood
“Behaviour is communication. It’s not about ‘bad’ behaviour — it’s about unmet needs. When we take the time to understand what someone is trying to express, we can support them so much more effectively. Compassion and curiosity go a long way.”
Interested in learning more?
Sian and the Hively Health team provide Positive Behaviour Support across the Sunshine Coast, from Birtinya to Maroochydore and Bokarina. Meet the rest of the Sunshine Coast team or get in touch to find out how PBS could help.
For more on what’s expected of PBS practitioners, the NDIS Commission’s PBS Capability Framework is a useful reference.
You can learn more about what our Positive Behaviour Support on our service offering page.