Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)
Positive Behaviour Support, or PBS, helps people with disability understand and reduce behaviours of concern in a safe, respectful way.
It is the recognised best-practice framework under the NDIS for participants who display behaviours that challenge their quality of life or the safety of those around them.
Hively Health provides NDIS-registered PBS services across Greater Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast, delivered in-home, in-clinic, or via telehealth.
What Is Positive Behaviour Support?
Positive Behaviour Support is an evidence-based, human rights-led approach that helps people with disability understand and address behaviours of concern, replacing them with skills, strategies, and environments that better meet their needs. It is neuro-affirming and highly collaborative, built around the individual rather than applied to them.
Understanding Behaviour, Not Just Responding to It
Positive Behaviour Support recognises that behaviours of concern are rarely random. They often happen for a reason, such as unmet needs, communication difficulties, stress in the environment, or the way support is being provided.
PBS seeks to understand the function of the behaviour first. What is the person trying to communicate? What need is going unmet? What in their environment is contributing? Once that is understood, proactive strategies can be developed to support the person and those around them to improve overall quality of life.
Grounded in Human Rights and Evidence
PBS is supported by a substantial body of research showing its effectiveness in reducing behaviours of concern, and improving quality of life for people with disability. It draws primarily from behavioural, educational, and social sciences.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission describes PBS as a human rights and values-led approach. It operates within a framework that actively works toward reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of restrictive practices. The focus is always on improving the person’s quality of life, dignity, independence, and participation.
How PBS Differs From Older Behavioural Approaches
PBS focuses on adjusting environments, building communication skills, teaching alternative approaches and equipping the people around the individual to respond consistently.
A key part of PBS is the development of a Behaviour Support Plan. These plans are developed through assessment, observation, consultation, and an understanding of the person’s environment, routines, communication, and support needs.
The development and implementation of Behaviour Support Plans is regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commisision, including statutory timeframes and ongoing monitoring.
PBS Under the NDIS
PBS is most commonly accessed through the NDIS, but can also be self-funded by private clients.
Under the NDIS, Positive Behaviour Support is funded through Capacity Building, Improved Relationships. This funding is designed to help participants develop positive behaviours, build social skills, and improve the way they interact with others.
PBS is delivered by behaviour support practitioners who have been assessed as suitable by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. These supports are provided through registered NDIS providers under registration group 0110, Specialist Positive Behaviour Support.
Who Can Benefit from Positive Behaviour Support?
PBS is beneficial for individuals of any age that display behaviours of concern. These challenging behaviours may arise as a way of communicating unmet needs, responding to environmental demands, or expressing distress.
Behaviours of concern can occur for people with a range of neurotypes and disabilities, including autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, neurological conditions such as dementia, complex mental health presentations, and co-occurring disabilities.
Understanding the purpose or function of a behaviour enables the development of proactive, strengths-based strategies that promote safety, inclusion, wellbeing, and quality of life while upholding the person’s dignity, rights, and autonomy.
What are Behaviours of Concern?
Behaviours of concern are behaviours that may place the person or others at risk of harm, reduce the person’s quality of life, limit opportunities for participation and inclusion, or indicate that the person’s needs are not being met.
Examples of behaviours of concern include behaviours that may place the person or others at risk of harm or significantly impact safety, wellbeing, or participation. These may include physical or verbal aggression, self-injurious behaviour, property damage, throwing objects, absconding or wandering, risk-taking behaviours, refusal of essential care where there is an immediate health or safety risk, severe emotional dysregulation, inappropriate sexualised behaviours, and repetitive or sensory-seeking behaviours that result in injury, significant distress, or substantial disruption to daily life.
Not all behaviours that challenge others are behaviours of concern. Likewise, many behaviours associated with disability or neurodivergence, such as stimming, repetitive movements, the need for routine, communication differences, or emotional expression should not be considered behaviours of concern unless they present a significant risk of harm or substantially impact the person’s wellbeing, rights, or quality of life.
You can read more about Behaviours of Concern related to children in this Australian Institute of Family Studies Practice Guide.
How does Positive Behaviour Support Work?
PBS is not a single technique. It is a structured approach and process that unfolds in stages, with the person at the centre of every step:
- Understanding the Behaviour
- Developing a Behaviour Support Plan
- Supporting the Team Around the Person
- Reviewing Progress Over Time
Before any assessment or planning begins, we meet with the individual and their support team to understand their goals, communication needs, and what has or hasn’t worked before.
Step 1: Functional Behaviour Assessment
The starting point is always Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA). The assessment investigates why a behaviour is occurring, examining triggers, environmental factors, the person’s communication profile, sensory needs, and the responses of the people around them.
This process is conducted directly with the person and involves their family, carers, support workers, teachers, and any other professionals who play a role in their life.
Step 2: Developing a Behaviour Support Plan
After the Functional Behaviour Assessment, a Comprehensive Behaviour Support Plan is developed within six months of the specialist behaviour support provider being engaged, and reviewed at least annually.
The plan outlines proactive strategies to change the conditions that contribute to the behaviour, skill-building strategies to give the person more effective ways to meet their needs, and response strategies for when behaviours do occur.
Step 3: Supporting the Team Around the Person
The plan is actioned by the wider support team, with the PBS practitioner providing training, coaching, and ongoing oversight to ensure consistent implementation.
The PBS practitioner provides training, coaching, and guidance to help families, carers, support workers, and other team members use the plan consistently.
Step 4: Reviewing Progress Over Time
PBS is an ongoing process, and is monitored over time. Behaviour is not static: circumstances change, people develop, and what works at one stage may need adjusting. As such, the plan is reviewed regularly and updated in response to what is working, and what needs to be adjusted.
*If restrictive practices are already in use, an Interim Behaviour Support Plan must be lodged within one month as a short-term safety document.
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners at Hively
Our Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners are specialist professionals assessed as suitable by the NDIS Commissioner to conduct behaviour support assessments and develop Behaviour Support Plans, including plans that contain regulated restrictive practices.
When choosing a PBS practitioner, the person they will be supporting should be central to that choice.
A good practitioner works with the individual, not just about them. They involve the person in assessment and planning, communicate in ways that suit the person’s needs, and treat every interaction with dignity and respect.
Hively Health is a registered NDIS provider. All PBS services are delivered by practitioners registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Community Partnerships
Positive Behaviour Support is most effective when it’s a team effort.
The behaviour support practitioner develops the plan, but it’s the people around the participant such as support workers, family, teachers, carers, who implement strategies consistently day-to-day.
Without the whole care team on board, even the best PBS plan won’t achieve lasting change, because behaviour support only works when everyone responds in the same way, in every environment, every time.
We're proud to work alongside families, carers, guardians and extended care teams.
- National Disability Insurance Agency, funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
- National Injury Insurance Scheme QLD (NIISQ)
- Carers Queensland (including LACs)
- Benevolent Society
- BUSHKids
- Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety
- Office of the Public Guardian (OPG)
- NDIS and NIISQ funded supports, including: Supported Living, Support Workers, Allied Health and Support Coordination services.
- Public and private schools, including specialist education schools funded by the Department of Education
- Public and Private Hospital, including supportive discharge following an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) or stay at a mental health inpatient unit, such as:
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit (BIRU)
- Acquired Brain Injury Transitional Rehabilitation Services (ABITRS)
- Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (SMHRU)
- Mental Health Intensive Discharge (MIND)
- Behavioural Escalation Response Team (BERT)
- Evolve Therapeutic Services (ETS); and
- Allied Health Outpatients units.
NDIS Funding for Positive Behaviour Support
PBS is funded under the NDIS Capacity Building budget, within the Improved Relationships support category.
How to Get PBS Funded in Your NDIS Plan
PBS funding is included in a participant’s NDIS plan when behaviours of concern are identified and there is evidence to support the need.
- A Functional Behaviour Assessment and Recommendations Report can be used to identify behaviours of concern. This is funded under the NDIS Capacity Building budget.
- This report recommends the need for behaviour support, and provide the evidence needed to request Improved Relationships funding at the participant’s next NDIS plan review.
Note that PBS funding is allocated in stated hours against specific support items and is not flexible. It cannot be redirected to other therapy types or general capacity building activities.
Specialised Behavioural Intervention Support
Covers the practitioner’s time for assessment, plan development, direct support, training, and review.
Behaviour Management Plan Including Training in Behaviour Management Strategies
Covers the development of the behaviour support plan and training delivered to the support team in how to implement it.
PBS is only available through an NDIS-registered provider. Unregistered providers cannot legally deliver specialist behaviour support to NDIS participants.
Hively Health's PBS practitioners work across Greater Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
We come to you, wherever is most suitable:
- in our clinic
- your home,
- the community,
- within a school or workplace
- via telehealth
Ready to get started?
To book an initial consultation or discuss whether PBS is right for you or your participant, call 1300 11 4769 or get in touch online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please call our friendly team on 1300 11 4769 or email us at alliedhealth@hively.com.au if you would like further information. Our friendly team are here to assist you with all of your enquiries.
Make an Enquiry
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) empowers individuals to develop new, safe, ways of expressing themselves. We prioritise human rights by working collaboratively with individuals to understand their needs. PBS focuses on developing personalised strategies that reduce the need for restrictive practices and support individuals and support teams with effective communication skills to reduce behaviours of concern.
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) works to reduce or eliminate difficult behaviours of concern by working with person and the extended support team. Behaviours of concern are actions that might not be safe for the person or other people. For example, hitting themselves or others, or breaking things.
PBS is provided both face to face and behind the scenes, within the stated hours in an individual’s NDIS plan.
Both the individual Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner and the provider who provides the Positive Behaviour Support must be registered by the NDIS to provide this important support.
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) works to reduce or eliminate difficult behaviours of concern by working with person and the extended support team. Behaviours of concern are actions that might not be safe for the person or other people. For example, hitting themselves or others, or breaking things.
PBS is provided both face to face and behind the scenes, within the stated hours in an individual’s NDIS plan.
Both the individual Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner and the provider who provides the Positive Behaviour Support must be registered by the NDIS to provide this important support.
Our practitioners come to you at home, in the community and in schools to discuss and understand concerns and to develop a behaviour support plan.
A Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner (PBS Practitioner) is a specialist professional who is trained to assess, understand, and support individuals experiencing behaviours of concern—especially those with disabilities or complex support needs. Their role is to create practical, person-centred strategies that improve quality of life while reducing the need for restrictive practices.
Choosing a person-centred Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Practitioner is a key step in ensuring that support is not only effective but also respectful, empowering, and tailored to the individual’s unique needs and preferences.
Key Roles of a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Conduct Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBA)
They investigate the causes or “functions” of challenging behaviours by observing the individual, reviewing data, and working with families and support teams.Develop Positive Behaviour Support Plans (PBSPs)
These practitioners design tailored plans with strategies to:Prevent behaviours of concern
Teach new, more adaptive skills
Ensure respectful responses when challenges arise
Improve overall wellbeing
Train and Support Others
They coach families, carers, educators, and support staff to consistently apply strategies and understand the “why” behind them.Monitor and Review Progress
PBS Practitioners collect and analyse data to track changes in behaviour and adjust plans as needed.Ensure Ethical Practice and Safeguarding
If restrictive practices (e.g., physical restraint or seclusion) are used, practitioners must ensure these are the absolute last resort, documented, approved, and regularly reviewed under the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Qualifications and Registration
In Australia, particularly under the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), a PBS Practitioner:
Typically holds qualifications in psychology, social work, education, or a related allied health field.
Must demonstrate core competencies in behaviour support.
May be a Core, Proficient, Advanced or Specialist level practitioner, based on their experience and training.
Must be engaged through an NDIS-registered provider if working with participants who have restrictive practices in their plan.
A good PBS practitioner should:
Treat the individual with dignity, respect, and compassion.
Focus on the person, not just the behaviour.
Involve the individual, family, and support team in decision-making.
Value the individual’s strengths, interests, and goals.
- Work for an organisation that values the person and the pracititoner.
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is funded when a person demonstrates behaviours of concern that may be challenging in their own environment.
For example – the behaviour might challenge those around them.
PBS funding is:
- Under NDIS – Capacity Building – Support Category of Improved Relationships
- For a stated number of hours for each stated Support Item
- Specialised Behavioural Intervention Support
- Behaviour Management Plan Including Training in Behaviour Management Strategies
- Not flexible, meaning the funds cannot be used for any other therapy or support outside of the stated Support Item
- Only available for NDIS registered PBS providers
We can assist where a person would benefit from behaviour support that is not currently funded in their NDIS plan. This involves a comprehensive evaluation as part of a Functional Behavioural Assessment and Recommendations Report.
This can be funded out of Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living (IDL) in an individual NDIS plan.
This report will:
- Identify potential behaviours of concern
- Recommend the need for Behaviour Support
- Provide evidence for funding allocation in the “Improved Relationships” category during your next NDIS plan review.
Note: This use of improved daily living funds covers information gathering and report writing only. It doesn’t include development of Behaviour Support strategies or ongoing support services.
Behaviours of Concern can affect a person’s well-being, social inclusion, and physical safety, or disrupt their daily life.
Examples include, but are not limited to: self-harm, physical or verbal aggression toward others, disruptive behaviour, running away, social withdrawal or difficulty communicating needs effectively.
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners seek to understand concerning behaviours in a supportive environment to change things for the better.
Restrictive practices are interventions that limit a person’s freedom of movement or access to activities. These are used as a last resort and aim to be minimized or eliminated through Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies.
As defined by NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission, this includes:
- Seclusion: Confining an individual in a room.
- Environmental Restraint: Limiting access to specific areas or items.
- Chemical Restraint: Medication used primarily to influence behaviour (excluding medications for medical reasons).
- Mechanical Restraint: Devices used to restrict movement (e.g., wheelchair seatbelt for someone who can walk).
- Physical Restraint: Physical force used to restrict or control movement.
PBS prioritises understanding the reasons behind behaviours and developing alternative strategies, reducing the need for restrictive practices whenever possible and improving overall quality of life.
Our Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners are available to provide support on the Sunshine Coast, Greater Brisbane and Gold Coast regions.
In the sunny Gold Coast, this includes both the North and South Gold Coast, from Coolangatta to Coomera and surrounds.
In Greater Brisbane we support all areas in the Moreton Bay region / Caboolture, North Lakes, Brisbane Bayside, Wider Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich and surrounds.
Our Sunshine Coast team is supported by experienced Team Leader and Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner Sian McCue.
We provide Positive Behaviour Support services in Noosa, Coolum Beach, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Maleny, Montville, Buderim, Nambour, Currimundi, Caloundra, Golden Beach, Beerwah, Glass House Mountains and surrounds in the beautiful Sunshine Coast region.
For regional or rural clients, telehealth services ensure no one misses out on vital support.
Improved Daily Living is a NDIS Capacity Building support category that funds assessments, training, and therapies to help participants increase their skills and independence in daily life.
Positive Behaviour Support is funded under this category, with a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner delivering assessments and implementing strategies that directly improve a participant’s ability to participate in everyday activities.
NDIS Capacity Building Supports fund goal-directed interventions to build a participant’s skills and independence. Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is funded in this category as it aims to improve quality of life and reduce restrictive practices through evidence-based strategies.
Examples of NDIS Capacity Building Supports include Positive Behaviour Support as it aims to improve quality of life.
Other examples include speech therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and exercise physiology.
We offer both telehealth and face-to-face services. Please discuss your individual requirements with us and we will work with you to ensure you are comfortable and your support needs are accommodated.