Functional Behaviour Assessment: What Parents Can Expect

A Functional Behaviour Assessment, often shortened to FBA, is a structured way of understanding why a behaviour may be occurring. For parents, the word 'assessment' can sound formal or intimidating, but much of the process is about carefully gathering information and looking for patterns.

Why complete an FBA?

Two children can show the same behaviour for completely different reasons. One child might push work away because it is too difficult. Another might do the same thing because the task interrupts a preferred activity. If the reason is different, the most effective support is likely to be different too.

An FBA helps a practitioner develop a function-based understanding before recommending intervention.

What information is gathered?

·       When and where the behaviour is more or less likely.

·       What tends to happen immediately before it.

·       What the behaviour looks like in observable terms.

·       What tends to happen immediately afterwards.

·       Communication, learning, sensory, health and environmental factors that may matter.

·       The child's strengths, preferences and existing skills.

How is information collected?

An FBA may include interviews, questionnaires, direct observation and ABC data. Existing reports and information from school or other therapists can also be useful. In some cases, more systematic assessment is needed. The process should always be matched to the person's needs, safety and context.

What happens after the assessment?

The practitioner brings the information together into a hypothesis about what may be maintaining the behaviour. That hypothesis guides support. For example, if behaviour often results in escaping a difficult task, support may include adapting the task, teaching a functional way to request a break and gradually building the skills needed to participate.

Importantly, an FBA is not about blaming parents or identifying a single 'cause'. Behaviour is influenced by learning history, current environments, communication, physical wellbeing, sensory experiences and many other factors.

What should parents expect?

You should expect to be asked what is going well as well as what is difficult. A good assessment should result in recommendations that make sense to your family, can be implemented in everyday routines and have a clear way of measuring whether they are helping.

At Bloom Child Therapy, functional assessment is used to support practical, individualised Positive Behaviour Support rather than one-size-fits-all behaviour management.

Bloom Child Therapy provides Positive Behaviour Support for children and families in Adelaide. Contact Bloom to discuss whether behaviour support may be appropriate for your child.