What Does a Behaviour Support Practitioner Do?

If you have been referred for Positive Behaviour Support, you may be wondering what a behaviour support practitioner actually does. The role is broader than simply giving parents strategies for difficult behaviour.

The first job is to understand

A behaviour support practitioner gathers information about the child, the situations in which behaviour occurs and what may be influencing it. This can involve conversations with parents and carers, observations, reviewing existing reports, speaking with educators or therapists, and collecting simple behaviour data.

A practitioner may complete a functional behaviour assessment when a more detailed understanding of behaviour is needed. The aim is to develop hypotheses about the function of behaviour rather than making assumptions based on how the behaviour looks.

Turning assessment into practical support

Once patterns are clearer, the practitioner works with the child and the people around them to identify useful supports. Depending on the situation, these might include:

·       changes to routines, demands or sensory environments;

·       visual supports or clearer instructions;

·       teaching ways to ask for help, a break, more time or access to an activity;

·       building tolerance, independence or daily living skills;

·       helping adults respond safely and consistently when behaviour occurs.

Behaviour Support Plans

For some NDIS participants, a behaviour support practitioner develops a Behaviour Support Plan. A useful plan should explain the person, the behaviour, likely influences, proactive supports, skills to teach and clear response strategies. It should be practical enough that the people who support the child can use it in real life.

Collaboration is part of the job

Behaviour rarely occurs in only one setting. Practitioners may therefore collaborate with families, schools, support workers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and other professionals. The goal is not for everyone to use identical scripts; it is to work toward shared goals and make support more predictable for the child.

Choosing a practitioner

A good behaviour support practitioner should be curious, collaborative and willing to explain their reasoning. Parents should be able to ask why a strategy is being recommended, what evidence will show whether it is working, and how the child's preferences and autonomy are being considered.

Bloom Child Therapy provides behaviour support in Adelaide using a Positive Behaviour Support approach informed by behaviour analysis and grounded in meaningful, individualised goals. To find out more, get in touch!