How we provide Behaviour Support
Behaviour support is about creating positive individualised strategies for people to increase their quality of life through developing skills. These include daily living, developing and training on strategies, and responding to and reducing behaviours of concern while safeguarding their dignity and quality of life.
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A poorer quality of life can be experienced when an individual has not developed to their full potential due to the lack of opportunity and support, or the barriers created by behaviours of concern.
Behaviour Support
Behaviour support services are very different to ongoing Psychological Therapy services. Funding in this area is not for a person to come in and have ongoing therapy on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis.
Behaviour Support is a systems approach with the aim to develop a sustainable and effective support team around an individual to enable them to develop skills and make positive decisions within a framework. ​
Behaviours of Concern
Behaviours of concern are defined as any behaviour that puts a person or those around them at risk, or leads to a poorer quality of life. Behaviours of concern include, but are not limited to, aggression, self-injury, and absconding. Individualised strategies, also known as positive behaviour supports, are developed to address behaviours of concern. These include proactive and reactive strategies that are responsive to the person’s needs; they aim to reduce and eliminate the behaviour of concern and the need for the use of any restrictive practices. Most importantly, the strategies support the person to develop the skills to meet their needs in a positive way. There is a focus on clear communication and regulation of emotions.
Restrictive Practices
A restrictive practice (RP) means any practice or intervention that has the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability. Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018 certain RPs are subject to regulation.
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A RP is a regulated restrictive practice if it is or involves seclusion, chemical restraint (routine medication, PRN medication), mechanical restraint (harnesses, buckle covers), physical restraint and environmental restraint (locked cupboards / doors / gates).
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There are additional reporting requirements, set out by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission for any behaviour support plans that have RPs for NDIS participants. Consequently, your behaviour support funding should be reflective of the additional administrative requirements of the behaviour support practitioner to ensure these needs are met.
Who will be my Behaviour Support Practitioner?
The Diverge Behaviour team consists of dedicated professionals from various fields and academic backgrounds including psychology, behaviour analysis, and neuroscience. We work together to provide evidence-based, person-centred solutions, empowering individuals and supporting change. Committed to innovation and empathy, we apply our expertise and care in all interactions, whether that be supporting families or developing new programs.