Behaviours described as
challenging?
These are behaviours that may be experienced by others as distressing, unsafe, or difficult to understand. They are often a person’s way of communicating unmet needs, discomfort, sensory overload, pain, fear, frustration, or a lack of appropriate supports.
These behaviours can include things like damaging objects, throwing items, acting in ways that do not match social expectations, strong verbal expressions, physical actions toward others, or behaviours that place the person at risk of harm. Importantly, these behaviours are not the problem—they are signals that something in the environment, the support, or the person’s needs is not working for them.
We recognise that all behaviour has meaning and purpose. By working collaboratively with the person, their family, carers, and support networks, we seek to understand what the behaviour is communicating and how the person’s needs can be better met.
Our approach is grounded in neurodivergent-affirming, rights-based, and ethical practice. We prioritise dignity, autonomy, inclusion, and equal access to community life. Wherever possible, we aim to reduce and eliminate the use of restrictive practices by improving environments, building skills, increasing choice and control, and supporting meaningful participation.
Using evidence-based Positive Behaviour Support, we support people to develop alternative ways to communicate their needs, feel safe and regulated, and experience an improved quality of life—without trying to “fix” who they are.
What are
restrictive practices?
Restrictive practices are actions and environments that stop a person from exercising their rights to move about or behave in specific ways. It may also remove or restrict a person’s access to items or activities.
Restrictive practices include the use of medication to influence a participant’s behaviour (e.g. for agitation), using a physical restraint or restricting a person’s free access to their environment (e.g. locked fridge, locked front door), restricted access to item or activities, mechanical restraint (e.g. using bedrails, wheelchair seat belt) and use of seclusion.
We believe Restrictive Practices are always
considered a last resort
We believe Restrictive Practices are always considered a last resort and will support you to implement strategies to reduce the need for use or to have the restrictive practices authorised so you and the person can feel supported and have a proactive plan to fade this out. If restrictive practices are in use, our positive behavioural support plans endeavour to provide support and guidance on the safe implementation of the least-restrictive practice, and provide person-centred capacity building strategies with an aim to safely fading out the need for regulated restrictive practice in future.
We know that when people have control over their life and opportunities for meaningful participation in their community, they can live a good everyday life without the need to use behaviours that challenge.
What is a Positive Behaviour
Support Plan
A person is more likely to achieve the best outcomes when a consistent approach has been developed and communicated. The consistent approach is outlined in a positive behaviour support plan.
It is a plan that trusted people and supports have had input into and becomes a central resource filled with proactive strategies and instructions to keep you and everyone safe. On occasions, where there is a restrictive practice in place, the plan will be sent to SACAT for authorisation and the NDIS commission for monitoring on the use of the restrictive practice.
