A Positive Behaviour Support Plan (PBSP) addresses and improves the quality of life for an individual and their support networks. It acts as a practical guide to providing effective support with a secondary goal of reducing risky behaviours.
A person may need a behaviour support plan if they are engaging in behaviours of concern.
There are two types of behaviour support plans:
- An Interim Positive Behaviour Support Plan, where the main goal is a person’s safety in the short-term, it allows for appropriate time to complete a comprehensive assessment. This typically is completed one month after first meeting your PBS clinician.
- A Comprehensive Positive Behaviour Support Plan, which uses proactive strategies to meet a person’s needs, teach skills, and make a lasting positive impact. This is typically completed 6 months after first meeting the PBS clinician.
PBSPs are used as a guide to support an individual and their community in reducing risks of harm. They are written after the PBS clinician consults with the individual and their support networks, analyses behaviour incident data and completes relevant assessments. It is a collaborative process with the ultimate goal of meeting the individual’s needs, A PBSP:
- Describes any risks of harm; any actions that may not be safe for the individual or their supports
- Educates the individual and their support network how to safely and effectively support the individual.
Sometimes, PBSPs include the usage of restrictive practices. Restrictive practices are used to stop or change behaviours of concern. These are used as a last resort only. Restrictive practices can be:
- Environmental: This involves physical modifications, such as padlocks or barriers, to control access or movement.
- Chemical: This includes administering medication to influence, moderate, or control behaviour.
- Seclusion: This involves placing a person in a space from which they cannot exit, such as during a ‘time out.’
- Mechanical: For example, wearing a helmet to prevent injury during behaviours like head banging.
- Physical: This involves direct physical restraint to complete tasks such as personal care.
PBSPs with restrictive practice always include strategies to ensure the individual is safe, the restrictive practice is used as a last resort, for the shortest amount of time, and is considered the least restrictive option. Restrictive Practices are only used temporarily, with the PBS clinician always aiming to reduce or remove the practices as the risk of harm to self or others decreases as the PBSP strategies begin to work.
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