Positive Behaviour Support

We offer face-to-face Positive Behaviour Support in the wider Brisbane area – from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast.

Are you looking to enhance the quality of life for someone with behavioural challenges? Do you want to understand how to encourage positive behaviours effectively? Our Positive Behaviour Support services provide strategies and solutions to promote an inclusive lifestyle for individuals with varying needs. This article will guide you through what PBS is and the services we offer to support individuals, families, and communities.

What is Positive Behaviour Support?

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a highly effective, research-based approach designed to provide support to individuals exhibiting challenging behaviours. This approach is multifaceted, encompassing strategies that aim not only to minimise challenging behaviour but also to increase functional skills and improve the overall quality of life for individuals and their support networks.

The Essence of PBS

The Essence of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is deeply rooted in the philosophy that every person deserves to live with dignity and have access to a life rich in opportunities. It is a practice built on the principles of respect for the individual’s choices, preferences, and participation in the community.

This person-centred approach extends beyond mere behaviour management; it is about nurturing an environment that promotes personal growth and development. At its core, PBS respects the autonomy of the individual, advocating for their active involvement in decision-making processes that affect their lives. This includes the right to make informed choices about the supports they receive and the goals they wish to pursue.

PBS is also about forging strong, supportive relationships between individuals and those within their support networks. It’s a collaborative effort that requires open communication and shared decision-making. In this context, behaviours are not viewed as problems to be fixed, but as opportunities for learning and development. It involves a commitment to ongoing learning and adaptation by all involved, ensuring that strategies evolve with the changing needs and preferences of the individual.

By honoring the rights of individuals and providing support that is tailored to their unique life experiences and aspirations, PBS aims to foster resilience, independence, and a higher quality of life. It is through this unwavering commitment to upholding human rights and promoting inclusivity that PBS becomes more than a methodology—it becomes a movement towards a more just and compassionate society.

Principles of Guiding Positive Behaviour Support

These guiding principles form the backbone of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), ensuring that the strategies employed are not just effective but also ethically sound and respectful of the individual’s rights.

  • Respect for the Individual goes beyond simply acknowledging individual differences—it involves actively celebrating them and incorporating the person’s voice in every step of the PBS process. This principle ensures that interventions are not just done for the individual but with them, honoring their right to self-determination.
  • Evidence-Based Practice is crucial in ensuring that the strategies and interventions used have been tested and proven to work. This commitment to empirical data helps to remove guesswork and bias from the process, paving the way for interventions that are more likely to succeed.
  • Collaborative Approach acknowledges that the best outcomes are achieved when the support plan is a joint effort, involving not just professionals but also the individual’s family, friends, and others in their support network. This collaborative spirit empowers all parties and harnesses diverse perspectives for more comprehensive support.
  • Proactive Interventions involve anticipating situations that might lead to challenging behaviours and addressing them before they become issues. This forward-thinking aspect of PBS means that individuals are better prepared to handle potential stressors in their environment.
  • Skill Development focuses on equipping the individual with functional skills to replace challenging behaviours. These skills are essential for increasing independence and enhancing the person’s ability to navigate their world.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making ensures that interventions are guided by objective information, thereby allowing for targeted support and adjustments that are informed by real-world outcomes.
  • Outcome-Focused practices ensure that the goals set within PBS plans are tangible and lead to real improvements in the individual’s life. This focus helps to keep the support process goal-oriented and meaningful.
  • Sustainable Practices aim to maintain the positive outcomes of PBS over the long term. This principle ensures that strategies are not just effective but also durable, promoting ongoing growth and adaptation.
  • Holistic Strategy recognises that behaviour does not exist in a vacuum—it is influenced by a myriad of factors, including the social, emotional, and physical aspects of an individual’s life. PBS takes all these factors into account, ensuring a comprehensive approach to support that views the individual as a whole. 

By adhering to these principles, Positive Behaviour Support programs can offer interventions that are personalised, respectful, and designed to bring about lasting positive change, empowering individuals to lead more satisfying and autonomous lives.

Identifying and Understanding Challenging Behaviours

Identifying and understanding challenging behaviours is pivotal in crafting personalised Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans. These behaviours, often seen as a form of communication, indicate that an individual’s needs are not being fully met. They can arise from various sources, including physical discomfort, environmental stressors, or unfulfilled desires for social interaction.

When we begin to view challenging behaviours as signals rather than obstacles, we can adopt a more empathetic and analytical approach to addressing them. It involves a process of careful observation, identifying patterns, triggers, and the consequences that maintain these behaviours. By comprehensively understanding the “why” behind a behaviour, we can better support the individual in learning more adaptive and functional ways of interacting with their world.

This approach is not only more respectful but also more effective. Rather than suppressing behaviours, which can lead to frustration and further challenges, PBS seeks to address the root causes. This may involve changing aspects of the environment that contribute to the behaviour, teaching coping strategies and communication skills, or modifying routines to better suit the individual’s needs.

Through a combination of positive reinforcement, skill-building, and environmental adjustments, individuals are supported to develop healthier behaviours and a higher quality of life. This journey requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to understand each unique individual, but the outcomes can be incredibly rewarding.

 

Personalised Positive Behaviour Support Plans

Our approach begins with a comprehensive assessment that allows us to develop an individualised support plan. Initial appointments in the person’s living environment allow the practitioner to observe the dynamics, routines, and interactions firsthand. These observations guide the creation of a personalised plan.

Training for families and support networks is an essential part of an individualised PBS plan. Training includes proactive measures to prevent challenging behaviours, reactive strategies for intervention, and effective data recording techniques – which are necessary for monitoring progress and evaluating the effectiveness of the strategies. After training, and implementation of the PBS plan, follow-up visits are scheduled to review progress, and adjust strategies as needed to ensure the sustainability of positive outcomes for the individual.

The plan may include:

Implementing PBS in Various Settings

The versatility of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) allows it to be seamlessly integrated into a variety of environments, each with its unique set of challenges and opportunities. Its adaptability ensures that individuals receive consistent support, whether at home, in educational settings, within the workplace, or in the broader community. This holistic approach is crucial for creating a supportive network that facilitates meaningful and lasting behavioural change.

In educational settings, PBS is tailored to foster an environment where all students, regardless of their abilities, can learn and participate to their fullest potential. For educators, it means having access to a set of tools and strategies that promote engagement, reduce disruptions, and encourage a positive learning atmosphere for all.

Workplaces benefit from PBS by creating more inclusive work cultures. Employers and colleagues are given the strategies to support individuals with additional needs, which can lead to increased job retention, higher morale, and a more diverse workforce.

Within community settings, PBS aids in breaking down barriers to participation. Community groups, recreational programs, and social services are encouraged to create activities that are accessible and enjoyable for everyone, fostering a sense of belonging and community connection.

In the healthcare sphere, PBS principles guide health and social care professionals in delivering care that respects the individual’s preferences and promotes autonomy, enhancing the therapeutic relationship and outcomes.

The implementation of PBS across these settings is not a one-size-fits-all process. It requires ongoing consultation, education, and adaptation to meet the evolving needs of individuals and the communities in which they live and participate. By adopting PBS, we contribute to a society that values each individual’s contributions and recognises their right to a fulfilling life.

Why Choose our PBS Services?

Selecting the right PBS services can make a profound difference in the lives of individuals with additional needs and their families. Our team not only consists of experienced behaviour specialists but is also deeply committed to delivering respectful and person-centered support. We pride ourselves on a collaborative approach, partnering with individuals, families, and professionals to create supportive environments and promote positive change.

Our expertise extends to a diverse range of evidence-based strategies that are not only effective but also tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual. With our deep understanding of the latest PBS research and methods, we ensure that the plans we develop are grounded in the most current and innovative practices.

Continuous professional development is at the heart of our services. Our team is dedicated to lifelong learning to stay at the forefront of PBS practice. This commitment to excellence means that the support we provide is not only based on what has been proven to work but also on what is cutting edge in the field.

Furthermore, we emphasise measurable outcomes and data-driven decision-making. We regularly assess the impact of our strategies and make data-informed adjustments to ensure that we are achieving the best possible outcomes for those we support.

By choosing our services, you’re not just getting a provider; you’re gaining a partner who is invested in the journey towards positive growth and independence. We invite you to view our staff profiles and learn more about the passionate professionals who will be working with you.

View our staff profiles here

Contact Us Today

Ready to enhance the quality of life through Positive Behaviour Support? Get in touch with us at (07) 3520 9060. You can also reach out through out Contact Us page, or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. You can even book online through our online appointment system.

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