Written by: Rona Castañeda

Professionally reviewed and edited by: Dr Julia Tilling

PhD (Ed Psych) MEd (Counselling) BAdVocEd (Psych) M.A.C.A (Level 4)

Clinically reviewed on: 5 June 2026

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Registered Clinical Supervisor

PhD in Educational Psychology, The University of Queensland
Master of Education (Counselling and Inclusive Education), Queensland University of Technology
Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education (Psychology), Griffith University
Australian Counselling Association — Registered Clinical Supervisor

Julia professionally reviews selected Therapy Near Me content for counselling accuracy, behaviour support relevance, trauma-informed language, consumer readability, practitioner scope-of-practice wording, and suitability for public-facing mental health and behaviour support information.

Introduction

Behaviour Support Plans are designed to understand behaviours of concern and provide practical, person-centred strategies that improve safety, functional capacity, participation, and quality of life. For a participant, behaviours of concern may affect home routines, school engagement, community access, relationships, independence, and safety.

A Behaviour Support Plan should identify the function of behaviour, address environmental and communication needs, build safer replacement skills, reduce risk, and support consistent implementation across the participant’s daily environments.

Without appropriate behaviour support, a participant may remain at risk of ongoing behaviours of concern that restrict participation, increase distress, reduce independence, or increase reliance on reactive or restrictive responses.

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1. What is a Behaviour Support Plan?

A behaviour support plan is a written document that outlines strategies for:

• Understanding the function of challenging behaviours.
• Teaching alternative, positive behaviours.
• Modifying the environment to reduce triggers.
• Ensuring consistency of support across caregivers, educators, and clinicians.

BSPs are typically developed collaboratively by psychologists, behaviour practitioners, families, and support staff.

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2. Psychological foundations

Behaviour support draws on evidence-based behavioural principles, including Functional Behaviour Assessment, while using a Positive Behaviour Support framework focused on quality of life, rights, communication, skill-building, environmental adjustment, and reducing restrictive practices. Key concepts include:

• Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA): Identifying the antecedents, behaviours, and consequences that maintain problem behaviour (O’Neill et al., 1997).
• Positive reinforcement: Encouraging desirable behaviours by rewarding them.
• Skill building: Teaching communication and coping strategies to replace maladaptive behaviours.
• Environmental modifications: Adjusting settings to minimise stressors and triggers.

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3. Core components of a Behaviour Support Plan

Effective BSPs generally include:

• Functional behaviour assessment results.
• Proactive strategies to prevent triggers.
• Response strategies provide clear, consistent guidance to caregivers and staff on how to respond safely and effectively when behaviours of concern occur, with a focus on de-escalation, dignity, least-restrictive responses, and minimising risk of harm.
• Teaching plans for skill development.
• Crisis management protocols where necessary.
• Data collection methods for monitoring progress.

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4. Implementation and consistency

Implementation requires training and collaboration among all stakeholders. Consistency is essential: inconsistent application of strategies can reinforce problem behaviours rather than reduce them (Horner et al., 2000). BSPs should be living documents, regularly reviewed and updated.

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5. Benefits for mental health and wellbeing

Behaviour Support Plans aim to improve quality of life, functional capacity, safety, participation, and wellbeing. They may also reduce distress and support emotional regulation where behaviours of concern are connected to anxiety, trauma, sensory overload, communication difficulties, or environmental demands.

• Reduce anxiety by creating predictable routines.
• Improve communication and social interaction.
• Enhance self-regulation and coping skills.
• Reduce the need for restrictive practices, supporting autonomy and dignity (Gore et al., 2013).

 

By addressing the causes rather than just the symptoms of behaviour, BSPs contribute to long-term wellbeing.

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6. Behaviour support within the NDIS context

In Australia, the NDIS Commission regulates behaviour support to ensure plans comply with best practice. Registered behaviour support practitioners must develop BSPs that align with human rights and minimise restrictive practices (NDIS Commission, 2021). This ensures that BSPs focus on positive, proactive support.

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7. Challenges in practice

• Resource limitations: Time and funding can restrict proper assessment and implementation.
• Staff training needs: Effective use requires training for carers, teachers, and support workers.
• Cultural considerations: BSPs must be tailored to individuals’ cultural and family contexts.
• Without consistent and well-supported implementation of behaviour strategies, the participant may be at risk of ongoing behavioural escalation, reduced independence, inconsistent care, and limited participation across environments.

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FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of a behaviour support plan?
To reduce challenging behaviours by identifying their causes and teaching positive alternatives.

Q: Who develops a behaviour support plan?
Usually psychologists or behaviour practitioners, in collaboration with families and support teams.

Q: How do BSPs help mental health?
They reduce anxiety, improve coping skills, and foster independence.

Q: Are behaviour support plans required under the NDIS?
Yes, for participants with behaviours of concern, BSPs are required to guide safe and ethical support.

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References

• Carr, E.G., Horner, R.H., Turnbull, A.P., Marquis, J.G., McLaughlin, D.M. et al. (2002) Positive Behavior Support: Evolution of an Applied Science. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
• Gore, N.J., McGill, P., Toogood, S., Allen, D., Hughes, J.C. et al. (2013) ‘Definition and scope for positive behavioural support’, International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support, 3(2), pp. 14–23.
• Horner, R.H., Carr, E.G., Strain, P.S., Todd, A.W. & Reed, H.K. (2000) ‘Problem behavior interventions for young children with autism: A research synthesis’, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(6), pp. 451–467.
• NDIS Commission (2021) Behaviour Support. Available at: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/
• O’Neill, R.E., Horner, R.H., Albin, R.W., Sprague, J.R., Storey, K. & Newton, J.S. (1997) Functional Assessment and Program Development for Problem Behavior. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
• Skinner, B.F. (1953) Science and Human Behavior. New York: Free Press.