What is Positive Behaviour Support for Adults? Everything You Need to Know
For adults having difficulties with their behaviour, or those who know someone in this situation, it can be hard to know where to start and where to turn to for assistance. Rather than directly reacting to challenging behaviours, it’s important to first understand them and seek out proactive ways to respond. This is where positive behaviour support comes in.
What is Positive Behaviour Support?
Positive behaviour support is not only an effective way to address challenging behaviours, but it fosters open discussion, creates safe and secure environments, and encourages the adoption of tactics that help to prevent challenging behaviour. In doing so, positive behaviour support can improve overall quality of life, encourage skill development and lead to positive outcomes. Positive behaviour support is generally provided by a positive behaviour support practitioner (or PBS practitioner), and can be funded by the NDIS when individuals are exhibiting behaviours of concern.
What Are Behaviours of Concern?
Behaviours of concern (or challenging behaviours) are intense, frequent or prolonged displays of behaviour that can be problematic or harmful to others. There are a range of behaviours that fall within this category, including physical and verbal aggression, disruptive and repetitive tendencies, as well as self-injury and property damage.
A number of factors can contribute to the display of behaviours of concern, including (but not limited to) the below:
Difficulties with communication and poor social skills;
Mental and physical health conditions;
Feelings of stress and anxiety; and
Overwhelming environments that cause sensory overload.
Benefits of Positive Behaviour Support
While positive behaviour support is aimed at effectively addressing and managing behaviours of concern, there are some great benefits for both the person involved and their support network.
#1 Improving Overall Quality of Life
At Ark Support Coordination, improving our client’s overall quality of life is one of the key reasons we do what we do. With a commitment to ensuring a people-first approach rooted in social work values and ethics, our team knows that encouraging positive interactions, building safe and inclusive environments, and creating a sense of belonging and inclusion, are all stepping stones to participants and clients being able to live happier and more fulfilling lives.
Our PBS practitioners are committed to address behaviours of concern in order to achieve an improved quality of life that lasts.
#2 Building and Maintaining Positive Relationships
With a reduction in behaviours of concern and an improved quality of life, participants or clients are given the best possible platform from which to build and maintain positive relationships. This could be with existing friends, family or members of the community, but also extends to colleagues and acquaintances.
Through being able to implement lasting strategies tailored to each individual, our PBS practitioners work with participants and clients to ensure they are equipped with the right tools to not only build relationships and improve existing ones, but to ensure that all of them last.
#3 Enhancing Mental Health and Wellbeing
From an improved quality of life and a collection of fulfilling relationships comes a boost to a participant or client’s overall mental health and wellbeing. With a supportive and understanding PBS practitioner, those who access positive behaviour support are encouraged to explore the root causes of any challenging behaviours, build their social and interpersonal skills, as well as contribute to an environment that helps them to feel empowered.
Accessing Positive Behaviour Support
While this is a good starting point to understanding positive behaviour support, it’s still important to know how you, your clients or your loved ones can seek advice, have questions answered and access services. NDIS participants are able to fund positive behaviour support with Ark Support Coordination if it is included in their plan. Our team can also review your funding options with you.
For more information or to discuss your options, contact us online or call (08) 6373 7500 and chat to us about how we may be able to help.
