Our PBS Process
A Unique Approach to Positive Behaviour Support
At the heart of Insight PBS’s approach is a commitment to collaboration, person-centred care, and a multi-disciplinary method that ensures every intervention is as effective as it is compassionate.
What sets Insight PBS apart is its distinctive approach to understanding behaviour. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution, Insight PBS prioritises understanding the underlying reasons behind an individual’s behaviour. This is achieved by:
Collaborative Engagement
Practitioners work closely with all key supports, including parents, guardians, support workers, and staff at accommodation or day centres.
Person-Centred Focus
Every support plan is tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of the individual, ensuring a personalised strategy that targets both immediate and long-term goals.
Multi-Disciplinary Method
Drawing on a wealth of expertise from various disciplines, Insight PBS brings together professionals who collectively address the complexities of each case.
Detailed Process Steps
While all NDIS-registered companies follow the same regulations, the quality and scope of PBS services vary significantly between organisations. This can create a confusing environment for participants and care teams, especially when changing service providers. This is why we find it extremely important to be transparent about the Insight PBS process and what to expect from our service delivery.
1. Initial Referral and Introduction
When a referral is received, our clinical and liaison teams work together to assign the practitioner that will be the best fit for the participant, the care team and the situation. Many aspects are taken into consideration, including geographic location, preferences on the referral form, and practitioner capacity. When a practitioner is assigned, they will initiate contact with the individual’s key supports and stakeholders. This introductory phase is essential for building rapport and establishing a collaborative foundation from the outset.
2. Comprehensive Information Gathering
Following the initial contact, the practitioner arranges a dedicated time to engage with the key supports. Detailed background information is collected during this phase, and a series of assessments are conducted. This rigorous evaluation is designed to gain an in-depth understanding of the individual’s behaviour, and all the functions of behaviour. This process ensures that the Behaviour Support Plan is not only relevant but also grounded in a thorough analysis of needs.
3. Development of Behaviour Support Plan
Once all necessary information is gathered, the practitioner determines the most suitable type of behaviour support plan required for the NDIS participant. This may be an Interim, or a Comprehensive Behaviour Support Plan. The resulting BSP outlines: Key Behavioural Information: Detailed descriptions of observed behaviours. Strategies for Intervention: Practical strategies designed to be implemented by those who interact most frequently with the participant. Guidance for Key Supports: Clear instructions and training guidelines for parents, guardians, support workers, and staff.
4. Implementation and Ongoing Support
The final phase of the PBS process is the implementation of the plan. Insight PBS ensures that the transition from planning to practice is smooth and effective by providing: Comprehensive Training: Practitioners deliver targeted training sessions for all key supports, ensuring that everyone involved understands their role in the plan’s execution. Continuous Support: Regular follow-ups and support sessions help to overcome any barriers and adapt strategies as necessary, ensuring the plan remains effective over time. This holistic support system is designed to empower all involved, creating an environment where both the individual and their key supports can thrive.
What is NOT included in a Behaviour Support Practitioner’s Role?
1. Deliver Routine Daily Care
It is important to understand that while practitioners design and guide support strategies, they do not directly provide day-to-day care or manage routine interventions. The implementation of the BSP is carried out by frontline care staff, family members, and other key supports.
2. Diagnose Medical or Psychiatric Conditions
Behaviour Support Practitioners are experts in understanding behaviour; however, they are not qualified to diagnose medical or psychiatric conditions. Any such assessments should be conducted by appropriately qualified professionals. The practitioner’s role is to interpret behavioural functions within the context of the overall support plan, not to serve as a clinical diagnostician.
3. Offer Immediate Crisis Intervention
While the strategies outlined in a BSP can help manage challenging behaviour, practitioners are not typically the first point of contact during an acute crisis. Immediate crisis intervention should be managed by specialised crisis teams or emergency services. The focus of a Behaviour Support Practitioner is on long-term, sustainable behavioural management rather than emergency response.
4. Make Unilateral Decisions
A cornerstone of the Insight PBS approach is collaboration. Practitioners do not impose solutions without first consulting with the individual, their family, and other key supports. The development of a BSP is a joint effort that respects the preferences and insights of all stakeholders involved.
5. Replace Other Professional Roles
Behaviour Support Practitioners are not intended to replace specialised therapists, educators, or medical professionals. Their expertise lies in behavioural analysis and strategy development, and they work in conjunction with other experts to complement and enhance existing care plans.
6. Assume a One-Off Solution
Finally, practitioners do not treat a BSP as a ‘set and forget’ solution. Continuous monitoring and adaptation are essential parts of their role. While they lay the foundation with a comprehensive plan, ongoing review and adjustments are necessary to ensure long-term success.
FAQ
What is Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)?
Positive behaviour support is a way of working with people with mental illness and disabilities to improve their life with positive strategies and by addressing challenging behaviours.
Positive Behaviour Support, or Specialist Behaviour Intervention Support, involves intervening to improve a person’s life, particularly where they have been showing challenging behaviours.
What are Behaviours of Concern?
Behaviours of Concern are usually described as ‘behaviour(s) of such intensity, frequency or duration that the physical safety of the person or others is placed in serious jeopardy. They can include, but not limited to self-harming, aggression (physical or verbal), property damage, and more. These behaviours can impact on a person’s life and make it difficult for others to support them.
What is a behaviour support plan?
A behaviour support plan is a document prepared in consultation with the person with disability, their family, carers, and other support people that addresses the needs of the person identified as having complex behaviours of concern. The behaviour support plan contains evidence-informed strategies and seeks to improve the person’s quality of life.
What are Restrictive Practices?
‘Restrictive practice’ means any practice or intervention that has the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability, with the primary purpose of protecting the person or others from harm.
Who are NDIS Registered Behaviour Support Practitioners?
NDIS behaviour support practitioners are practitioners the Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission considers suitable. Specialist behaviour support providers are required to notify the NDIS Commission about their behaviour support practitioners. Practitioners are considered provisionally suitable pending their assessment against the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework
How often do behaviour support plans need to be reviewed?
At a minimum, any behaviour support plan that contains a regulated restrictive practice needs to be reviewed every 12 months or earlier if the participant’s circumstances change.
When should I consider Behaviour Support Services?
Behaviour Support Services should be considered if someone you care for uses behaviours of concern. Positive Behaviour Support aims to improve the quality of life of the person and those who support them. This includes developing the skills of those supports, so that the person’s needs are met and they have the opportunities to make meaningful social connections and participate in the activities they enjoy.