BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT PLANS & MANAGEMENT

Specialist Behaviour Support Services are skilled in complex behaviour and the complex systems that are invariably involved with supporting high risk individuals. 

Based in Sydney, we offer individualised intervention and training packages to teams and organisations to reduce the risk of harm and create positive, sustainable outcomes.
Our internationally-trained clinicians have over 36 years of combined experience in intervention, planning, and policy within the fields of disability, trauma, forensic disability and education. 

Behaviour Assessment and Intervention 

We offer clinical behavioural support to reduce the risk of harmful behaviour and generate positive outcomes. Our clinicians provide professional individualised analysis and strategies that promote pro-social behaviour and improve quality of life. 

Group Training and Workshops 

Ability to Achieve specialises in supporting complex clients within complex systems. Our professional workshops are customised to meet the needs of each organisation. Topics that can be covered within workshops include the following areas: 

- Trauma-Informed Positive Behaviour Support
- Reporting and Use of Restrictive Interventions
- Disability in Out-of-Home care settings
- Disability in the Classroom
- Functional Behaviour Assessment / Behaviour Support Planning - Risk Management and Responsiveness
- Therapeutic De-escalation and Crisis Management 

Clinical Supervision and Organisational Consultation 

Specialist Positive Behaviour Support - Improved relationships

Ability to Achieve offers service structure advice, reflective practice, clinical supervision and practice-oriented goal setting to professionals and organisations. 

A Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) is a process of gathering and analysing data to determine what function an exhibited behaviour may be serving.

Typically, the behaviour being reviewed is considered to be interfering with the Client’s learning. 

A comprehensive FBA process is the foundation on which a behaviour intervention plan (BIP) is created. 

Though the IDEA advises a functional behavioural analysis approach in determining the “why” behind a Client’s behaviour, it does not give specific guidance on techniques or assessment strategies. However, an examination of the procedures and recording forms for a number of FBA processes yielded ten common elements of most FBAs: 

1. Client’s Identifying Information - includes documentation offering enough information to the reader(s) to identify clearly the Client for whom the FBA applies. Consideration should be given to how the FBA may be employed by the practitioner for quick reference while maintaining adequate confidentiality. 

2. Target Behaviour - (clearly defined) includes behaviour(s) that are problematic to the Client’s learning and the PPT has identified to reduce or extinguish. Often includes information regarding the setting in which a behaviour occurs as well as frequency, intensity and duration. 

3. Antecedent(s) - includes preceding events, conditions or perceived causes/’triggers’ of the target behaviour. 

4. Concurrent Event(s) - includes events or conditions that existed simultaneously with the execution of the target behaviour. 

5. Consequence(s) - includes resultant events or conditions of the target behaviour. 


6. Observation(s) - includes an accounting of a recent observation of the Client in an 


environment typical for display of the target behaviour. Often, the antecedent, behaviour, and consequence (ABC) method of recording is used and discussed in the observation. 

7. Interviews - includes specific questions designed to collect behavioural data from several points of view and in more than one setting. Three types of interviews that are common to FBA’s are parent interviews, Client interviews, and teacher/administrator interviews. 

8. Client Records - includes a collection of relevant data from varied sources. Common sources of data collected are records of attendance, discipline, academic performance, prior assessments and health. 

9. Influencing Factors - includes a review of factors, which have the potential to impact the Client’s behaviour such as physiological factors, environmental factors, psychological / emotional factors, factors related to family, friends, or significant others, factors related to curricula, factors related to instruction and a response to prior events. 

10. Hypothesis/Function of Behaviour(s) - includes a synthesis of data gathered to offer a hypothesis regarding what function the target behaviour(s) serves for the Client. This is essentially looking at the ‘why’ or root cause of a behaviour. 

Other common elements sometimes present but less prevalent in the reviewed FBA’s include: 

a. Behaviour checklist or rating scale
b. Information from other agencies or service providers
c. Indicators regarding a review of prior BIPs or individualized education programs d. Preventative/proactive interventions (current)
e. Past Interventions (impact)
f. Client schedule review
g. Data regarding previous interventions 

The following example of a FBA reflects the key elements or steps common to most FBAs. It is presented as a model from which teams can base the development of an individualized FBA that can utilize specific techniques or strategies in collecting data depending on the nature of the behaviour, the environment(s) and or the staff utilized in acquiring the necessary information. .