How PBSG Works

How PBSG Works

Working with a behaviour support provider can feel like a black box, so here's our process in plain language. Whether you're a participant reading for yourself, a family member, or a coordinator, we aim to keep things collaborative, low-admin, and easy to follow from your first contact through to ongoing review.

Every participant is different, so the path below is a guide rather than a rigid script. Some steps overlap, and where there's an urgent need we can often put interim strategies in place sooner. Throughout, the aim is the same: understand the person, work with the people around them, and build something that's actually used in everyday life.

Step 1: Referral and an initial conversation

It begins with a referral, which can come from a support coordinator, family member, carer, allied health professional, plan manager, or the participant themselves. You don't need everything documented first; a few details about what's happening is enough to start.

From there, a real person gets in touch, usually within about one business day, subject to current capacity. This first conversation is relaxed and practical: we listen to what's going on, answer your questions, talk honestly about whether and how we can help, and confirm the basics like NDIS funding and goals.

Step 2: Assessment

Next, we get to know the participant properly. A functional assessment looks at what's happening around a behaviour (what tends to come before it, what follows, and what the behaviour might be communicating), so we can understand the 'why' rather than just reacting to the 'what'.

We gather information from the people who know the person well and, where helpful, observe in the settings where day-to-day life happens. This stage is collaborative by design; the people who spend the most time with a participant often hold the most useful insights.

Step 3: Interim and/or comprehensive behaviour support plan

Where there's an immediate need, particularly any risk to the person or others, an interim behaviour support plan can be developed relatively quickly to put safe, evidence-informed strategies in place while we keep learning.

A comprehensive behaviour support plan follows the fuller assessment and reflects a deeper understanding of the person. Many participants move from an interim plan to a comprehensive one over time. Either way, we write plans in plain language, with proactive, preventative, and response strategies. Where any restrictive practices are involved, we set out a clear plan to reduce and remove them.

Step 4: Implementation support and coaching

A plan that sits in a drawer changes nothing. The step that often matters most is implementation support: coaching families, carers, and support teams so everyone understands the strategies and can use them consistently.

This is hands-on and practical. We talk through how strategies apply to real homes, rosters, and community settings, model approaches where useful, and stay available when questions come up. Confidence and consistency are what turn a document into real change.

Step 5: Review and adjustment

Behaviour support isn't 'set and forget'. As the participant grows, circumstances shift, and we learn more about what's working, the plan is reviewed and adjusted to keep it relevant and useful.

We aim to keep this honest and grounded. We look at what's helping, what isn't, and what needs to change, then make those adjustments with the participant and their team rather than to them.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the whole process take?

It varies with each participant's needs and current capacity. Understanding someone well and building strategies that genuinely work takes time, but where there's an immediate need an interim plan can often be put in place relatively quickly while a fuller assessment continues.

How much admin is involved for families and support coordinators?

We try to keep it light. You don't need a thick file to get started, and we aim to handle the documentation side ourselves so families and coordinators aren't buried in paperwork. The focus is on a useful plan, not a complicated process.

Who is involved at each stage?

The participant is central throughout, alongside the people who know them well: family, carers, support workers, and often schools, allied health, and support coordinators. Behaviour support is collaborative, so strategies stay consistent across the settings a person moves through.

Do we have to start with a comprehensive plan?

Not necessarily. Where there's an immediate need, an interim plan can come first to put safe strategies in place, with a comprehensive plan developed after a fuller assessment. The right starting point depends on the participant's situation, which we'll talk through with you.

What happens if the plan isn't working?

That's exactly what the review stage is for. Plans are designed to be adjusted as we learn what helps and what doesn't. If something isn't working, we look at why and change the approach together with the participant and their team.

What if I'm the participant reading this for myself?

Then this is your plan, and you have a say in it at every stage. We build it with you, not just about you. You can ask questions, tell us what does and doesn't work for you, and shape the goals and strategies so they fit your life. Your voice matters from the first conversation through to every review, and you can change your mind as we go.