When a behaviour is placing someone, their family or support team under pressure, people often need more than general advice to “stay calm” or “be consistent”. They need a clear, practical plan that explains what may be driving the behaviour and what everyone can do differently. This positive behaviour support plan example shows how a plan can turn difficult moments into safer, more respectful opportunities for support.
A Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plan is not a behaviour chart and it is not designed to make a person more compliant. It is a person-centred document developed from careful assessment, collaboration and evidence. Its purpose is to improve quality of life, build skills and reduce the need for behaviours of concern by changing the conditions around the person as well as teaching helpful alternatives.
What a positive behaviour support plan does
A well-prepared PBS plan gives families, disability support workers, educators and other professionals a shared approach. It describes the person’s strengths, preferences, communication style, health considerations, daily environment and the goals that matter to them.
It also considers behaviour in context. A person may shout, leave an activity suddenly, refuse care, damage property or become physically unsafe when they are overwhelmed, unable to communicate a need, experiencing pain, worried about an unfamiliar situation or trying to escape a demand they do not understand. The behaviour is meaningful, even when it is distressing or risky.
The plan sets out proactive supports to reduce the likelihood of these situations, skill-building strategies that give the person safer ways to communicate, and clear response guidance for times when distress is already escalating. This helps support teams act consistently without making assumptions or relying on punishment.
Every plan should be individual. The following positive behaviour support plan example is fictional and simplified. It is not a document to copy for another person, because effective PBS begins with an individual assessment.
Positive behaviour support plan example: Jordan
Jordan is a 24-year-old NDIS participant who lives with family and attends a community-based program three days a week. Jordan enjoys music, catching public transport with a trusted worker, cooking simple meals and spending time with a small group of friends. Jordan uses spoken language, but finds it difficult to explain feelings quickly when under pressure.
Jordan’s family and support workers have noticed that Jordan sometimes shouts, throws nearby items and attempts to leave the program without support. These incidents are most likely during unexpected timetable changes, long waiting periods, crowded spaces and discussions about tasks Jordan does not want to complete. The immediate priority is safety, but the broader goal is for Jordan to have greater choice, confidence and participation in everyday life.
Understanding what the behaviour communicates
A PBS practitioner would gather information through conversations with Jordan, family, staff and relevant clinicians. They may observe routines and review incident records to identify patterns. This is called a functional behaviour assessment.
In Jordan’s case, the assessment suggests that behaviour is more likely when plans change without warning, instructions are given too quickly or there is no clear way to request a break. Leaving the area appears to help Jordan get away from a noisy or demanding environment. Shouting also brings staff attention, although that attention is not always experienced as helpful if several people begin talking at once.
This understanding changes the response. Rather than viewing Jordan as “refusing to cooperate”, the team can recognise signs of overload and make communication, predictability and choice central to support.
Goals that are meaningful and measurable
Jordan helps choose goals with the support of family and workers. One goal is to use a break card, a spoken request or a message on a mobile before distress becomes overwhelming. Another is to take part in a preferred community activity each week with a predictable plan for travel and breaks.
The team also sets a goal for the environment: program staff will provide notice of changes where possible and use a visual daily schedule at the start of each visit. This matters because PBS is not solely about asking the person to change. Support systems have responsibilities too.
Practical strategies in the plan
Jordan’s plan may include the following strategies:
- Begin each visit by reviewing a simple visual schedule, including what is changing and what will stay the same.
- Offer two realistic choices before non-preferred activities, such as choosing the order of tasks or whether to start now or in ten minutes.
- Use short, calm instructions and allow time for Jordan to process information before repeating or adding more words.
- Make a quiet break space available and practise using a break card when Jordan is calm, not only during a crisis.
- Recognise early signs of stress, such as pacing, speaking more loudly, covering ears or repeatedly asking to go home, and respond early with reduced demands and reassurance.
The plan would also describe how staff should respond if Jordan is already highly distressed. For example, one familiar worker may speak calmly, reduce noise and audience, give Jordan physical space, and offer the known break option. Staff should avoid arguing, blocking exits unless there is an immediate safety risk, making threats or continuing demands that can wait.
After the incident, Jordan should be given time to recover. A brief, respectful check-in can help identify what happened and whether the plan needs adjustment. Debriefing is not about forcing an apology or revisiting the event while the person is still upset. It is about restoring safety, dignity and connection.
Why proactive support matters
The strongest part of a PBS plan is usually what happens before a behaviour of concern occurs. Predictable routines, accessible communication, sensory adjustments, meaningful activities and genuine choices can reduce stress significantly. These changes are often more effective than reactive strategies because they address the reason the behaviour became necessary in the first place.
That said, plans need to be realistic. A busy household, school or community program cannot remove every unexpected event. The aim is not a perfectly controlled environment. It is to build a team that notices pressure early, communicates clearly and supports the person to manage change with increasing confidence.
For some people, health needs, trauma history, sleep difficulties, medication changes, pain or mental health concerns may also be relevant. PBS works best when these factors are considered with appropriate health professionals, rather than assuming every concern is purely behavioural.
Putting the plan into everyday practice
A plan only helps when the people supporting the participant understand and use it. Families and workers need practical training, not simply a lengthy document stored in a folder. They should know the person’s early warning signs, preferred communication, proactive strategies and the safest response when distress rises.
Consistency does not mean every person says the exact same words. It means the team shares the same intent: preserve dignity, reduce stress, offer choices and respond in ways that do not accidentally make future incidents more likely. Regular communication between family, providers and the participant helps keep this approach aligned.
Brief data collection can also be useful. Recording what happened before an incident, the behaviour observed, how people responded and what happened afterwards can reveal whether strategies are working. The information should be factual and respectful. Labels such as “attention-seeking” or “manipulative” rarely explain what the person needed or what should change.
When a PBS plan should be reviewed
A plan should be reviewed when circumstances change, when incidents increase, when goals have been achieved or when strategies are not producing the intended result. A move, new worker, change in day program, illness, family stress or altered routine can all affect behaviour.
Where restrictive practices are being considered or used, there are additional legal, ethical and NDIS requirements. Restrictive practices are not routine behaviour strategies and must never be used for convenience, punishment or to manage staffing shortages. They require specialist oversight and must follow relevant authorisation, reporting and review processes.
A capable behaviour support practitioner will work towards reducing and eliminating restrictive practices wherever possible, while ensuring immediate safety is addressed appropriately.
Finding the right support
A good PBS process makes room for the participant’s voice, even when communication is non-verbal or requires support. It also respects the expertise of families and carers, who often understand the small signs that others may miss. The result should feel practical enough for a worker to use on a busy morning and respectful enough that the person recognises themselves in it.
For Brisbane participants and families seeking NDIS-aligned support, In Mind Therapy can provide professional Positive Behaviour Support that considers the whole person, their goals and the settings in which they live, learn and connect. The most helpful plan is not the one with the most pages. It is the one that helps a person feel understood, safer and more able to live life on their own terms.