Behavioural Support with restrictions is provided to children and individuals under 18. A young person is someone aged between 16 and 18 years. If they possess the capacity, a young person can consent to restrictive practices, based on the ability to understand one's rights and choices. If a young person lacks that capacity, consent may be granted by a guardian.

Your NDIS plan encompasses three primary support budgets: Core Support budgets, Capital Supports budgets, and Capacity Building Supports budget. Positive Behaviour Support falls within the Improved Relationships subcategory of the Capacity Building Supports budget. In essence, Capacity Building Supports primarily focus on enhancing the individual's skills to foster greater independence in achieving long-term goals. Including Improved Relationships in the NDIS plan aims to facilitate the development of positive behaviour, social interactions, and a robust support system for the individual. Positive Behaviour Support is a program designed to enhance the lives of individuals whose challenging behaviours are rooted in cognitive or intellectual disabilities. Within this framework, the support ensures that the use of restrictive practices is reserved for necessary circumstances to safeguard the individual from harm. The goal of Positive Behaviour Support is to delve into the causes of challenging behaviours through consultations with the patient, their caregivers, families, and other support networks. Following this consultation, a comprehensive document is crafted to guide the patient's plan. This document includes evidence-based strategies tailored to fully address the patient's needs and enhance their quality of life.

Challenging behaviours encompass unpredictable and complex actions that significantly impact an individual's learning, development, safety, and relationships. These behaviours may include damaging property, physical and verbal aggression, impulsive or disinhibited practices, and self-injury. Despite being often misunderstood, creating a supportive environment can alleviate the severity of the situation. The Positive Behaviour Support plan is evidence-based, allowing targeted treatment where the patient needs it most. This approach involves: 1. Constructing the Positive Behaviour Plan. 2. Assessing and intervening to understand triggers and causes. 3. Developing a person-centred plan aligned with the patient's goals. 4. Involving family, caretakers, professionals, and support providers in the planning. 5. Building skills like communication and interaction to replace challenging behaviours. 6. Training caretakers and providers in effective support strategies. 7. Implementing environmental changes to improve living conditions and eliminate potential triggers. 8. Gradually reducing restrictive practices to enhance the patient's freedom and safety over time. The ultimate goal is for the person to thrive without such limitations.

A restrictive practice refers to a method employed to manage or constrain an individual's behaviour. These measures are only implemented as a final option to guarantee the safety of the client and those in their vicinity. There are explicit criteria for evaluating the necessity of a restrictive practice and for reporting such actions to both the Quality and Safeguard Commission and NSW Family and Community Services. It is a legal obligation for your Behaviour Support Practitioner to adhere to these guidelines.

While the primary objective of Positive Behaviour Support is to eliminate the use of restrictive measures, there are circumstances where regulated, restrictive practices become necessary to ensure the safety of the patient. It is essential to emphasise that the NDIS places utmost importance on upholding the rights of the patient, and any restrictive measures must be evidence-based and align with the person's situation. According to the NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules of 2018, restrictive practices can only be used: 1. As a last resort, responding to the risk of self-harm or harm to others. 2. In the shortest possible time and proportional to the risk of harm. 3. In compliance with territory legislation or policy requirements. Since restrictive practices temporarily limit an individual's movement and freedom, it is crucial to report them to the NDIS Commission. When included in the Positive Behaviour Support Plan, NDIS providers must regularly report on the patient. If the plan excludes the use of regulated restrictive practices, there is no obligation for the NDIS provider to report to the NDIS Commission. Regulated restrictive practices fall into five categories: 1. Physical restraint: Manual methods to restrict movement without equipment for non-behavioural or therapeutic purposes. 2. Mechanical restraint: Use of devices to restrict movement without using them for non-behavioural or therapeutic purposes. 3. Chemical restraint: Use of chemical substances or medication to influence behaviour, excluding prescribed medicine for physical or mental conditions. 4. Environmental (access) restraint: Restricting access to certain areas of the living environment while maintaining freedom within the home. 5. Seclusion: Placing the patient in a solitary space they cannot voluntarily leave, allowed only under safe and necessary conditions. The patient may leave when permitted by a person of authority.

The objective of behaviour support is to conduct a thorough functional assessment of pertinent challenging behaviours and offer positive behaviour support strategies to caregivers and support workers. Therapy, typically covered under a distinct line item, concentrates on skill development in specific areas through one-on-one sessions with the individual.

Typically, a minimum of 25 hours of funding is required for Behaviour Support. For more extensive support, certain plans may necessitate over 60 hours, covering comprehensive assistance, training, and fulfilling all reporting requirements to the Commission.