What is Positive Behaviour Support?

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is an evidence-informed approach that focuses on understanding why behaviours happen and supporting meaningful, long-term change.
Rather than simply trying to stop behaviours, PBS looks at:
  • What the behaviour is communicating
  • What triggers or influences the behaviour
  • What skills the child may need
  • How environments can be adjusted
  • How families and support teams can work together
The goal is to improve quality of life, independence, participation and wellbeing.

To learn more about the foundations of behaviour support, visit our What Is Positive Behaviour Support? guide.
Why Children May Experience Challenging Behaviour

Behaviour is rarely random.
Children often use behaviour to communicate something important when they do not yet have the skills, language or emotional regulation to express it differently.
Challenging behaviour may be influenced by:

Communication Difficulties
Some children may struggle to communicate their needs, frustrations, discomfort or emotions. Behaviour can sometimes become their primary form of communication.

Emotional Regulation Challenges
Children who experience intense emotions may struggle to manage feelings such as frustration, disappointment, anxiety, excitement or anger.

Sensory Processing Differences
Sensory sensitivities or sensory-seeking needs may contribute to behaviour. Busy environments, loud sounds, bright lights, clothing textures or unexpected sensory experiences can become overwhelming.

Autism and Neurodevelopmental Differences
Children with autism, ADHD, developmental delays or other neurodevelopmental differences may experience unique challenges that influence behaviour.

Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety can contribute to avoidance, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, reassurance-seeking, school refusal and other behaviours.
Environmental FactorsSleep difficulties, illness, hunger, fatigue, changes in routine, family stress and school challenges can all impact behaviour.

Understanding the reason behind behaviour is one of the most important principles of What Is Positive Behaviour Support?
What Causes Challenging Behaviour in Children?

Every behaviour serves a purpose.
Positive Behaviour Support focuses on understanding the function of behaviour rather than simply reacting to it.
Common functions of behaviour may include:

Seeking Connection
Children may use behaviour to seek connection, attention, reassurance or support from trusted adults.

Escaping Demands
Some children may avoid activities, situations or expectations that feel overwhelming, difficult or stressful.

Meeting Sensory Needs
Behaviour may help a child seek or avoid sensory input.

Communicating Distress
Behaviour may communicate anxiety, discomfort, frustration, confusion or emotional overwhelm.

Accessing Preferred Activities
Children may use behaviour to access preferred people, activities or items.

When families understand what behaviour is communicating, they can begin addressing the underlying need rather than focusing solely on the behaviour itself.
How Positive Behaviour Support Helps Children

Positive Behaviour Support focuses on improving quality of life while reducing behaviours that impact safety, participation and wellbeing.
Support may involve:
  • Understanding behaviour patterns
  • Identifying triggers
  • Teaching communication skills
  • Building emotional regulation skills
  • Supporting social participation
  • Adjusting environments
  • Coaching parents and carers
  • Collaborating with schools and support teams
PBS is not about punishment, control or compliance.
Instead, it focuses on helping children develop skills and supports that allow them to participate more successfully in daily life.
Positive Behaviour Support Assessments for Children

Every child is unique, which is why Positive Behaviour Support begins with understanding the whole child. A Positive Behaviour Support Assessment explores your child's strengths, communication, sensory experiences, routines, relationships and everyday environments to better understand the factors that may be influencing behaviours of concern.

This person-centred approach helps our practitioners develop practical, evidence-informed recommendations that support your child's participation, independence and wellbeing across home, school and community settings.

Learn more about our Positive Behaviour Support Assessments
What Does Positive Behaviour Support Look Like at Home?

Many parents wonder what behaviour support actually looks like in everyday family life.
Examples may include:

Creating Predictable Routines
Children often feel safer and more regulated when they know what to expect.
Strategies may include:
  • Visual schedules
  • Consistent routines
  • Transition warnings
  • Daily planners

Supporting Emotional Regulation
Children can learn skills to identify emotions, recognise triggers and use coping strategies before becoming overwhelmed.

Families may find our guides on Emotional Regulation Strategies for Children, How to Become an Emotion Coach for Your Child, and Co-Regulating with Your Child: Foundation Skills for Self-Regulation helpful.

Teaching Communication Skills
Children may be supported to:
  • Request help
  • Ask for breaks
  • Express emotions
  • Communicate needs more effectively

Adjusting the Environment
Sometimes small environmental changes can make a significant difference.
Examples include:
  • Reducing sensory overload
  • Creating calm spaces
  • Simplifying instructions
  • Supporting transitions

​Parent Coaching
Behaviour support often involves working directly with parents and carers to build confidence and practical strategies that can be used consistently.

​You may also find our Behaviour Change Tips for Parents resource helpful.
Positive Behaviour Support for Autism

Many children with autism experience challenges related to:
  • Communication
  • Emotional regulation
  • Sensory processing
  • Flexibility
  • Transitions
  • Coping with uncertainty
Behaviour is often a form of communication rather than intentional defiance.

​Positive Behaviour Support helps identify what a child may be communicating and develops practical strategies that support participation and wellbeing.
Support may include:
  • Visual supports
  • Communication supports
  • Emotional regulation strategies
  • Sensory supports
  • School collaboration
  • Parent coaching
Positive Behaviour Support for ADHD

​Children with ADHD often experience challenges related to:
  • Emotional regulation
  • Attention
  • Impulse control
  • Executive functioning
  • Organisation
  • Task completion
Positive Behaviour Support can help children develop practical skills and strategies that improve participation at home, school and within the community.

​Support may focus on:
  • Building routines
  • Emotional regulation
  • Organisation skills
  • Attention strategies
  • Parent coaching
  • School supports
Positive Behaviour Support for PDA

Some children experience significant anxiety around demands and expectations.
For children with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) traits or profiles, behaviour support often focuses on:
  • Reducing anxiety
  • Increasing flexibility
  • Supporting emotional regulation
  • Collaborative problem-solving
  • Reducing unnecessary demands
  • Building trust and safety
Learn more on our PDA Behaviour Support page.
Common Areas We Support

Positive Behaviour Support may assist children experiencing:

Emotional Regulation Difficulties
Children who experience emotional outbursts, meltdowns, frustration or overwhelm.

School Behaviour Concerns
Challenges with participation, attention, routines, transitions and relationships at school.

Autism and Neurodevelopmental Differences
Supporting communication, regulation and participation.

ADHD
Supporting attention, regulation and executive functioning.

Anxiety
Supporting children experiencing anxiety-related behaviours and avoidance.
​
Social Difficulties
Supporting friendship skills, communication and participation.
Functional Behaviour Assessments

A Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) helps identify:
  • Behaviour patterns
  • Triggers
  • Environmental influences
  • Skill deficits
  • Functions of behaviour
The information gathered helps guide behaviour support recommendations and Behaviour Support Plans.
​
Learn more about Functional Behaviour Assessment
What Does a Behaviour Support Plan Look Like?

​A Behaviour Support Plan outlines practical strategies that help support the child and those around them.
Plans may include:

Understanding Behaviour
  • Behaviour patterns
  • Triggers
  • Contributing factors
  • Strengths

Proactive Strategies
Supports designed to reduce challenges before they occur.
Examples may include:
  • Visual schedules
  • Routine supports
  • Environmental modifications
  • Communication supports

Skill Development
Building:
  • Emotional regulation skills
  • Communication skills
  • Social skills
  • Coping skills

Reactive Strategies
Safe and supportive responses when behaviour occurs.
The goal is to improve participation, independence and wellbeing over time.

​Learn more about Positive Behaviour Support NDIS funding and Behaviour Support Plans.
When Should Parents Seek Behaviour Support?

Every child experiences challenging moments.
​
Additional support may be beneficial when:
  • Behaviour is becoming more frequent
  • Behaviour is becoming more intense
  • Family stress is increasing
  • School concerns have been raised
  • Safety concerns exist
  • Emotional regulation difficulties are impacting daily life
  • Current strategies are no longer working
  • Autism, ADHD, anxiety or developmental differences are contributing to challenges

​Early support often helps families develop effective strategies before difficulties become more significant.
NDIS Positive Behaviour Support

Positive Behaviour Support may be funded through the NDIS when it aligns with a participant's goals and support needs.
PBS funding commonly sits under:

Improved RelationshipsFunding may support:
  • Functional Behaviour Assessments
  • Behaviour Support Plans
  • Parent coaching
  • School collaboration
  • Ongoing behaviour support

​Learn more about Positive Behaviour Support NDIS.
Positive Behaviour Support Across Perth, Mandurah and Western Australia

Belong Health provides Positive Behaviour Support services across:
  • Perth
  • Mandurah
  • Rockingham
  • Peel Region
  • Regional Western Australia via Telehealth
Services may be delivered through:
  • Home visits
  • School visits
  • Community visits
  • Telehealth

​We work closely with families, schools, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Psychologists and support teams to ensure strategies are practical and consistent across environments.
How Belong Health Can Help

Our team provides:
​We also offer multidisciplinary supports including: Our goal is to help children build skills, improve participation and support families to feel confident in responding to behaviour.
Getting Started

If you're concerned about your child's behaviour, emotional regulation, anxiety, autism, ADHD or participation at home, school or within the community, our team can help.

We can help you:
  • Understand why behaviours are occurring
  • Identify practical strategies
  • Explore NDIS funding options
  • Access Positive Behaviour Support services
  • Build confidence as a parent or caregiver

​Contact Belong Health today to discuss your child's needs and the next steps.
​​Our friendly team are happy to help call us on 08 9586 3934 or send us an email

free 20min PBS Session
with our PBS Specialist for ages 0-65+

Empowering individuals and families, one goal at a time.
Connect with Belong Health to experience personalised PBS services in the Peel Region, Perth Metro or via Telehealth Across Australia.
Our Free Connect PBS session with a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner  is designed to address your unique needs and empower you or your family.
​Secure your spot today and discover how our team can help you thrive.

    Positive behAviour supports ENQUIRY FORM

Frequently Asked Questions - Positive Behaviour Support for Children
​
What is Positive Behaviour Support for children?
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a person-centred, evidence-based approach that focuses on understanding behaviour and helping children develop skills in communication, emotional regulation, social interaction and daily functioning.

What is challenging behaviour in children?
Challenging behaviour refers to behaviours that significantly affect a child's participation, safety, learning, relationships or quality of life. Examples may include aggression, emotional outbursts, property destruction, self-injury, refusal, elopement or severe emotional dysregulation.

Why do children display challenging behaviour?
Behaviour is often a form of communication. Children may display challenging behaviour due to:
  • Communication difficulties
  • Emotional regulation challenges
  • Anxiety
  • Sensory processing differences
  • Fatigue
  • Frustration
  • Environmental stressors
  • Developmental differences

What causes behaviour problems in children?
​Behaviour difficulties can occur for many reasons, including:
  • Autism
  • ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Trauma
  • Developmental delays
  • Communication challenges
  • Learning difficulties
  • Sensory processing differences
Often multiple factors contribute to behaviour.

What is the first step in Positive Behaviour Support?
The first step is understanding why the behaviour is occurring. PBS focuses on identifying triggers, unmet needs and environmental factors before developing support strategies.

How does Positive Behaviour Support help children?
PBS helps children by:
  • Teaching new skills
  • Improving communication
  • Supporting emotional regulation
  • Reducing behaviours of concern
  • Increasing independence
  • Improving participation at home, school and in the community

What is a Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA)?
A Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) is a structured assessment used to understand why behaviours occur, identify triggers and determine what purpose the behaviour may be serving.

What is the difference between a Functional Behaviour Assessment and a Behaviour Support Plan?
A Functional Behaviour Assessment identifies why behaviour occurs.
A Behaviour Support Plan uses those findings to develop practical strategies that support the child, family and support team.

What is a Behaviour Support Plan for a child?
A Behaviour Support Plan is an individualised document that outlines strategies to reduce behaviours of concern and support skill development, participation and wellbeing.

What are examples of Positive Behaviour Support strategies?
Examples may include:
  • Visual schedules
  • Communication supports
  • Positive reinforcement
  • Emotional regulation strategies
  • Predictable routines
  • Transition supports
  • Environmental modifications
  • Parent coaching

What are proactive behaviour support strategies?
Proactive strategies are used before behaviour occurs and may include:
  • Preparing for transitions
  • Structured routines
  • Visual supports
  • Choice-making opportunities
  • Sensory supports
  • Clear expectations

What are reactive behaviour support strategies?
Reactive strategies are used during or after behaviour to support safety and reduce escalation. They focus on calm, respectful and consistent responses rather than punishment.

How can parents support positive behaviour at home?
Parents can support positive behaviour by:
  • Creating predictable routines
  • Using clear communication
  • Teaching emotional regulation skills
  • Reinforcing positive behaviours
  • Responding consistently
  • Supporting communication and problem-solving

Can Positive Behaviour Support help with emotional regulation?
Yes. Emotional regulation is one of the most common areas addressed through PBS. Support may focus on recognising emotions, identifying triggers, developing coping skills and building self-regulation strategies.
Can Positive Behaviour Support help children with autism?
Yes. PBS can support autistic children by understanding behaviour as communication, identifying triggers, supporting emotional regulation and building communication and coping skills.

Can Positive Behaviour Support help children with ADHD?
Yes. PBS can support children with ADHD by improving emotional regulation, organisation, attention, impulse control and participation across home and school environments.

Can Positive Behaviour Support help with anxiety?
Yes. Anxiety is commonly linked to behaviour. PBS can help identify anxiety triggers, reduce environmental stressors and develop practical coping strategies.

Does my child need a diagnosis to access behaviour support?
Not always. Behaviour support is based on functional needs and behaviours of concern rather than diagnosis alone. Many children benefit from support regardless of whether they have received a formal diagnosis.

Is Positive Behaviour Support funded through the NDIS?
Positive Behaviour Support may be funded through the NDIS when behaviours of concern significantly impact participation, independence, safety or wellbeing and align with NDIS goals.

How long does Positive Behaviour Support take?
The duration varies depending on the child's goals, needs and circumstances. Some children benefit from short-term intervention, while others may require ongoing support and review.
​
When should I seek behaviour support for my child?
It may be beneficial to seek support if your child experiences:
  • Frequent emotional outbursts
  • Aggressive behaviours
  • Significant anxiety
  • Difficulty regulating emotions
  • School participation difficulties
  • Safety concerns
  • Challenges affecting family life or daily activities
Related Resources

Understanding Positive Behaviour Support
Child Behaviour and Parent Coaching
Emotional Regulation Supports
Diagnosis-Specific Behaviour Support
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