How to Become a Behaviour Support Practitioner in Australia
If you are considering becoming a Behaviour Support Practitioner in Australia, understanding where to start can feel overwhelming. There is no single university degree or training course that automatically makes someone an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner, and the pathway you take will depend on your existing qualifications, professional experience, transferable skills and experience in Positive Behaviour Support.
To practise as an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner, you must apply to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and be considered suitable. Until you have been considered suitable, you cannot undertake behaviour support assessments, including Functional Behaviour Assessments, or develop NDIS Behaviour Support Plans, even when working under supervision.
The good news is that there are pathways for both experienced professionals and people who are relatively new to Positive Behaviour Support.
What Does a Behaviour Support Practitioner Do?
An NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner works with people with disability, their families, support teams and other professionals to understand behaviour within the context of the person's life.
Positive Behaviour Support is not simply about reducing behaviours of concern. It is a human rights and values-led approach that considers the person's quality of life, communication, relationships, environment, skills, preferences and support needs.
The role of a Behaviour Support Practitioner may include:
undertaking behaviour support assessments and Functional Behaviour Assessments
gathering and analysing information about behaviour and the context in which it occurs
working collaboratively with participants, families and support teams
developing Interim and Comprehensive Behaviour Support Plans
identifying proactive, person-centred strategies
supporting the development of communication, regulation and other skills
providing training and guidance to people implementing Behaviour Support Plans
monitoring outcomes and reviewing strategies
supporting the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices
maintaining appropriate documentation and evidence
engaging in reflective practice and ongoing professional development.
This means that becoming a capable Behaviour Support Practitioner requires much more than learning how to write a Behaviour Support Plan. Practitioners need to develop clinical reasoning and understand how assessment, evidence, relationships, environment and the person's individual circumstances inform their recommendations.
Do I Need a Particular Qualification to Become a Behaviour Support Practitioner?
There is no single prescribed degree that automatically qualifies someone to become an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner.
The NDIS Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework does not prescribe a minimum number of years of practice, a particular qualification or a particular training program.
Behaviour Support Practitioners come from a range of professional backgrounds. These may include psychology, occupational therapy, social work, education, nursing, counselling, disability and other relevant disciplines.
Your qualifications are only one part of the picture.
The NDIS Commission also considers the knowledge, skills and experience required to provide specialist behaviour support. Depending on the pathway through which you apply, relevant professional experience and transferable skills may form part of the evidence supporting your application.
For example, an experienced teacher may already have considerable skills in assessment, data collection, environmental modification, communication, collaboration, individualised planning and supporting children with complex needs. An allied health professional may bring assessment, clinical reasoning and multidisciplinary practice skills.
These skills do not automatically make someone a Behaviour Support Practitioner, but they may provide an important foundation from which Positive Behaviour Support capability can be developed.
What Are the Pathways to Becoming an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner?
The NDIS Commission currently provides two application pathways.
Self-Assessment Pathway
The self-assessment pathway is generally suited to people who have sufficient Positive Behaviour Support experience and a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates their capability.
Applicants complete a self-assessment against the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework and undertake the required supervisor endorsement process.
New Entry-Level Pathway
The New Entry-Level Pathway, previously referred to as the Alternative
Assessment Pathway, is intended for applicants who have less than six months of Positive Behaviour Support experience and/or limited portfolio evidence.
This pathway recognises that people entering the profession may have relevant qualifications and transferable professional skills but have not yet had the opportunity to develop an extensive Positive Behaviour Support portfolio.
What Is Required for the New Entry-Level Pathway?
New entry-level applicants are expected to have a higher level of supervision and professional support while developing their Positive Behaviour Support capability.
Current NDIS Commission requirements include working with an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner who has been assessed at Proficient level or above.
The supervisor supports the applicant to develop their capability across the seven domains of the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework.
Applicants are currently required to prepare evidence including:
a resume outlining relevant experience, training and education
certified copies of relevant qualifications
a professional development plan identifying how capability will be developed across the seven domains of the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework at Core practitioner level
a supervision agreement with a Proficient level Behaviour Support Practitioner or above
the required New Entry-Level Practitioner Declaration
any optional evidence demonstrating relevant transferable skills.
Transferable evidence might include professional documents developed in another role, where those documents genuinely demonstrate skills relevant to Positive Behaviour Support practice.
The NDIS Commission then assesses the application and determines practitioner suitability.
What Is the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework?
The Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework describes the knowledge and skills underpinning contemporary evidence-based Positive Behaviour Support practice within the NDIS.
It provides a structure for practitioner development and establishes expectations for Behaviour Support Practitioners.
The Framework contains four practitioner capability levels:
Core
Proficient
Advanced
Specialist
An important distinction is that these capability levels should not be confused with the NDIS Commission's suitability decision.
The NDIS Commission currently makes a decision that an applicant is suitable, not suitable, or that it is unable to make a decision. It does not itself endorse a practitioner's capability level.
Practitioners can continue developing their capabilities through professional development, experience and appropriate professional and clinical supervision.
What Skills Do I Need to Develop?
A new Behaviour Support Practitioner needs to develop more than technical report-writing skills.
High-quality Positive Behaviour Support requires practitioners to understand the person and the context surrounding behaviour.
Professional development may therefore include areas such as:
person-centred and rights-based practice
understanding behaviour as communication
Functional Behaviour Assessment
assessment and data collection
formulation and clinical reasoning
Behaviour Support Plan development
communication and environmental supports
proactive and preventative strategies
skill development
implementation and implementation fidelity
stakeholder consultation
regulated restrictive practices
restrictive practice reduction and elimination
ethical decision-making
supported decision-making
quality and compliance
reflective practice.
Developing these capabilities takes time and should involve opportunities to connect theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Do I Need Clinical Supervision?
For practitioners entering through the New Entry-Level Pathway, supervision is a formal part of the development process.
The NDIS Commission currently requires a supervision agreement with an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner assessed at Proficient level or above.
However, effective supervision should be much more than obtaining a signature.
Good clinical supervision provides a structured opportunity to develop clinical reasoning, reflect on practice, identify professional development needs, discuss ethical considerations and examine the evidence supporting professional decisions.
The practitioner remains responsible for developing their own professional capability. The role of supervision is to support that development, not to replace independent professional reasoning.
Does Completing a Behaviour Support Practitioner Course Make Me an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner?
No.
This is an important distinction when comparing Behaviour Support Practitioner training programs.
Completing a Positive Behaviour Support course does not automatically make someone an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner and does not guarantee that the NDIS Commission will consider an applicant suitable.
Training can, however, play an important role in developing the knowledge and practical skills required for Positive Behaviour Support practice.
A good practitioner development program should therefore focus on capability development rather than simply providing a certificate.
It should help participants understand not only what they are expected to do, but also why particular approaches are appropriate and how to apply professional judgement in real situations.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Behaviour Support Practitioner?
There is no single timeframe that applies to everyone.
The time required will depend on factors including your:
previous qualifications
professional background
transferable skills
Positive Behaviour Support experience
access to appropriate supervision
professional development needs
opportunities to develop evidence of capability
application pathway.
The NDIS Commission currently advises that it aims to process most practitioner suitability applications within approximately four to six weeks once an application has been submitted. This is the assessment timeframe and should not be confused with the time required to develop the capabilities necessary to make an application.
For new entry-level practitioners, professional development continues after initial suitability. The Commission may specify additional requirements, including supervision and development of a portfolio of evidence, and suitability is generally reconsidered within approximately 12 months.
What Should I Look for in Behaviour Support Practitioner Training?
If you are new to Positive Behaviour Support, look beyond the certificate when comparing training programs.
Consider whether the training develops practical capability in areas such as assessment, Functional Behaviour Assessment, Behaviour Support Plan development, clinical reasoning, implementation, restrictive practices, ethics and reflective practice.
You should also consider who is delivering the training, their current experience in Positive Behaviour Support, opportunities for supervision and feedback, and how the program connects theoretical learning with actual practice.
Most importantly, be cautious of any program suggesting that completing a course automatically qualifies you as an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner.
Where Do I Start?
If you are considering becoming a Behaviour Support Practitioner, your first step should be understanding the current NDIS Commission requirements and identifying the application pathway that is most relevant to your experience.
From there, consider your existing qualifications and transferable skills and identify the areas of Positive Behaviour Support capability you still need to develop.
For someone entering through the New Entry-Level Pathway, this will usually involve establishing an appropriate supervision arrangement, developing a professional development plan and undertaking targeted professional development while preparing the evidence required for the application.
Behaviour Support Practitioner Training with ConnectFirst™
ConnectFirst™ provides structured Positive Behaviour Support training for people who want to develop the knowledge, practical skills and clinical reasoning required for Behaviour Support Practitioner practice.
Our 90-Day Behaviour Support Practitioner Program explores areas including Functional Behaviour Assessment, Behaviour Support Plan development, clinical reasoning, implementation, restrictive practices, quality and compliance, reflective practice and practical application of the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework.
Clinical supervision options are also available for practitioners requiring structured professional development and support.
The program is designed to support capability development. Completion of the program does not guarantee NDIS practitioner suitability, a particular capability level or a suitability outcome from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Interested in becoming a Behaviour Support Practitioner?
Explore the ConnectFirst™ 90-Day Behaviour Support Practitioner Program or learn more about Clinical Supervision for Behaviour Support Practitioners.
Keywords:
NDIS behaviour support practitioner, behaviour support practitioner training Australia, positive behaviour support practitioner, new entry-level behaviour support practitioner, PBS capability framework
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Learn how to become an NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner in Australia, including entry pathways, supervision, capability development, training and suitability requirements.
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