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Behaviour support plans

A behaviour support plan identifies:

  • A participant’s behaviours of concern that may pose a risk to the participant and/or to others
  • Positive strategies to improve the participant’s quality of life, including a focus on teaching replacement behaviours
  • The role of the participant’s support team in implementing the plan
  • If appropriate, any restrictive practices recommended to address the participant’s behaviours

A plan is developed by a specialist behaviour support practitioner in consultation with the participant, their family, carers and support people [National Disability Insurance Scheme (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018 (Cth) (the NDIS (RP) Rules) r 20, Restrictive Practices Guidelines (SA)]. A participant, their families and carers are to be informed of the intention to include regulated restrictive practices in the plan.

If a behaviour support plan contains the use of regulated restrictive practices, those practices must [NDIS (RP) Rules r 21(3)]:

  • Be clearly identified in the plan
  • Be authorised pursuant to any state or territory requirements (see The Restrictive Practices Authorisation Scheme in South Australia)
  • Be used only as a last resort in response to a risk of harm to the participant or to others, after other measures have been explored and applied
  • Be the least restrictive response possible to ensure the safety of the participant or others
  • Reduce the risk of harm to the participant and to others
  • Be proportionate to the risk of harm or negative consequences
  • Be used for the shortest possible time

Interim behaviour support plans must be developed within one month of the specialist behaviour support provider being engaged and comprehensive plans within six months of engagement [NDIS (RP) Rules s 19]. Reasonable steps must be taken to ensure interim plans are developed within one month of the first use of any regulated restrictive practice and comprehensive plans within six months [NDIS (RP) Rules r 11(2), 12(2) and 13(2)].

Behaviour support plans funded by the NDIS must be lodged with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission as soon as practicable after they are developed, even if authorisation is not required under state or territory legislation [NDIS (RP) Rules r 24]. Comprehensive behaviour support plans must be reviewed if there is a change in circumstances requiring amendment to the plan, or at least every 12 months [NDIS (RP) Rules r 22].

For more information regarding the use of restrictive practices, see Restrictive practices by registered NDIS providers.

Behaviour support plans  :  Last Revised: Thu May 26th 2022
The content of the Law Handbook is made available as a public service for information purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice. See Disclaimer for details. For free and confidential legal advice in South Australia call 1300 366 424.