top 5 positive behaviour support strategies to reduce challenging behaviours

Introduction

Positive behaviour support (PBS) helps a person live better and handles tough behaviour in a kind way. It doesn’t just deal with problems when they happen. Instead, PBS teaches new skills to people and builds a culture of respect. By finding out why someone acts in a certain way, you can use positive behaviour support to make plans that help them grow. You can use PBS at home, at school, and in many other places. This helps all people feel good and move forward in life. Are you ready to make a space that helps everyone get better and live well?

Key Highlights

Here are the main takeaways from this guide on positive behaviour support:

• Positive behaviour support (PBS) is a proactive approach to understanding and reducing challenging behaviours.

• Establishing clear expectations and consistent routines helps individuals feel secure and know what is expected of them.

• Using positive reinforcement, such as praise or rewards, encourages the repetition of good behaviour.

• Teaching social and emotional skills equips individuals with the tools they need for positive interactions.

• A collaborative approach involving family and professionals improves the quality of life for everyone.

The Importance of Reducing Challenging Behaviours

Taking care of challenging behaviour is a big part of making the space safe and supportive. The people get to grow and feel good. If you do not handle these behaviours, there usually be stress for the person showing them. It also affects the others around. When you use a proactive approach, you stop problems before they get to start.

If you look at the real reasons for the behaviour, you work to make the person’s quality of life better. This way helps people be more confident. The people also build strong bonds with others, and the group gets to be more open to all.

The next parts talk about the main effects of these behaviours. The sections will show what you get when you act fast.

Impact of Challenging Behaviours on Individuals and Communities

Challenging behaviour can put stress on not just the person but also their family, friends, and other people around them. For the person, it can make them feel alone and stop them from learning new things. It can also hurt how they feel about themselves. Sometimes, it starts a circle of trouble that is hard to end without good help.

In different places like the classroom or groups in the community, these behaviour issues can make it tough for others too. People start to focus less on learning and more on dealing with problems. This can change:

• The way other students learn in a classes.

• How teams work together in the workplace.

• The peace within a family.

Positive behaviour support can help bring back good results for everyone. If you understand what someone needs and why they act out, you can make the area more welcoming and helpful for all people there. This way, you can handle challenging behaviour in a better way and make life better in the community.

Why Early Intervention is Essential

Taking action when you notice the first signs of struggle is key to good behaviour support. When you act early, you can help build strong habits for the future. This makes it easier to solve issues before they turn into problems that are hard to change. If you step in early, you have a better chance to teach new skills that can replace the tough behaviour.

A proactive approach helps stop small problems from becoming big. This works better than fixing behaviour that has gone on for a long time. Occupational therapy and other professional support can also help as they can spot sensory or developmental issues that might be causing the behaviour. In positive behaviour support, restrictive practices are sometimes used as a last resort to keep people safe, but early intervention aims to reduce the need for such measures by addressing underlying issues before challenging behaviours escalate.

If you wait too long, you can lose chances to help someone learn new skills. This can make life harder for both the person and their caregivers. Being proactive can help start a better, positive path for growth. It can lead to a higher quality of life. Giving help early gives people the right tools to handle social situations and feel more confident. In positive behaviour support, some examples of consistent and fair consequences include calmly redirecting behaviours, offering choices, and using natural outcomes tied to specific actions. These strategies focus on teaching and reinforcing positive skills rather than punishment, helping individuals understand clear expectations and supporting their growth.

Strategy 1 – Establishing Clear Expectations and Consistent Routines

One of the best ways to encourage positive behaviour is to set up clear and steady rules. When you make your expectations simple and easy to follow, you take away confusion. This helps people know what they need to do. For example, in a classroom, rules like "Raise your hand to speak" or "Keep your hands to yourself" should be taught clearly and talked about often. This makes sure that everyone knows what is expected and keeps things running smoothly.

Routines that stay the same every day bring a feeling of safety and comfort. This can lower stress and also make challenging behaviour less likely. When people know what is coming next, they can feel more in control. At home or at school, if you use a set time for meals, work, and breaks, you can make the expected behaviour clear. This helps everyone stay calm and keeps the place neat and organised. What good and fair steps can you use when someone does not meet the expectations?

Strategy 2 – Positive Reinforcement and Recognition

Recognising and giving rewards for good behaviour is a great way to help kids keep doing it. When you use positive reinforcement, you make a clear connection between the good thing someone does and something nice they get after. For example, you can use praise, like saying, "I really liked how you shared with your friend." Saying this shows you value what they did and it can help their confidence grow.

You can also set up simple systems in the classroom. For example, a teacher might have a token system. Students can get points when they finish their work on time or show kindness to others. Later, they can trade these points for something special, like more free time or a fun activity. This way, the focus moves away from punishing bad choices. Instead, you celebrate and encourage positive behaviour, which is one big reason why using positive behaviour support helps children.

Strategy 3 – Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

Many challenging behaviours often come up because people do not have the right skills to deal with social situations or control their feelings. One good way to help is the direct teaching of social and emotional skills. This can give them the tools they need to do well. You can show them clearly how to greet others, take turns, share things, or sort out problems in a calm way.

Doing role-play and having guided practice in a safe space helps people feel good about using those new skills. For example, a counselor might set up a group activity where everyone tries out different social situations together. When people learn new skills, they are ready to deal with problems in a better way. This leads to more positive behaviour, better results, and stronger bonds with others. Building these skills is a big part of a successful positive behaviour support plan.

Strategy 4 – Modifying the Environment to Prevent Challenging Behaviours

Sometimes, the simplest way to prevent challenging behaviours is to adjust the physical or social environment. By identifying and removing triggers, you can create a setting that is more conducive to success. This proactive strategy can reduce stress and frustration, making it easier for an individual to exhibit positive behaviour. Can you think of simple changes you could make in your home or classroom?

Environmental modifications can be tailored to an individual's specific needs. For example, a student who is easily distracted may benefit from sitting at the front of the classroom, while someone sensitive to noise might need access to noise-canceling headphones. These adjustments in various settings address the root cause of the behaviour rather than just the symptom.

Strategy 5 – Collaborative and Individualised Behaviour Support Plans

The best way is to create behaviour plans that fit the needs of the individual. Most of the time, this starts with a Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA). The team tries to find out why the behaviour happens. For example, is the person trying to get attention, avoid something, or let others know what they want?

After the reason is clear, caregivers, teachers, and therapists work as a team. They make a plan that targets the needs of the individual. When everyone works together, they use the same steps every time. A good PBS plan can change as things change. The plan is checked often with data. If the person's needs change, the plan will change too, to help them do better for a long time.

To make a strong plan, you must talk to people who know the person best. This is why it is so important to include family and other people in their life.

Family and Community Involvement in PBS Planning

For a positive behaviour support (PBS) plan to work well, it needs to be used in more than one place. Family involvement is key. It helps keep things steady from home to school and in other places where the person goes. When parents and caregivers are included in the PBS planning, they get to share the person's strengths. They also talk about what the person likes and what might set off certain behaviours.

Families can use these positive behaviour support strategies at home. You may start with simple and common routines each morning and night. Set rules in a clear and simple way so everyone knows what to expect. Give praise when there is positive behaviour. By doing this, you help support what is taught in therapy or at school. This makes a strong and steady environment for positive behaviour.

It also helps if the whole community is involved. When teachers, coaches, and other family remember to use PBS strategies, it brings strong support and clear messages to the person. Working together this way builds a group of people who all want to see the person do well. It helps everyone grow and feel good about their behaviour and choices.

Conclusion

To sum up, Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a proven way to reduce challenging behaviours while building healthier routines, stronger social skills, and greater emotional wellbeing. By setting clear expectations, using positive reinforcement, and tailoring support plans to each individual, families and communities can create environments where children thrive. Starting early and involving parents, schools, and communities makes outcomes even more effective.

At daar Liverpool, our NDIS-registered behaviour support practitioners design personalised PBS strategies that empower families and deliver lasting results. We work alongside parents, carers, and schools to ensure children receive the consistent support they need to grow socially and emotionally.

Book your consultation today and let us help you create a positive behaviour support plan that works for your child and family.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I get specialised behaviour support?

You should get positive behaviour support when positive behaviour or difficult behaviour affects daily life, learning, or safety. For people with autism, an NDIS provider can help. They can offer positive behaviour support and occupational therapy to make a good plan that works. This will help you or your loved one have a better way of living by using positive behaviour and support from the right services.

How does positive behaviour support handle challenging or aggressive behaviours?

Positive behaviour support works by using a proactive approach. It starts with something called a FBA. This means looking at the roots of the behaviour to find out why it happens. Using what we find out, we make a plan. The plan teaches new skills and changes things in the environment. The goal of all this is to help get more positive behaviour and positive outcomes.

What are some examples of positive behaviour support strategies used in schools?

Schools often use PBS to help build a culture of respect for all. This means they tell students what expected behaviour looks like and teach it to everyone. They use positive reinforcement, such as praise or reward systems, when students show good behaviour. When there is a conflict, schools can use restorative practices to fix the problem and help people make things right.