Transforming Behaviour, Building Better Lives.
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is an evidence-based framework focused on understanding the why behind challenging behaviour and teaching effective, meaningful replacement skills.
Start Your CPBS Journey TodayThe PBS Philosophy: A Foundation of Dignity
Focus on Quality of Life
PBS believes challenging behaviour decreases naturally when a person’s life is enriched, fulfilling, and supportive. We look beyond the behaviour to the person's unmet needs.
Ecological Change
Instead of trying to 'fix' the person, PBS focuses on modifying the environment and the support system to make challenging behaviour unnecessary and ineffective.
Person-Centred & Collaborative
We work closely with the individual, family, and support team to ensure the plan is respectful, practical, and aligned with the person's goals and preferences.
The Science of PBS: Functional Behavior Assessment
The core of PBS is the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), a systematic process to determine the underlying function (the purpose) of the challenging behaviour.
The ABC Model
Antecedent (The Trigger)
What happens before the behaviour? This could be a setting event (e.g., being hungry), a demand, a change in routine, or a feeling of boredom.
Behaviour (The Action)
The challenging behaviour itself (e.g., hitting, screaming, property destruction). This is the observable action that is causing concern.
Consequence (The Result)
What happens after the behaviour that maintains it? This result determines the function (e.g., getting attention, escaping a task, accessing an item).
The Goal: Once the function is known (e.g., the behaviour's purpose is to escape a task), we can teach a positive way to achieve that same result.
PBS Interventions: The Three Pillars of Support
1. Proactive Strategies
These interventions focus on the Antecedent (A)—preventing the behaviour from ever occurring by making the environment supportive and engaging.
- Modify the environment (e.g., reducing noise, providing sensory tools).
- Enhance predictability (e.g., using visual schedules, giving warnings).
- Offer meaningful choices to increase personal control.
2. Skill Teaching (Replacement)
We teach new, appropriate behaviours that serve the same function as the challenging behaviour—these are replacement behaviours.
- Teaching communication (e.g., using a picture card to request a break instead of yelling).
- Coping skills (e.g., deep breathing, using a stress ball).
- Social skills (e.g., asking to join a game, sharing).
3. Reactive Strategies
These plans focus on the Consequence (C)—responding calmly and consistently when behaviour occurs to ensure safety, minimize reinforcement, and quickly return to teaching.
- Crisis management procedures to ensure safety.
- Ignoring the challenging behaviour while prompting the replacement skill.
- Brief, non-judgmental redirection.
The core principle: We invest heavily in Proactive and Skill Teaching to reduce the need for Reactive measures over time.
Ready to See Positive Change?
Contact our PBS specialists to schedule an assessment and begin designing a person-centred plan tailored to achieve meaningful, lasting results.
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