A behaviour of concern is an action or response that may place a person or the people around them at risk.
Over time, they can affect wellbeing, relationships and participation in everyday life. Most of the time, these behaviours are not about being difficult or seeking attention. Instead, they can often be a way of communicating distress when someone is feeling overwhelmed, unwell or struggling to cope, expressing their feelings or needs when words are difficult to use. Getting to the bottom of behaviours of concern means looking beyond what’s happening on the surface and considering what the person may be trying to say and what support they need.
Our practitioners work with individuals, their families and support networks to explore the reasons behind challenging behaviours. Through positive behaviour support, our team brings care and evidence-based strategies, ensuring that behaviours of concern are managed with dignity, insight and a clear pathway towards positive outcomes.
Behaviours of concern examples can include:
Physical aggression
Actions that may cause harm to others, such as hitting, kicking, biting or throwing objects.
Verbal aggression
Use of language to intimidate or distress others, including screaming, swearing or making threats.
Self-injurious behaviour
Behaviours that result in harm to oneself, such as head-banging, scratching or biting.
Property destruction
Damage to personal or shared environments, including breaking things or smashing furniture.
Withdrawal or refusal
Avoiding interaction or refusing essential activities like eating, drinking or moving, which can affect health and wellbeing.
Inappropriate sexual behaviour
Sexualised actions that are unsafe or socially inappropriate, such as public undressing or unwanted touching.
Argumentative behaviour
Odd or argumentative behaviour towards parents, teachers, guardians or peers and/or typically pushing back against authority or rules.
These challenging behaviours may vary in intensity, frequency and impact.
How PBS can help manage behaviours of concern
Managing behaviours of concern effectively requires both immediate responses and a proactive, long-term positive behaviour support plan (PBSP). Addressing what is happening in the moment helps reduce harm, while longer-term support focuses on understanding the underlying issues behind the behaviour and preventing it from continuing.
Immediate management strategies
Immediate management strategies focus on responding safely when the behaviour occurs.
The priority is to reduce risk and prevent harm to the individual and those around them. This may involve using de-escalation techniques, reducing environmental triggers or responding calmly and consistently.
Physical safety is always the primary focus, alongside maintaining the person’s respect and minimising distress.
Long-term support plans aim to address the deeper reasons behind these behaviours and build sustainable, positive change over time without enforcing restrictive practices. These proactive approaches are tailored to the individual and their environment. They can include:
Identifying the purpose of the behaviour by understanding triggers, patterns and unmet needs.
The Positive Behaviour Support Plan
Developing a formal Positive Behaviour Support Plan (PBSP) that outlines preventative strategies, skill development and consistent responses across all support settings.
Ongoing implementation and support
Skill building
Teaching new skills that help the person to better communicate their needs, regulate emotions and cope more effectively.
Environmental changes
Adjusting routines, expectations or physical spaces to reduce triggers and support success.
Training support network
Practitioners provide carers, educators and support workers with guidance and education to ensure positive behaviour support strategies are applied consistently and confidently.
Understanding the language used to describe certain behaviours is important because it shapes how people respond, the supports that are established, and the attitudes held towards the individual. Clear and consistent terminology helps shift the focus away from blame towards better understanding and more effective support.
Challenging behaviour vs. behaviour of concern
In the NDIS space, the terms challenging behaviour and behaviour of concern are often used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between behaviour of concern and challenging behaviour.
Behaviour of concern is the preferred clinical term. It reflects a more person-centred and respectful approach, recognising that the behaviour itself is a signal of underlying needs or distress rather than a deliberate attempt to make things difficult. Using this language supports better assessment, planning and outcomes by focusing on the root cause of this behaviour and reducing risk in a more supportive way.
Disruptive behaviour vs. behaviour of concern
The difference between disruptive behaviour and behaviour of concern is that disruptive behaviour refers to actions that interrupt the flow of an activity or environment, such as making loud noises, interrupting others or not following expected routines. While these behaviours might be challenging to manage, they do not necessarily pose a risk to safety or wellbeing. Disruptive behaviour becomes a behaviour of concern when it threatens the safety of the individual or others, or when it significantly limits the person’s ability to participate in everyday activities or be included socially with other people.
Getting started with Positive Behaviour Support
Have questions about Behaviours of Concern for yourself or someone you care for? Speak with our team today about how Positive Behaviour Support can help.
