The Kanda approach to positive behaviour support
As an approved provider of Behaviour Support services through NDIS, Kanda has behaviour support specialists in every Australian state.
What is behaviour support?
Behaviour support under the NDIS is about understanding people, not controlling them. It focuses on improving quality of life, strengthening relationships, and supporting safety and dignity for everyone involved.
Naomi Ellis is the Manager of Behaviour Support at Kanda. She explains that the Kanda approach to behaviour support starts by stepping back and asking better questions.
“It’s not about ‘fixing’ the individual,” she says. “It’s about modifying or changing the environment around them to support them in their world.”
How behaviour support is funded through the NDIS
Behaviour support can be funded as part of your NDIS plan when it is reasonable and necessary. It sits under Capacity Building, including Improved Relationships. Funding covers assessment, planning, training, and ongoing practitioner support.
Behaviour support can be requested during planning or plan reviews. The request must have supporting evidence.
Who provides behaviour support?
At Kanda, behaviour support is delivered by qualified NDIS behaviour support practitioners. They assess behaviour, develop plans, and support teams to implement strategies safely.
Behaviour support at Kanda
At Kanda, we work within a structured framework based on safety, emotional well-being, connection and healing. This means we recognise how life experiences influence behaviour and focus on support that strengthens coping, resilience and trust rather than reacting to behaviour alone.
Understanding behaviours of concern
Behaviours of concern may be a person’s way of communicating distress, unmet needs, or overwhelm. The behaviours can include aggression, withdrawal, property damage, or refusal. It’s important to remember that these behaviours are not random or meaningless.
“If a person’s go-to is aggression, it’s often because they don’t know how to communicate their needs effectively, ” says Naomi.
Behaviour support looks at what is happening before, during, and after a behaviour to understand what the person is trying to express.
Why behaviour support focuses on the person, not the behaviour
Rather than asking how to stop a behaviour, behaviour support asks why it is happening and what the person needs instead.
Naomi explains: “We try and replace the challenging behaviour with a functionally equivalent behaviour. We don’t want to just take a behaviour away without replacing it, when it is serving a purpose for someone.”
This approach recognises that behaviour serves a purpose, especially when communication is difficult.
What is positive behaviour support?
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is the evidence-based approach used under the NDIS. It prioritises understanding, prevention, and skill building over punishment or control.
The principles behind positive behaviour support
The team at Kanda looks at the person as a whole and uses an evidence-based approach. Positive behaviour support is grounded in respect, dignity, and collaboration. It considers the person’s environment, sensory needs, communication style, and relationships.
The principles behind positive behaviour support focus on improving a person’s quality of life by understanding the reason (function) behind challenging behaviours. The approach uses proactive, evidence-based strategies, and teaches new skills instead of just reacting.
Key principles include:
- being person-centred
- focusing on prevention
- reinforcing positive behaviours
- conducting functional assessments
- collaborating with supporters
- making data-driven decisions to create meaningful, long-term positive change.
How positive behaviour support improves quality of life
Under the NDIS, behaviour support must protect human rights and use the least restrictive options possible. Safety is important, but dignity and choice always matter.
“Quite often behaviour becomes part of someone’s identity or their go-to. Taking it away without support can be very scary,” says Naomi.
When people feel understood and supported, their distress reduces and their confidence grows. Positive behaviour support helps people build new skills while maintaining their sense of identity.
Why behaviour support matters for individuals and families
Behaviour support does not exist in isolation. It affects families, carers, and support teams every day.
Effective behaviour support helps reduce situations where people may be harmed or misunderstood, while still respecting who they are.
By recognising triggers and responding differently, everyday life becomes calmer and more predictable. Behaviour support helps identify what’s driving the behaviour.
“Once we identify what’s driving the behaviour, we can work with everyone else around them as well,” says Naomi.
How Kanda supports carers, families and support workers
Families and support workers often feel pressure to manage difficult situations without enough guidance.
“That team is there every day, all day. We need to support and upskill them too.”
Behaviour support plans
An important part of behaviour support is a behaviour support plan. A behaviour support plan includes strategies to reduce distress, build skills, and support positive behaviour. It is tailored to the individual and their environment. It provides clear, practical guidance to help families and support workers respond consistently, calmly, and respectfully across settings.
A behaviour support plan starts with a functional behaviour assessment. A functional behaviour assessment helps support staff and practitioners understand why a behaviour occurs. For example, behaviours might be for communication, sensory input, or to escape a situation.
A behaviour support plan could be interim or comprehensive
- Interim behaviour support plans support immediate safety needs.
- Comprehensive behaviour support plans are developed after in-depth assessment and observation.
Restrictive practices under the NDIS
Restrictive practices are tightly regulated and used only when absolutely necessary.
Under the NDIS, restrictive practices are part of positive behaviour support. This means the focus is always on understanding the person. Restrictions are used only when needed. They are reduced or removed as soon as possible.
Types of regulated restrictive practices
Restrictive practices can be physical, mechanical, chemical or environmental or seclusion. They all require oversight and reporting.
- Physical restraint is the brief use of physical guidance to prevent immediate harm. This might include holding a person’s arms to stop them from hurting themselves or someone else. It is only used when safety is at risk and is released as soon as the person is calm.
- Mechanical restraint is the use of specialised equipment to limit movement where there is a serious risk of injury. Mechanical restraints are carefully assessed, approved, and reviewed regularly.
- Chemical restraint refers to medication used to reduce severe distress or risk. It is only used when other supports are not effective. Medication used to provide this kind of support must be authorised, closely monitored, and regularly reviewed to ensure it remains necessary and appropriate.
- Environmental restraint limitations the person’s access to parts of an environment to reduce risk. This could include locking cupboards that contain dangerous items or restricting access to certain areas for safety reasons. These measures are used thoughtfully and reviewed often. As for other restraints, the aim is also to reduce restrictions over time.
- Seclusion means temporarily placing a person in a space where they are safe from harm and can calm down. It is used only in serious situations, under strict rules, and with careful oversight. The focus is always on reducing the need for seclusion and finding safer alternatives.
When restrictive practices may be used
At Kanda we focus on reducing restrictive practices wherever possible.
Restrictive practices may be used temporarily when safety is at immediate risk. As soon as the behaviour is over, the restraint is removed.
Working alongside families, carers and support teams
Behaviour support is collaborative and relationship-based. It can be an important way to improve relationships. Behaviour support provides consistency alongside coordinated support.
When support is consistent across home, community, and support settings it leads to better outcomes for everyone.
Behaviour support for families and carers
Families are central to successful behaviour support.
Kanda knows that behaviour support is most effective when the whole support team is aligned and confident. That is why Kanda works collaboratively with families and carers to share insights, build skills and create consistency across daily life. With a focus on long-term positive outcomes, our behaviour support helps not only in moments of challenge but also in building futures that feel safer, more enjoyable and more fulfilling.
“So many people come to us and they just want us to fix their loved one or fix their pain. Sometimes it’s not about fixing the individual, it’s about modifying or changing the environment around them to support them in their world. Some of our more difficult conversations are with parents or caregivers, when we say we don’t need to change the person, that we need to change the way we support them or the environment we expect them to live in.” Naomi Ellis, Kanda
Recognising behaviour triggers
Understanding triggers helps prevent distress before it escalates.
Small changes to routines, communication, and environments can have a big impact.
Families should reach out for professional behaviour support whenever behaviours are having an impact on safety, wellbeing, or relationships.
“Sometimes the hardest conversations are helping families understand that change might need to happen around the person, not to the person,” says Naomi.
How Kanda supports people through behaviour support
Kanda’s approach to behaviour support is grounded in deep listening, compassion, and a strong framework that helps people feel safe, understood and supported.
Our person centred approach to behaviour support
At Kanda, we take time to understand each person’s unique story, preferences and experiences before we recommend strategies. Our practitioners observe people in their everyday environments and work with them and their support networks to design practical, respectful support that reflects their goals.
Supporting complex and high needs with care and expertise
Whether someone has complex behaviours or high support needs, Kanda practitioners draw on evidence-based best practice and a compassionate mindset. We partner with families, carers and support teams to understand what is happening for the person and how we can adapt environments, routines and communication to reduce distress and promote positive choices.
Have you considered Kanda for behaviour support?
Kanda offers person-centred care and compassion for people and families seeking positive behaviour support. Our caring staff are trained in person-centred practice and we work closely with individuals and families to ensure the best possible outcome.