When it comes to supporting individuals living with disabilities, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. Every participant under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has a unique story, with different goals, needs, and challenges. That’s why collaborative care is so powerful—especially when two disciplines like Positive Behaviour Support and Occupational Therapy (OT) work together.
While they are distinct areas of practice, behaviour support and occupational therapy often overlap in their objectives. Both aim to improve quality of life, support independence, and reduce barriers to everyday living. But it’s when these two services are delivered in tandem that truly meaningful, person-centred change can happen.
Table of Contents
What is NDIS Behaviour Support?
NDIS Behaviour Support is a specialist intervention service designed to help participants who have behaviours of concern that may pose a risk to themselves or others. These behaviours are often a form of communication—ways of expressing unmet needs, discomfort, or distress.
The core goal of behaviour support is to develop a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) that identifies triggers and implements positive, proactive strategies to reduce and eventually eliminate the need for restrictive practices. This could involve anything from environmental modifications and communication supports to skill-building and relationship-focused strategies.
Behaviour Support Practitioners work closely with participants, families, and support staff to implement these strategies consistently and safely.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy is all about enabling people to participate in the everyday activities (or “occupations”) that matter most to them—whether that’s dressing, cooking, learning, playing, working, or engaging with the community.
For NDIS participants, OTs often focus on:
- Building functional life skills
- Enhancing motor coordination
- Developing sensory regulation strategies
- Modifying environments to suit individual needs
- Supporting the use of assistive technology
- Fostering independence in daily routines
OTs assess the interaction between the person, their environment, and the tasks they want or need to do, and then tailor strategies accordingly.
Where Do They Overlap?
Both Behaviour Support Practitioners and Occupational Therapists share a holistic, person-centred approach. They both aim to reduce barriers to participation and promote wellbeing—not just by managing symptoms or behaviours, but by understanding the “why” behind them.
Let’s break down some of the key areas where OT and Behaviour Support naturally align:
1. Understanding Behaviour Through a Functional Lens
Behaviour Support is grounded in the belief that all behaviour has a function. Similarly, OTs look at behaviours within the context of daily life and tasks. When someone refuses to go to school or lashes out during mealtimes, both professionals ask:
- Is the environment overwhelming?
- Is the person able to express their needs?
- Are sensory needs being met or ignored?
- Is there an unmet communication need?
Working together, OTs and Behaviour Support Practitioners can gather a more complete picture. For example, an OT might identify that a participant is hypersensitive to noise, while a BSP can link this sensory trigger to aggressive behaviours in noisy environments. Together, they can then co-develop strategies like quiet spaces, noise-cancelling headphones, or gradual desensitisation techniques.
2. Building Capacity and Skills
A major part of Positive Behaviour Support is teaching alternative, functional skills to replace behaviours of concern. Occupational Therapists bring deep expertise in skill development—from emotional regulation to fine motor skills and executive functioning.
Say a participant becomes frustrated and aggressive during self-care routines. An OT might focus on building independence in those routines with visual schedules, hand-over-hand guidance, or adaptive tools, while the BSP focuses on emotional regulation and coping skills during these moments. Together, these efforts build confidence and reduce challenging behaviours.
3. Supporting Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is often at the heart of both challenging behaviours and occupational performance. Behaviour Support Practitioners may introduce emotional literacy programs and coping strategies, while OTs support this work through sensory-based regulation techniques like weighted blankets, fidget tools, or proprioceptive activities.
Together, they can create a comprehensive emotional regulation toolkit tailored to the participant’s preferences, sensory profile, and cognitive abilities.
4. Reducing Restrictive Practices
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is committed to the elimination of restrictive practices, such as physical restraint or locked environments. But removing these practices without alternative strategies can put participants and staff at risk.
Behaviour Support Practitioners are required to create plans that gradually reduce restrictive practices. OTs are crucial in this process, helping participants build the necessary skills to safely engage with the world. This might involve:
- Developing coping strategies to reduce distress
- Introducing calming sensory activities
- Designing safer, more supportive physical environments
- Implementing assistive technology or routines that encourage independence
When restrictive practices are replaced with effective, skill-building strategies, participants gain greater autonomy and self-confidence.
5. Family and Support Staff Training
Both professionals also play a vital role in educating and training those around the participant. Families, carers, and support workers need to feel confident in implementing strategies, whether it’s handling a meltdown or facilitating a morning routine.
By collaborating, OTs and Behaviour Support Practitioners can co-deliver training that’s consistent and aligned—ensuring everyone is on the same page and the participant experiences continuity across different environments.
A Real-World Example
Let’s say a 10-year-old NDIS participant, Jake, has autism and regularly experiences meltdowns when transitioning between tasks at school. His Behaviour Support Practitioner identifies the behaviour as a response to anxiety about change, while his OT observes that Jake has difficulty with executive functioning and sensory processing.
Together, they implement a plan that includes:
- A visual schedule and countdown timer for transitions (OT)
- Social stories to reduce anticipatory anxiety (BSP)
- Movement breaks and fidget tools to support sensory needs (OT)
- Reinforcement systems for successful transitions (BSP)
After a few months, Jake’s transitions become smoother, his meltdowns reduce, and he’s more engaged in learning. That’s the power of integrated support.
Summary
NDIS participants thrive when their support team works collaboratively, not in silos. Behaviour Support Practitioners and Occupational Therapists bring different expertise to the table, but their goals are closely aligned: to enhance quality of life, build capacity, and empower people to live more independently and meaningfully.
By combining the science of behaviour with the practical tools of occupational therapy, participants receive support that is not only proactive and positive but also deeply personalised.
So whether you’re a participant, a family member, or a provider, know that when OT and Behaviour Support work hand in hand, the results can be truly transformative.
Transform Life is a NDIS registered organisation that provide support for your autistic child, as well as support to you as a parent to best navigate the challenges your child and family face on a daily basis.
Book your consult with an experienced Therapist at Transform Life to explore how OT, PBS and Speech Therapy can support you and your family.
