Many parents of students with disabilities report behaviours of concern occurring at school, and subsequent punishment, suspension and expulsion as a response. This is particularly common for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD and ODD.
Professional commentary and scientific research on behaviours of concern and restrictive practices is widely available. The research, professional organisations which endorse practices evidenced by research, and academics, have information available that is aligned and non contradictory. In other words, there is little controversy by competent professionals on how to address behaviours of concern, and the dangerous nature of restrictive practices.
The Australian Psychological Society and Office of Professional Practice (Department of Health and Human Services) have many resources available to the public which discuss best practice around these issues.
However in particular, many American organisations that are driven by sound behaviour analytical research have valuable policies and procedures.
The most important aspect of behaviours of concern for parents to remember is that behaviours are learned, and environmental,and if your child’s school continues to have high level difficulties with behaviours of concern, then the fault is theirs if they fail to obtain the correct assistance.
What are “behaviours of concern”?
“Behaviours of concern” are behaviours of such intensity, frequency or duration that the physical safety of the person or others is placed in serious jeopardy, or behaviours which are likely to seriously limit or deny access to the use of ordinary community facilities.
Why do students demonstrate behaviours of concern?
Causes of behaviours of concern can be medical, psychiatric and environmental.
The most crucial aspect when considering behaviours of concern, is to accept that young people do not demonstrate behaviours of concern because they are “bad”. Therefore simply punishing those behaviours is ineffective.
For young people with disabilities, inability to communicate, frustration, avoidance, sensory difficulties and a host of other factors can result in behaviours of concern. The key is to find out what the function of the behaviour is – it is only then that the behaviours can be competently addressed.
Positive Behaviour Support
‘Historical responses to challenging and complex behaviours have included imprisonment, torture and banishment from the community. Many traditional methods of managing or changing challenging behaviour have been forms of punishment and coercion. Human history is littered with examples of punishment being used to control behaviour the community does not like. It can still be seen today in response to challenging Behaviour, whether with prisons on the societal level or the subtle ‘cold shoulder’ at a personal level.
Examples of Punishment or Coercion:
- Taking away desired objects
- Locking away/secluding
- Hitting
- Tying up
- Ignoring/shunning
- Bribing (Coercion)
Positive behaviour support is a modern approach to behaviours of concern. It is transforming the way we respond to people with disabilities when their behaviour prevents them accessing the community, or is a danger to themselves or others. It is now an internationally accepted approach and has been adopted by Disability Services Queensland and many other organisations in the disability sector.
Generally, Positive Behaviour Support is a term encompassing strategies and methods that aim to assist a person to reduce challenging behaviour and increase the person’s quality of life through teaching a person new skills and adjusting their environment to promote positive behaviour changes. ‘
(Synapse website – Positive Behaviour Support Fact Sheet)
What is a Positive Behaviour Plan/Treatment Plan/Intervention Plan?
A Positive Behaviour Plan is a plan that addresses behaviours of concern, that predominantly sets out what other people will do (e.g. teachers, parents, carers) to modify a young person’s environment and teach them new skills.
Critical Features of a Positive Behaviour Plan (University of Kansas website):
- Identifying information
- Student’s positive characteristics
- Team’s vision statement
- Definition(s) of problem behavior
- Summary of the functional behavioral assessment
- Interventions
a) Setting event interventions
b) Antecedent interventions
c) Interventions for teaching new skills
d) Consequence interventions
- Crisis prevention plan (if needed)
- Description of how the PBS plan will be evaluated
- Summary of any additional training needed
- Information about resources needed to implement the plan
- Sign off page for team members to indicate their acceptance and intention to carry out the PBS plan
What is the difference between a Positive Behaviour Plan and a Behaviour Management Plan?
“Behaviour Management Plan” is a term that is fast becoming outdated as its language is seen to be unhelpful.
School behaviour plans noted over the years are often a list of unwanted behaviours and the consequences or punishments the school is going to inflict upon the student if they continue to demonstrate those behaviours of concern. Apart from being a cruel response to behaviours often caused by environmental lack of support, such an approach is without any evidence in terms of effectiveness.
However no matter what a behaviour plan is entitled, its aim is to effectively address unwanted behaviours. The designated behaviours may not necessarily be outwardly harmful behaviours of concern, they could include anxiety or stress – any behaviour that a student may have that is a barrier to their educational and/or socialisation at school.
In the past, behaviour “management” plans focused on the child being the “problem”, and concentrated on how to punish the child in the hope that this would successfully address behaviours of concern. Research and experience have clarified that such an approach has been, and is, ineffective. “Positive Behaviour Plans” should be using an analysis of the behaviours to identify why they are occurring, and concentrate on supporting the child in order to extinguish the behaviours.
Who are the experts?
Qualified Behaviour Analysts (Board Certified Behaviour Analysts), or Psychologists who have qualifications in behaviour analysis.
Why is it important that people who are qualified determine the function of behaviours and write behaviour plans?
If your child is hurting themselves, hurting others, being physically and violently responded to by teachers in response to behaviours of concern, then it is of the utmost importance that someone who is qualified to work effectively with such behaviours, works with your child.
Just as you would not allow someone without medical qualifications to give your child medical treatment, you should expect someone with the appropriate behaviour analytical qualifications to address behaviours which are reflecting your child is suffering from distress, and sometimes being subjected to restrictive practices by teachers as a result. It has been demonstrated repeatedly in Victorian schools that psychologists without qualifications in behaviour analysis do not have the competence to address serious behaviours of concern.
As many decisions involving students with disabilities seem to be guided by financial expenditure, you may wish to make it clear to your school that if they bring someone in who is unqualified to experiment on your child, you may consider legal action if your child either does not improve in a very short period of time, or deteriorates.
Behaviours of concern displayed by students, particularly those whose behaviours are long-standing and severe, require a high level of expertise. Board Certified Behaviour Analysts, and psychologists who specialise in positive behaviours and have training in behaviour analysis, should be able to undertake functional behaviour assessments (the basis for writing a Positive Behaviour Plan), and supervise and monitor the plan to ensure it is effective.
Teachers and other DET staff, do not generally have the expertise to perform functional behaviour assessments (“FBA”), or develop and monitor Positive Behaviour Plans. If they are trained by someone qualified, it is certainly possible that for very mild behaviours, they may have some effect. There is no evidence presented by parents to date of DET psychologists demonstrating a knowledge of the elements of positive behaviour support. In fact some are presiding over schools that use restrictive practices as a common response to behaviours of concern and are unable to competently write a treatment plan. “Autism Coaches” similarly have not been reported to demonstrate such skills.
Recently DET has finally acknowledged that Functional Behaviour Assessments informing the development of intervention plans are the appropriate way in which to respond to behaviours of concern. Unfortunately, they do not give guidance at all about who is qualified to undertake such assessments, and in fact are encouraging teachers to do so. If your school has agreed to undertake a Functional Behaviour Assessment, ask them for the qualifications that the person they are putting forward has to do such an assessment.
For example DET North-West Region supports the engagement of a person who describes himself as a “Behaviour Analyst” but has no qualifications in behaviour analysis. His educating tertiary institution has confirmed that the qualifications he does have do not qualify him to conduct Functional Behaviour Assessments. That is of no consequence to North-West Region who have not shown any interest in receiving data about the effectiveness of any of his work with school students.
Given the disinterest DET has in ensuring competence in this area, individual parents will need to be vigilant in ensuring that no further harm is done to their children by individuals who have no ethical boundaries when it comes to accepting work that they are unqualified to do.
Research on evidence based interventions can be found at:
A Review of the Research to Identify the Most Effective Models of Practice in Early Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (University of Melbourne,
Griffith University, University of Queensland, Royal Children’s Hospital) http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/09_2012/review_of_the_research_report_2011_0.pdf
National Standards Report (National Autism Center) http://www.nationalautismcenter.org/pdf/NAC%20Standards%20Report.pdf
Advocacy
If your child is exhibiting ongoing behaviours of concern at school it is suggested you act quickly, as the more poor behaviours become entrenched the more difficult they are to address.
- Ask for a Student Support Group meeting that complies with DET guidelines. If you as a parent can shed light on the reasons you believe your child is exhibiting behaviours, share those reasons and give your school strategies that can be included in a behaviour plan. (See section on Student Support Groups, particularly in regard to the role of Consultants)
- If the behaviours continue, ask that a Positive Behaviour Plan be developed with the assistance of a suitably trained psychologist or a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. Request this occur quickly.
- If schools refuse to provide your child with the professional support required to develop a Positive Behaviour Plan, request the assistance of an advocate, or a discrimination law firm. As schools will often suspend or expel children with Autism, Opposition Defiant Disorder and other cognitive disabilities, it is important that issues to do with behaviours of concern are dealt with quickly and in an effective, evidence based manner.