Behaviour Support in New South Wales

What behaviour support actually covers

An NDIS behaviour support practitioner works out what is driving behaviours of concern, then writes a behaviour support plan built around changing the situation rather than the person. Where a plan includes a regulated restrictive practice, a much stricter set of rules applies.

How it's funded

Behaviour support sits under Capacity Building, Improved Relationships. It usually covers assessment, writing the plan, training the people who implement it, and review. Training your support workers is part of the job, not an extra.

What to know in New South Wales

NSW authorises restrictive practices through a policy framework, the Restrictive Practices Authorisation Policy and Procedural Guide, rather than through legislation. A panel that the provider itself establishes and convenes grants the authorisation. It needs at least three roles, including a chair who is a senior manager from that provider. The Department of Communities and Justice consulted during 2025 on moving to a Senior Practitioner model, so check this is still current. Ask any practitioner how they work with implementing providers' panels.

Choosing between providers

This is the one service where the state you live in changes the process. The NDIS Commission regulates behaviour support but does not authorise restrictive practices. That sits with each state and territory, and each one runs it differently. Authorisation comes from where the participant lives, and it does not transfer if you move interstate.

Questions worth asking

• Are you registered with the NDIS Commission, and at what suitability level?
• How long until an interim plan, and how long for the comprehensive one?
• Do you know this state's authorisation process for restrictive practices?
• Who trains my support workers in the plan, and is that included?
• How often will you review the plan?

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