The strategies that worked at 9 don’t always work at 14. Your teenager is taller than you now. They want privacy. They roll their eyes at the visual timetable that used to save your mornings.
For families of a young person with disability, the teenage years can feel like starting again. Behaviours change, risks change and the people involved change too. Behaviour support for teenagers has to change with them.
This guide explains what changes in the teen years and what stays the same. It also shows how a plan can help at home, at high school and on the way to adulthood. It’s written for parents, carers and support coordinators across Sydney.
Key points
- Puberty, high school and a wish for independence can all change how behaviour looks.
- The core of positive behaviour support stays the same, but the tools grow up with the young person.
- Teenagers should help shape their own plan wherever they can.
- Planning for life after 18 is worth starting early.
What is behaviour support for teenagers?
Behaviour support for teenagers is positive behaviour support adjusted for the changes of adolescence. A practitioner works out why a behaviour happens, then builds a plan with the young person, their family and school. The plan gives the teenager more say, more privacy and more practice at the skills they’ll need as adults.
The core of the work is the same at any age. It starts with understanding the behaviour, then changes the setting, teaches skills and coaches the people around the person. Our guide to what positive behaviour support is explains the approach in full.
What changes is how we do it. A 15-year-old is part of the planning in a way a 5-year-old usually isn’t. Their goals and their voice shape the plan.
What changes for behaviour in the teenage years?
In the teenage years, puberty, a bigger and more complex school, new social pressures and a growing wish for independence can all change how behaviour looks. A behaviour that was manageable in primary school may become riskier when a young person is bigger and stronger. New behaviours can also appear.
Changes families often notice:
- Body changes. Puberty brings hormonal and physical changes that can affect mood, sleep and energy.
- Size and strength. Outbursts that a parent once handled safely can now cause injuries.
- High school. In NSW, most students start high school in Year 7. More teachers, more rooms and more noise can be hard to manage.
- Friendships and online life. Social pressure grows, and phones bring new risks such as online bullying.
- Mental health. Anxiety and low mood often first show up in the teen years. A change in behaviour can be a sign that a young person is struggling.
- Independence. Teenagers want more control over their lives, which can lead to more conflict over rules.
- Sexuality and relationships. Questions and behaviours around sexuality may appear and need calm, clear guidance.
Some of these changes are a normal part of growing up. The question is whether a behaviour puts the young person or others at risk, or stops them from living the life they want.
What stays the same?
What stays the same is that every behaviour has a purpose, and the way to reduce it is to meet that need in a safer way. Routines, predictability and calm responses still matter. So does a team around the young person who all use the same plan.
Many things that worked in childhood still work, with some changes in how they look:
| Worked at 9 | May work better at 15 |
|---|---|
| Picture timetable on the fridge | A shared calendar or reminders on their phone |
| A reward chart with stickers | Earning time, money or an outing they chose |
| A parent naming feelings for them | A private signal or app to say they need space |
| A quiet corner at home | Their own room, with an agreed rule for knocking |
The goal is the same. The tools grow up with the young person.
How does a behaviour support plan work for a teenager?
A behaviour support plan for a teenager starts with an assessment, involves the young person in setting goals and includes strategies for home, school and the community. It also looks ahead. Skills for adult life, such as managing money, travel or a part-time job, can become part of the plan.
The process usually follows these steps:
- Talking with the young person. We ask what they want, what’s hard and what helps. We adjust how we ask to suit how they communicate.
- Assessment. A Functional Behaviour Assessment looks at when and why behaviours happen, across settings.
- A written plan. The behaviour support plan sets out strategies the young person agrees to where possible.
- Working with school. Teachers and learning support staff learn the strategies. Our guide to behaviour support in schools has more on this.
- Coaching families. Parents learn how to step back where it’s safe and step in where it isn’t.
- Review. The plan is reviewed at least every 12 months, and sooner if things change.
We think teenagers should be in the room for their own plan whenever they can be. A plan written about a young person, without them, is much less likely to work.
How do you plan for the move to adulthood?
Planning for adulthood means building independence skills early and getting ready for changes in school, services and the law at 18. At 18 a young person becomes an adult in the eyes of the law. Decisions about their care, privacy and money shift towards them, with support where needed.
Things worth starting before 18:
- Decision making. Practise making choices about everyday things, with support. It builds skills for bigger decisions later.
- Life after school. Talk about work, study or day programs early, so options are ready when school ends.
- Your NDIS plan. Raise the move to adulthood at plan reviews. Supports may need to change.
- Who supports decisions. If your young person will need help with big decisions as an adult, look into options well before 18.
Behaviour support can help with this. A plan can build skills step by step, so the move to adult life feels less like falling off a cliff. Our guide to behaviour support for adults covers what changes after 18.
Frequently asked questions
What if my teenager’s behaviour is linked to anxiety or depression?
Behaviour support can work alongside mental health care, but it doesn’t replace it. If you’re worried about your teenager’s mood, talk to your GP. headspace also offers support for young people aged 12 to 25. In an emergency, call 000.
Are restrictive practices used with teenagers?
Sometimes, under the same NDIS rules as for adults and children. The NDIS Commission’s guide for children and young people asks providers to consider a young person’s age and rights. Our guide to restrictive practices in the NDIS explains how they work.
Does my teenager have to agree to behaviour support?
We aim to involve every young person and get their agreement wherever we can. Some teenagers are keen. Others take time to warm up, and that’s normal. If a young person can’t give consent, their parent or guardian makes the decision, and we still listen to the young person’s views.
Can behaviour support help with behaviour at high school?
Yes. We can work with your young person’s high school, with your consent. That might include meetings with the learning support team, strategies for class and the playground, and coaching for teachers. A plan that is used the same way at home and school usually works better.
Is NDIS behaviour support available for teenagers?
Yes, if your teenager is an NDIS participant and behaviour support is reasonable and necessary for them. It’s usually funded under Capacity Building in their plan. Our guide to NDIS behaviour support funding explains how to ask for it to be included.
Talk to our team
My Behaviour Support is a registered NDIS provider based in Narellan, supporting teenagers and their families across South West and Western Sydney. Our Director, Domenic Barca, is a Proficient Behaviour Support Practitioner with a background in psychology and social work. Our practitioners work with adolescents at home, at school and in the community, including young people with autism, ADHD and intellectual disability.
If your teenager’s behaviour has changed and the old strategies aren’t working, we can help you find new ones. Make a referral or call us on 0415 930 548.
