You’ve decided behaviour support could help. Then you open your NDIS plan and can’t find it anywhere.
That’s a common moment for families. Behaviour support doesn’t appear in a plan by default. It needs to be asked for, and the request needs evidence behind it.
This guide explains how NDIS behaviour support funding works. It covers where the funding sits, the evidence that helps, what to say at a planning meeting and what to do if it’s missing. It’s written for participants, families and support coordinators in Sydney.
Key points
- Behaviour support is paid from the Capacity Building part of an NDIS plan.
- It has to be asked for, with evidence of how the behaviour affects daily life.
- Incident notes, professional reports and school records carry the most weight.
- If it’s missing, you can ask for a plan reassessment or an internal review.
What is NDIS behaviour support funding?
NDIS behaviour support funding is money in a participant’s plan that pays for a registered behaviour support practitioner. It covers assessment, writing a behaviour support plan, training the people around the person and reviewing the plan. It’s funded when the support is reasonable and necessary for the participant.
Behaviour support is part of the Capacity Building budget. In older plans it sits under Capacity Building: Improved Relationships. In plans made in the NDIS’s newer PACE system, Behaviour Support has its own category. Your plan manager or support coordinator can show you which one you have. The NDIS guide to support budgets explains each budget.
Capacity Building funding is set aside for a purpose. It usually can’t be moved into your Core budget to pay for daily support, so check what each category covers before you spend it.
Capacity Building funding is meant to build skills and independence over time. That fits behaviour support well. The aim is to reduce behaviours of concern and improve quality of life, so the person needs less support later.
Who can get behaviour support funded by the NDIS?
An NDIS participant can get behaviour support funded when their behaviour puts them or others at risk, or stops them taking part in daily life. The support must also meet the NDIS reasonable and necessary rules. It must relate to their disability. If a restrictive practice is in use, behaviour support is needed by law.
Situations where behaviour support is often funded:
- behaviours that cause harm to the person or others
- behaviours that put a home, school or day program placement at risk
- a restrictive practice that is in place, or being considered
- support workers or services struggling to keep the person safe
- big changes, such as moving house or starting high school, that are making behaviour worse
If you’re not sure whether the behaviour is serious enough, our guide to behaviours of concern explains what usually counts.
What evidence helps get behaviour support funded?
The evidence that helps most shows what the behaviour is, how often it happens, how it affects daily life and what has been tried. Reports from health professionals and the school carry weight. So do your own notes, written simply, with dates and examples.
Useful evidence includes:
- Incident notes. A simple log of what happened, when, where and how long it lasted. Even 2 weeks of notes can show a pattern.
- Reports from professionals. A paediatrician, GP, psychologist, occupational therapist or speech pathologist may describe the behaviour and its impact.
- School records. Suspensions, incident reports or a letter from the learning support team.
- Service reports. Notes from support workers, a group home or a day program.
- A statement from you. Describe a typical week and the hardest moments. Explain what you’ve tried and what happened.
- Previous assessments. If a Functional Behaviour Assessment or behaviour support plan already exists, include it.
Be specific. “Our son hits his sister 4 to 5 times a week, usually after school” is more useful than “behaviour is challenging”. The planner needs to see the impact on daily life.
What should you say at your NDIS planning meeting?
At your planning meeting, say clearly that you are asking for behaviour support, explain why and hand over your evidence. Describe the behaviour, how often it happens and what it stops the person from doing. Say what you hope behaviour support will change. Ask for enough hours to cover assessment, a plan, training and review.
A few tips that help:
- Write down your points before the meeting. It’s easy to forget things when you’re nervous.
- Talk about goals as well as problems. For example, “We want her to be able to go to the shops without running onto the road.”
- Mention every setting. Behaviour at home, school, respite and in the community all counts.
- Ask what happens next. Check when you’ll hear back and who to contact.
Your support coordinator can help you prepare. If you don’t have one, a local area coordinator may be able to help.
What can you do if behaviour support isn’t in your plan?
If behaviour support isn’t in your plan, you can ask the NDIA for a plan reassessment. If your situation has changed, you can tell them about a change in circumstances. If you think a decision is wrong, you can ask for an internal review within 3 months of getting the decision in writing. The NDIS guide to decision reviews explains how. Keep copies of everything you send.
Your main options:
- Request a plan reassessment. This is often the right path if behaviour has become a bigger issue since your plan was made.
- Report a change of circumstances. Use this if something major has changed, such as a new diagnosis, a school suspension or a placement breaking down.
- Ask for an internal review. If the NDIA decided not to fund behaviour support, you can ask them to review that decision.
- Use funds you already have. Sometimes there is flexibility within the Capacity Building budget. Your plan manager can check.
We can help you put together evidence for a reassessment. Building a clear case is part of the work we do with families.
How much behaviour support funding do you need?
The amount of funding you need depends on how many hours the assessment, plan writing, training and reviews will take. More settings, more people involved and more complex needs usually mean more hours. Restrictive practices also add time, because the plan must meet extra NDIS Commission requirements.
The NDIS sets a price limit for behaviour support each year, and providers can’t charge more than that limit. Our guide to NDIS behaviour support costs explains the hourly rates and what drives the total.
When we take on a referral, we map the expected hours with you at the start. That helps you see whether your funding will stretch across the year.
Frequently asked questions
When should I contact a behaviour support provider?
You can contact a provider at any time to ask questions. Services usually start once behaviour support funding is in your plan. If a restrictive practice is already in use, act quickly. NDIS rules set short timeframes for the first plan, which our guide to restrictive practices in the NDIS explains.
What if behaviour support is urgent and not in my plan yet?
Tell the NDIA if a person’s safety is at risk or a placement is about to break down. Ask for a change of circumstances or plan reassessment and explain why it’s urgent. Your support coordinator can help you follow it up. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 000.
Do I need a diagnosis to get NDIS behaviour support funding?
You need to be an NDIS participant, which usually involves evidence of a permanent disability. You don’t need a separate diagnosis for the behaviour itself. The evidence should link the behaviour to the person’s disability and show how it affects daily life.
Can I use behaviour support funding for any provider?
Behaviour support must be delivered by an NDIS behaviour support practitioner who has been assessed as suitable by the NDIS Commission. If a restrictive practice is involved, the provider must also be registered for that work. Ask any provider to confirm this before you start.
How long does it take to get behaviour support added to a plan?
It depends on the NDIA and the path you take. A plan reassessment can take several weeks or longer. Send your evidence early, keep a record of who you spoke to and follow up if you don’t hear back.
Talk to us about behaviour support funding
My Behaviour Support is a registered NDIS provider based in Narellan, working across South West and Western Sydney with children, teenagers, adults and older people. Our Director, Domenic Barca, is a Proficient Behaviour Support Practitioner with a background in psychology and social work. Our first behaviour support appointment guide explains what happens once funding is in place.
If you’re not sure how to get behaviour support into your plan, we can talk it through with you. Make a referral or call us on 0415 930 548. You can also read how to make an NDIS behaviour support referral.
