From Wellbeing Magazine · Editorial Team · · 1m 10s
Understanding Behaviours of Concern
How to read your child's behaviour as communication, not defiance.
In brief
How to read your child's behaviour as communication, not defiance. Children's behaviours signal unmet needs; functional approaches help families respond effectively. Originally reported by Wellbeing Magazine.
Screams and Plates
Your daughter screams when you reach for car keys. Your son throws dinner plates most nights.
Behaviour as Message
When someone has limited words, behaviour is their only message available to them.
Not Defiance
Aggression, self-injury, shutting down are usually someone’s best way to express unspoken needs.
Functional Approach
Change the environment or support to shift behaviour, not just mute symptoms.
Spotting Patterns
Ask who was there, what happened before, when it strikes, and where the person was.
Rule Out Physical Causes
Pain, illness, constipation, or ear infections can surface as behaviour before anyone connects the dots.
Three Moments, Three Jobs
Before: build routines. During: de-escalate. After: allow recovery time.
Practitioner Role
A behaviour support practitioner runs formal assessments and builds individualised plans.
Australia’s NDIS
Australia uses Positive Behaviour Support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
What matters most
Children's behaviours signal unmet needs; functional approaches help families respond effectively.
