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Imagine feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or scared, but not being able to explain why. Imagine needing support, but the only way to share this need is by engaging in behaviours of concern.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For some people this is a daily reality.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Melba offers Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) as a respectful, effective way of supporting a person to have their needs met. The PBS team work closely with people to understand what they are trying to communicate when they use behaviours of concern. <\/span><\/p>\n So, what do we mean when we say behaviours of <\/span>concern<\/span>? <\/span>At Melba, we call these behaviours of protes<\/span>t<\/span>, p<\/span>eople often use these behaviours <\/span>to communicate <\/span>a variety of things<\/span>. It might be pain, confusion, fear, sensory overload, or simply not having their needs met. But without the right tools or support, those feelings can come out in ways that are distressing for the person and the people around them.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n PBS helps us pause and ask the most important question: \u201cWhat\u2019s the person trying to tell us?\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of reacting to the behaviour itself, PBS focuses on the person behind it \u2013 their experiences, their needs and their strengths.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One of the most powerful parts of PBS is that it helps build a person\u2019s skills over time. That might mean:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At Melba we don’t use punishment or consequence driven strategies, we support people to grow \u2013 at their pace, in ways that make sense to them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n PBS, like everything we do at Melba, is person-centred and grounded in human rights. Everyone should have choice and control over their own life. PBS puts the person in the centre of the process, making sure their views and preferences are recognised, considered and respected.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This could be about making sure people feel in control of their daily routines or it could be working with people to create predictable environments. It\u2019s about supporting people to live lives that feel good, not just manageable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We follow a seven-step process that’s grounded in best practice and guided by our human rights values, which include respect and inclusion:<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Interim response: keeping everyone safe<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n When someone\u2019s behaviour is putting themselves or others at risk, we act fast. Our PBS practitioners step in and work with the person and their support network to create a short-term plan that helps keep everyone safe, while we work together on longer-term solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Assessment: understanding what\u2019s going on<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n We work with the person, their support networks and relevant professionals such as speech pathologists and occupational therapists. We observe, ask questions and gather data to understand what\u2019s happening and why.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This results in a Functional Behaviour Assessment Report \u2013 kind of like a roadmap that shows what\u2019s driving the behaviour.<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Planning: creating the right support<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n Now we\u2019re ready to put together a tailored Behaviour Support Plan This plan focusses on changing environments around the person, not “fixing\u201d the person that includes:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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PBS at Melba<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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