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Revisiting the behaviour support plan

Preparing for a progress-check or review of the behaviour support plan

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This checklist is a tool for behaviour support practitioners to use when preparing to engage participants and support networks in a progress-check or review of the behaviour support plan.

It helps to refresh your memory to set you up for successful communication and engagement ahead of connecting with key people as part of this process.

Checklist for effectively engaging during the review process

You may wish to download a Word version of this checklist, to save and record your preparation to engage with the participant and their support network.

1. Consider how you will reconnect

  • People will have many services they engage with regularly and may have forgotten who you are, what you do and why you’re there.
  • Consider how you will refresh people’s memory and which materials will be helpful in doing this (eg: the Getting to know each other worksheets).

2. Review each person’s needs and preferences

  • Remind yourself of each person’s communication needs and preferences. These include those of the person with disability, those providing direct support (family members or paid staff), and others involved including other professionals.
  • Equip yourself with the tools you need to most effectively engage them in the process, such as drawing materials, picture cards, discussion mats or Key Word Sign.

3. Prepare materials for communicating and engaging

  • Establish (and prepare) the most suitable supporting materials, such as My communication needs poster that will help you depending on your focus area for the session. Prepare plain language and picture-based resources as appropriate. It might be a good time to update the photo library or gather some short video of people involved in activities that could be used to prompt discussion.

4. Identify key people

  • Familiarise yourself with key people in the participant’s support network, their names, their connection to the person and their role(s) in the behaviour support plan and goals. It is possible that some people in the support network may have changed, especially paid professionals.
  • Look for any detail in available resources about these relationships that will support you in understanding the participant’s situation and the nuances of their situation.
  • You can check if these relationships have changed during this review, but preparing yourself ahead of time equips you to enter the participant’s situation with sensitivity and respect, reduces the participant’s need to repeat themselves, reinforces trust and improves your chances of a successful, positive interaction.

5. Gauge each person’s ‘starting point’

  • Some people might be familiar with their behaviour support plan and its goals, others will need refreshing.
  • Consider if you need to meet with some people ahead of the main review, to check how they are going or if they need briefing ahead of any group meetings. Adopt a ’no surprises policy’.
  • Prepare yourself to respond to the participant’s ‘starting point’ with openness and be adaptable to ensure they have the information they need to review the behaviour support plan and goals, check they understand at each stage and remind them of their rights to ask questions, clarify, and say yes or no (including changing their mind, if they wish).
  • Remember this may take time and allow this time in the appointment planning. This will allow the person to take their time, resulting in a more relaxed, positive experience and connection.
  • Scope ahead of time whether the participant would like to involve a trusted person from their support network, if needed (see Engaging effectively).

6. Focus on rights

  • Refresh your familiarity with people’s communication rights and think about the best way to reinforce these with this participant throughout the approaching process, remembering that you may be needing to reestablish trust if you have been less-frequently in touch or you are taking over from a previous behaviour support practitioner.
  • Print copies of the poster My communication rights as a guide and come back to rights when needed. You can also leave this with the participant and key people in their support network for their reference.
  • Remember: Some people might feel anxious about disagreeing or saying ‘no’, for various reasons, meaning they might agree or say what they think you want to hear. Remind them that it is okay if they have a different opinion and you care about what they think and feel.
  • Consider ahead of time how you will show the person you respect them and their choices (eg what ways can you show them you are listening, responding to their ideas and thoughts, and taking them seriously?). Prepare the most suitable way to do this before the meeting.

Next steps

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