The Spectrum of Participation in behaviour support
Getting it right: Working with participants to establish levels of participation behaviour support planning
- The Spectrum of Participation in behaviour support (video)
- The Spectrum of Participation in behaviour support (video audio transcription)
- The Spectrum of Participation (practitioner guide) (PDF version)
- The Spectrum of Participation (practitioner guide) (Word version)
- How involved do I want to be in my behaviour support planning? (easy read)
- Deciding how involved I want to be in my behaviour support planning (participant tool) (PDF version)
- Deciding how involved I want to be in my behaviour support planning (participant tool) (Word version)
The Spectrum of Participation in behaviour support
Transcript
Dr Jennifer Frean, Communication and Inclusion Specialist
(The University of Melbourne; Melbourne, Victoria)
The Spectrum of Participation for behaviour support planning is a useful tool for respecting the person with disability’s right to be as involved as they wish to be – and it should be used right at the start of the planning process, and then at different times to make sure that you’re still meeting their needs and preferences.
We have 2 versions of the Spectrum.
One for practitioners that has a detailed breakdown of the content.
The second is a more digestible tool that can be used with participants once you understand the Spectrum clearly.
In terms of the purpose, it's all about choices for the participant and how involved they'd like to be in the process. Some people would like to be very involved and other people will be comfortable being less involved or not able to be as involved in the process.
So, as you work through, make sure you continue those conversations with people around them who know them and that they trust to gather information and ensure that the plan stays on track and that you are respecting the participant’s wishes throughout.
To check their needs and preferences, offer the Spectrum to the participant.
There are 3 levels, from very involved to not very involved or indirectly involved. Ask the person roughly where they would sit on the scale.
Then use the information that you know from: the information-gathering process, conversations with the participant and people that they care about and trust to work out exactly where they might be on that Spectrum.
Remember to check in with them at any given time to see if it's changed and remember to always keep their support network involved in the discussion.
Closing credits (text presented on screen)
How will you use these ideas to improve engagement in your behaviour support practice?
When a behaviour support plan is being developed, there are many people involved, such as the person with disability, their family, support workers and other professionals (e.g., health professionals).
It’s the responsibility of the behaviour support practitioner developing the plan to include the people who are important to the behaviour support planning process.
It is essential that the person with disability is included.
Meaningful participation in behaviour support planning for people with disabilities and their support networks can occur at varying levels. People with disabilities may not take part in these activities at all, whether through choice or ability, to not being directly involved, through to being very involved.
It is recognised that it is appropriate to have varying levels of participation available to the person with disability across the different stages of the behaviour support plan. The level of participation will depend on the wants and needs of the participant, their individual context and their support network. The Spectrum of Participation is shown in a table later in this document and provides guidance, illustrating and describing these varied levels of participation.
Understanding the Spectrum of Participation is useful in determining how a practitioner will support the person with disability to participate at their chosen level of involvement in the planning process.
The idea is that people can take part in behaviour support planning on a continuum of participation, which can range from involvement through decision-making and freedom to act, to choosing only to receive information.
This helps you as a practitioner adapt your approach according to the participant’s needs and wants – from situations where a participant finds it hard to take part in decision-making to situations to where the person is fully engaged and an agent of change in their own behaviour support planning.
As a practitioner, you can use this Spectrum of Participation to reflect on the level of participation you have enabled to engage the person with disability throughout the process.
This Spectrum of Participation can also highlight areas for improving or increasing the person with disability’s involvement in creating their plan, which will help make the plan as personalised and suitable as possible.
Ask yourself:
- Where on the spectrum does the person with disability currently sit in terms of their level of participation in the planning and implementation process?
How can I support and empower the person I am supporting to successfully and authentically participate in making and using their plan to the best of their ability?
- What are the barriers to achieving this?
- How can I overcome these barriers to enable greater participation?
The Spectrum of Participation levels
This spectrum has 3 levels, with a total of 7 stages across the three levels.
The three levels are:
- Very included (participation),
- Partly included (consultation), and
- Not included for now (lower participation).
The table below presents the levels and stages in more detail, with each page showing one of the 7 stages of involvement.
The Spectrum of Participation in behaviour support planning
7. Co-creation
The person with disability and the practitioner work in equal partnership to develop and implement the plan and/or the practitioner supports the person with disability to make decisions about how the plan is developed and to remain in control of the planning process and content.
EMPOWER
The practitioner and person with disability develop and continuously review the plan and strategies together, involving the person’s support network.
Message to person with disability
You are in charge. We will support you to decide what happens at all stages of developing and reviewing your plan.
6. Co-production (with the person with disability)
The practitioner engages the person with disability to actively assist in the planning development and implementation process (e.g., to work collaboratively to develop support strategies), but only at certain stages of the process (i.e., stages chosen and prioritised by the practitioner). The practitioner leads this collaborative process.
COLLABORATE
The practitioner develops the plan by talking to the person with disability and their support network.
The practitioner incorporates feedback from the participant and their supporter network into the plan in consultation.
Message to person with disability
We will make decisions about your plan together.
5. Co-production only with the person’s support network (including the person’s family, support staff, other professionals), and not the person with disability.
The practitioner engages the person with disability’s support network to actively assist in the planning, development and implementation process (e.g., to work collaboratively to develop support strategies), but only at certain stages of the process (i.e., stages chosen and prioritised by the behaviour support practitioner). The practitioner leads this collaborative process. The practitioner may involve the person with disability also.
INVOLVE
The practitioner develops the plan mainly by talking to the person’s support network and may also choose to involve the person with disability.
The practitioner incorporates feedback from the person’s support network (and the person with disability) into the plan in consultation.
Message to person with disability
We will talk to your support network about how to best help you. We may involve you by checking in before we make decisions, if you wish.
4. Consultation with the person with disability (in addition to any consultation with their support network, including the person’s family, support staff, other professionals)
The practitioner consults with the person with disability to gather information to inform the development and implementation of the plan.
This might include information about the nature and context of the person’s behaviours of concern, which will inform the functional behavioural assessment.
They may also gain feedback on the clinical formulation and the strategies developed for the plan.
CONSULT
The practitioner develops the plan by talking to the person with disability and their support network. The practitioner tells the person and their support network what is in the plan.
Message to person with disability
We will talk to you and your support network about how to best help you. We will let you know the decisions and what is in the plan.
3. Consultation only with the person’s support network (including the person’s family, support staff, other professionals), and not the person with disability.
The practitioner consults only with the person with disability’s support network to gather information to inform the development and implementation of the PBSP, e.g., information about the topography and context of the person’s behaviours of concern to inform the functional behavioural assessment, to gain feedback on the clinical formulation and the strategies developed for inclusion in the behaviour support plan.
CONSULT
The practitioner develops the plan by talking to the person’s support network.
The practitioner doesn’t talk to the participant while developing the plan. The practitioner tells the person and/or their support network what is in the plan.
Message to person with disability
We will talk to your support network about how to best help you. We will let you know the decisions and what is in the plan.
2. Informing
The practitioner mostly engages in one-way communication informing the person with disability and their support network (including the person’s family, support staff, other professionals) about the plan development and implementation process and the content of the developed plan.
INFORM
The plan is developed without talking to the person with disability.
The practitioner tells the person and/or their support network what is in the plan.
Message to person with disability
We will let you know the decisions and what is in the plan.
1. Not participating for now
The practitioner develops and implements the plan based on reviewing reports and other documents. This does not involve active engagement with the person with disability.
The practitioner may have directly observed the person at an appropriate place/time (e.g. at home, at work). They will also consult with people in the person’s support network to build an appropriate plan.
OVERSEE
The plan is developed without talking to the person with disability.
Instead, the practitioner might observe the person, read reports about them and talk to their support network. The plan isn’t explained to the person or their support network unless they ask for it to be.
Message to person with disability
Decisions will be made without you knowing what they are. You can ask to have this information or be more involved at any time.
There are several resources to help you engage behaviour support participants with this Spectrum of Participation, including: How involved do I want to be in my behaviour support planning? (easy read) and Deciding how involved I want to be in my behaviour support planning (participant tool) (download Word version for desktop).
Next steps
Also see:
- The need: Moving in The Right Direction
- Improving engagement in behaviour support planning
- Talking about behaviour support in ways everyone can understand
- Understanding communication and engagement
- Engaging effectively through 2-way communication
- Communication rights in behaviour support planning
Other useful links (external sources):
- Your Service, Your Rights: Conversation cards, by Inclusion Australia
- NDIS How to develop behaviour support plans, talks about types of behaviour support plans, and provides: templates; guides and checklists; and information about submitting a behaviour support plan
- NDIS participant resources also include easy read versions about:
- Choosing a specialist behaviour support provider
- What to expect from your specialist behaviour support provider, and
- What to do if you are not happy with your specialist behaviour support provider
- Deciding with Support provides information for participant support networks and information for behaviour support practitioners about supporting participants to make their own decisions throughout the behaviour support process
- NDIS Supported Decision Making