Behaviour support at school for NDIS participants

Who is responsible for what at school?

The school education system is responsible for supports where the main purpose is learning. The NDIS may fund disability-related supports that aren't about learning, if they meet the NDIS funding criteria.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) gives the example of Anna, who is starting high school and needs behaviour support. Her school adjusts teaching and provides a teacher's aide. The NDIS may fund a behaviour management plan and training for her teachers.

How does a behaviour support practitioner work with the school?

With consent, they can gather information at school, talk with teachers and train staff to use the strategies in the plan. If behaviours of concern happen at school, school is part of the picture.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) expects a functional behaviour assessment (FBA) to collect data in all the places that matter to the person. For a student, that often includes school. The Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Capability Framework, which sets out what practitioners should be able to do, counts teachers among the people who may use a behaviour support plan.

• watching how the student manages at school and what seems to trigger behaviours of concern
• talking with teachers, aides and learning support staff about what they see
• sharing strategies that work at home so school can use them, and the other way around
• training school staff on the student's specific needs, where the NDIS funds this
• checking how the plan is going at school, as part of monitoring and reviews

Schools may also have their own plans, like a classroom behaviour or safety plan. It helps when both plans point the same way.

Can we share the behaviour support plan with the school?

Yes, with consent. The practitioner needs informed consent from the person, or their parent or guardian, before sharing personal information with the school.

The NDIS Commission's guidance says practitioners need informed consent to collect, use and share personal information, and must keep it secure under the Privacy Act 1988. Before sharing, think through:

• Which parts of the plan do school staff need to support your child day to day?
• Who at school will see it, and where will it be kept?
• Does it include health or family details the school doesn't need?
• Who should the school contact with questions: you, the practitioner or both?
• How will the school find out when the plan changes after a review?

You can ask the practitioner whether a shorter version for school staff would help.

Do the NDIS restrictive practice rules apply at school?

Not to the school itself. The NDIS rules apply to registered NDIS providers delivering NDIS supports, while schools follow the laws and policies of their state or territory.

The NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018 set conditions for registered NDIS providers who use restrictive practices while delivering NDIS supports. The NDIS Commission says schools that aren't funded under the NDIS have no reporting obligations to it. Some state and territory laws on authorising restrictive practices do cover schools, and the ACT is one example.

The Commission puts it simply: reporting depends on who funds the support. If an NDIS-funded support worker uses a regulated restrictive practice while delivering NDIS supports at school, the NDIS rules apply to their provider.

What if behaviours of concern mostly happen at school?

Tell the practitioner. Behaviour that happens in one place and not another can point to something in that setting, which helps the assessment.

The NDIA lists common triggers such as crowded, noisy places, bright lights, meeting someone new, and being sick, tired or in pain. The family, school and practitioner can compare notes to find what's different at school.

If the school needs to change teaching or the classroom so the student can learn, that's the school's responsibility. If the student needs more disability-related behaviour support, talk to your support coordinator or the NDIA about your NDIS plan. The NDIA says a school can also let it know a student may need behaviour support.

What can families do to help things work at school?

Keep information flowing between home, school and the practitioner. Consistent support depends on it.

• Meet with the school early, before a new term or a move to a new school.
• Plan ahead for a move to primary or high school. The NDIS may fund extra transition support where a student needs more than the school must provide.
• Share what works at home, like the words, routines or calming strategies your child responds to.
• Ask the school to tell you about incidents, so you can pass the information to the practitioner.
• With your consent, invite school staff to take part in plan reviews.
• Keep your own notes and bring them to review meetings.

If you need a practitioner who can work alongside your child's school, we can connect you with a registered one.