Stopping practices that can hurt people

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In this bulletin, we look at another idea from the research about positive behaviour support.

This type of support focuses on:

A stop sign and a person looking upset with their arms crossed.

  • stopping practices that can hurt people with disability

A group of people with different disabilities, above them is a justice scales icon.

  • making sure people with disability have the same rights as other people.

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Australia must follow laws about protecting the rights of people with disability.

This includes:

  • Australian laws
  • international agreements.

A justice scales icon and a safety icon.

Positive behaviour support is about protecting the rights of people with disability.

And it supports the laws and agreements that Australia follows.

A person looking concerned and a problem icon.

When people with disability don’t have the support that they need, they might show behaviours of concern.

A person raising a hand with a problem icon above them. They are next to 2 people next to each other with a problem icon above them.

Behaviours of concern are things someone does that might put:

  • themselves in danger
  • other people in danger.

A person holding their body looking hurt and a problem icon.

When this happens, carers might use practices that can hurt a person with disability.

For example, they might:

A stop sign.
  • stop them from moving

A medicine icon.
  • give them medicine more often than they need it

A family talking to each other, above them is a cross.

  • not allow them to take part in events with their family.

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These experiences can hurt people with disability in ways that last a long time.

This includes how they handle their emotions.

These experiences can also hurt their families.

A justice scales icon with a cross on it and a satefy icon.

Restrictive practices are against people’s rights.

But sometimes carers need to use them to keep people safe.

A group of people smiling. Above them is a behaviour support icon.

People need to work together to understand how to best support what a person with disability needs.

Positive behaviour support is about:

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  • using less restrictive practices

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  • working together to support a person with disability to live a good life.

Questions to think about

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It is important for people to try to understand the experiences of people with disability.

This includes experiences that might have hurt them in the past.

A thought bubble with a question mark inside of it.

You can think about the following questions.

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Has the person with disability had experiences that hurt them in the past?

Are they having those sorts of experiences now?

A person writing on a clipboard, above them is a thought bubble.

During assessments about the person’s behaviour, have people thought about these experiences?

2 people talking, one of them has a speech bubble.

Have you asked the person with disability about:

  • their experiences?
  • how their experiences affect them?

A person pointing at themselves, next to them is a thought bubble with a tick in it.

Do the people who support the person with disability understand how their experiences affect them?

A person supporting someone else. Above them is a question mark.

What support does the person with disability need to share their experiences with you?

Two people standing next to a person in a wheelchair. One of them has a thought bubble above them.

Do the people in the life of the person with disability understand:

  • how their disability affects them?
  • what support they need?