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

We talk about understanding what a person needs, through:

• their environment

• the people in their life

• the supports they get.

This can help to understand:

• what a person with disability needs
• how to support what they need.

Most behaviour supports only focus on a person’s behaviour.

This means that people often don’t think about why a person is showing these behaviours.

When this happens, people are more likely to use restrictive practices.

And people with disability are more likely to:

• get hurt

• experience trauma.

Trauma is the way you feel about something bad that happened to you.

For example, you might feel scared or stressed.

Trauma can affect you for a long time.

It is important to understand how best to support a person with disability.

You should think about more than just a person’s behaviour.

This includes thinking about:

• what a person with disability needs – for example, support to understand information

• a person’s experiences – including any trauma they might have

• the people in a person’s life – including how well they support what that person needs

• a person’s environment – including the supports they get.