Positive behaviour support (PBS) helps children who are struggling with challenging behaviours by understanding the reasons behind them and building practical, respectful strategies for the whole family. This guide explains what behaviour support involves, how it's funded through the NDIS, and how to choose the right provider in Ballarat. The page features local providers including Auxilia Health, Reverence Community Care, Rivergum Allied Therapies, Everyday Independence Ballarat and others listed below.
Auxilia Health offers psychological therapy, support coordination, and behaviour intervention services, NDIS registered, with face-to-face and telehealth options available Australia-wide. Also serves DVA, ADF, and TAC clients with no gap payments.
General NDIS disability service provider in Ballarat offering support coordination, behaviour support, and allied health services; no paediatric-specific details, ages, telehealth, or waitlist information explicitly stated.
Bacchus Marsh-based provider supporting infants through seniors, including NDIS participants. Offers physiotherapy, occupational therapy, early intervention (ECI, ESDM), ABA/positive behaviour support, group programs, and OT/speech assistant support. Services delivered in-home, in-clinic, and via telehealth.
Registered NDIS provider offering Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Pathology, Positive Behaviour Support, Social Work, and Continence Nursing across Ballarat, Central Highlands and wider Victoria. Serves NDIS, My Aged Care and private clients of all ages, including telehealth options.
Registered NDIS provider in Ballarat Central, VIC offering occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, positive behaviour support, and early childhood supports (up to age 9) for children, teens, and adults. No waitlists mentioned. Also provides youth employment services (15-24) and habit coaching.
NDIS registered psychology practice in Sebastopol, VIC, seeing clients from age 7 and over across the lifespan. Offers counselling, CBT, DBT, EMDR, ACT, and psychometric/autism/ADHD assessments. Accepts Medicare, NDIS, TAC, WorkCover, DVA, and private clients Monday to Friday.
Ballarat-based provider (Alfredton & Delacombe) offering psychology, behaviour support, and mental health nurse practitioner services for children, adolescents and adults. NDIS registered; also accepts Medicare, private health, TAC, WorkCover, DVA. In-person, phone and telehealth appointments, plus NDIS outreach.
Ballarat East and Sebastopol clinics offering Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, and Behaviour Support. Speech Pathology accepting new referrals with a waitlist; OT and Behaviour Support caseloads at capacity. Registered for Medicare, NDIS, TAC, DVA, Worksafe, and private health insurance.
Positive behaviour support (PBS) is an evidence-based approach that looks at why a child behaves the way they do, rather than simply trying to stop a behaviour. A behaviour support practitioner spends time getting to know your child, their environment, and what happens before and after difficult moments. From there, they develop a plan that focuses on teaching new skills, adjusting the environment, and helping the people around the child respond consistently.
For children, this usually means the practitioner works closely with parents, carers, and sometimes schools or kinders. The goal is to improve quality of life and reduce distress — not to 'fix' the child. Plans are tailored, and strategies might include changes to routines, communication supports, sensory strategies, and coaching for the adults involved.
Every child has tough days, but you might consider behaviour support if your child regularly experiences:
Behaviour support can help children of most ages, from toddlers through to teenagers. Early support is often valuable, but it's never too late to start.
The first session is usually about gathering information and building trust. The practitioner will ask about your child's history, strengths, challenges, medical background, and what a typical day looks like. They may want to observe your child at home, school, or in a familiar setting.
Early in the process, the practitioner often conducts a functional behaviour assessment — a structured way of understanding the purpose behind behaviours. This informs the written behaviour support plan. Developing a full plan can take several sessions and a few weeks, so it's normal not to leave the first appointment with strategies in hand.
Bring along any relevant reports (diagnoses, school records, previous assessments) and a list of your main concerns and goals.
Behaviour support practitioners in Australia generally charge within the NDIS price caps, which are reviewed each year. As a general guide, specialist behaviour support sits at roughly $190–$225 per hour, though rates vary by provider and practitioner level. Always confirm current pricing directly, as caps and fees change.
Under the NDIS, behaviour support is funded through the Capacity Building — Improved Relationships budget. If your child has this in their plan, it can cover assessment, plan development, training for carers, and review. Families who are plan-managed or self-managed can also use non-registered providers, while agency-managed plans require NDIS-registered providers.
If your child isn't on the NDIS, some behaviour support may be accessed privately or through other services. Costs and eligibility differ, so ask providers what options apply to your situation.
When comparing providers such as those featured on this page, consider:
Taking the time to ask these questions helps you find a provider who's the right match — and gives your child the best chance of meaningful progress. The providers listed on this page are a starting point for your research; we recommend contacting a few to compare availability, approach, and fit.
Or read the full behaviour support guide, or browse all Ballarat providers.
Behaviour support is generally funded through the Capacity Building — Improved Relationships budget in your child's NDIS plan. This can cover assessment, plan development, carer training, and reviews. Check your child's plan or ask your support coordinator whether this funding is included.
As a general guide, specialist behaviour support in Australia sits around $190–$225 per hour, within NDIS price caps that are reviewed annually. Actual fees vary by provider, so always confirm current pricing directly before starting.
If your child's plan is agency-managed, you'll need an NDIS-registered provider. If you're plan-managed or self-managed, you can also use suitably qualified non-registered providers. All behaviour support practitioners must be considered 'suitable' by the NDIS Commission.
Behaviour support can help children of most ages, from toddlers to teenagers. Early support is often valuable, but strategies can be introduced at any stage. The approach is tailored to your child's age, development, and individual needs.
Waitlists vary between providers and can be longer in regional areas due to demand. The best approach is to contact several providers directly to ask about current availability, and to ask whether telehealth could speed up access to parent coaching and plan reviews.