Finding the right behaviour support for your child can feel overwhelming, especially when you're also learning to navigate the NDIS. This guide explains what positive behaviour support involves, how it's funded, and how to choose a provider on the Gold Coast — and it features several local services to help you start your shortlist.
Better Rehab Robina is a registered NDIS provider offering occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, positive behaviour support, and allied health assistants. Services delivered in-clinic, at home, in community, or via telehealth across the South Gold Coast. Open to NDIS and private clients; no waitlist mentioned.
Registered NDIS provider on the Gold Coast offering occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, positive behaviour support, and early childhood supports for children up to nine, plus therapy for teens and adults. No waitlists mentioned; therapy delivered in homes, schools, workplaces, community.
Urzi Supports is an NDIS registered provider in South East Queensland offering psychology, mental health support work, and support coordination/psychosocial recovery coaching. Services are clinically informed and tailored to individual needs, with face-to-face onboarding and ongoing clinical supervision.
Robina, QLD clinic offering occupational therapy, speech pathology, behaviour support, and psychology for adults, adolescents, and paediatric clients. NDIS-registered and Medicare-registered, with private health fund options. Offers telehealth and in-person sessions, with immediate capacity and no extended waiting lists.
Multi-disciplinary NDIS-registered provider with 4 clinics (Brendale, Eight Mile Plains, Shailer Park, Upper Coomera) plus telehealth and mobile appointments. Sees children up to 18 years. Offers Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Parent Coaching, and ADOS autism assessments.
Understanding Minds, Gold Coast, offers learning, behaviour, and mental health support for children, adolescents, and adults via two clinics or telehealth. Services include psychology and NDIS-registered positive behaviour support, with dyslexia/dysgraphia intervention programs.
Northcott Gold Coast (Arundel, QLD) is an NDIS provider offering Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Social Work and Behaviour Support. Services available in-centre, home, community, school or via Telehealth. Supports people with disabilities including autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy and more.
New Growth Psychology provides child, adolescent and young adult (7-35yrs) psychological counselling on the Gold Coast, covering anxiety, depression, trauma, behaviour and self-esteem, plus workshops and career assessments, using an integrated therapeutic approach.
Positive behaviour support (PBS) is an evidence-based approach that looks at why a child behaves in a particular way, rather than simply trying to stop the behaviour. A behaviour support practitioner works with your family to understand what a behaviour is communicating — for example, frustration, sensory overload, difficulty with transitions, or a need for connection — and then builds strategies to help your child feel calmer, safer and more able to participate in daily life.
For children on the NDIS, this usually means developing a behaviour support plan. The practitioner spends time getting to know your child at home, at school or in the community, gathers information from the people who know them well, and identifies practical changes to routines, environments and communication that reduce distress and build new skills.
Every child has big feelings sometimes. You might consider behaviour support if your child regularly:
Behaviour support is never about "fixing" a child. It's about understanding them and setting up the world around them so they can thrive.
Behaviour support can help across childhood — from toddlers and preschoolers through to primary and high school years. Strategies are always tailored to a child's developmental stage, communication style and interests. Early support can be particularly valuable, but it's genuinely never too late to start.
A first appointment is usually a conversation rather than an assessment of your child. The practitioner will ask about your child's strengths, what a typical day looks like, what's working, and what's causing stress for your family. They may want to observe your child in a familiar setting and will often ask permission to speak with teachers, GPs or other therapists.
From there, they gather information over several sessions before writing a plan. This takes time — a thorough plan can't be rushed — so expect the process to unfold over a few weeks or months rather than in a single visit.
Behaviour support is generally funded under the Capacity Building — Improved Relationships budget in an NDIS plan. This funding line is specifically designed for developing behaviour support plans and building the skills of the child and the people supporting them.
The NDIS sets price caps for behaviour support services, and rates vary depending on the practitioner's level and experience. As a general guide, hourly rates in Australia typically fall within roughly $140–$220 per hour, in line with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements. Costs can also include time for writing plans, travel and report preparation.
These figures are a general guide only. Always confirm current pricing directly with the provider and check the latest NDIS Pricing Arrangements, as caps are updated regularly.
If you're self-managed or plan-managed, you may have more flexibility in choosing providers. Agency-managed plans require you to use NDIS-registered providers.
This page features providers including Better Rehab - Robina, Everyday Independence Gold Coast (Ashmore), Urzi Supports (Robina), Therapy Partners (Robina), Pepper Kids Therapy (Upper Coomera), Understanding Minds (Tugun), Northcott Gold Coast (Arundel), New Growth Psychology (Robina), Aurora Behaviour Support - Gold Coast / Northern Rivers (Burleigh Heads) and Autism Queensland Gold Coast (Ashmore). When comparing them, 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 getting support that genuinely fits their life.
Or read the full behaviour support guide, or browse all Gold Coast providers.
Yes. Behaviour support is usually funded under the Capacity Building — Improved Relationships budget in an NDIS plan. This covers developing a behaviour support plan and building skills in the child and their support network. Confirm your funding with your planner or support coordinator.
As a general guide, hourly rates in Australia typically fall within roughly $140–$220 per hour, in line with the NDIS price caps. Costs can also include plan writing, travel and reports. Always confirm current pricing with the provider, as NDIS Pricing Arrangements are updated regularly.
Waitlists vary between providers and can be several weeks to months. It's worth contacting a few of the featured providers directly and asking about wait times for both assessment and ongoing support, as availability changes often.
Behaviour support practitioners must be assessed as suitable by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Many are also psychologists registered with AHPRA or allied health professionals. It's fine to ask about their qualifications and experience working with children.
Some Gold Coast providers offer telehealth for parts of the process, such as parent coaching or reviews, while observation of your child is often done in person. Ask each provider what mix of telehealth and face-to-face support they offer.