A participant pushes their plate away and throws it across the room. Another refuses to get out of the car at a day program. Someone else becomes distressed and starts hitting their own head when a new worker arrives. For an inexperienced support worker, moments like these can be confusing, frightening and hard to respond to well.
Yet in almost every case, the behaviour is telling you something. It may be pain, fear, frustration, boredom or a need that has not been understood. Workers who learn to look for that message respond more calmly, keep everyone safer and help participants feel heard.
This guide explains what drives behaviours of concern, how workers can respond safely and respectfully, what free online training is available in Australia and how to choose training that changes everyday practice.
Understanding Behaviour as Communication
In disability support, challenging behaviour describes actions that put the person or others at risk, or that limit the person’s access to everyday life. Examples include aggression, self-injury, property damage, running away or withdrawing completely. Within the NDIS, the preferred term is often “behaviours of concern”, which shifts the focus from the person to the behaviour and the reasons behind it.
The key idea is simple. Behaviour serves a purpose. For a person who cannot easily use words, it may be the most effective way to say “I’m in pain”, “This is too loud”, “I don’t understand” or “I want this to stop”. When workers respond only to the behaviour itself, the underlying need remains, and the behaviour usually returns.
This is the foundation of positive behaviour support, the evidence-based approach used across the NDIS. Positive behaviour support aims to understand why behaviour happens, change the environment and supports around the person, and build their skills, so the behaviour is no longer needed. It also protects the person’s rights and dignity, and uses restrictive practices only as a last resort, under strict rules.
Seven Common Reasons Behind Behaviours of Concern
Every person is different, but behaviours of concern often trace back to a small number of causes. Knowing them helps workers look beyond the moment and respond to the real need.
- Pain or physical discomfort. Toothache, constipation, reflux, infections, seizures and medication side effects are common and often missed, especially when a person cannot describe how they feel. A sudden change in behaviour should always prompt workers to consider health first.
- Difficulty communicating. When a person cannot express a need, choice or worry, frustration builds. Workers who do not know a participant’s communication methods, such as signs, pictures or a device, may miss early signals until the behaviour escalates.
- The environment. Noise, crowds, bright lights, heat or a lack of personal space can overwhelm people, particularly those with sensory sensitivities. A busy shopping centre or a loud shared house can be enough to trigger distress.
- Changes to routine. Unexpected changes, such as a new worker, a cancelled outing or a different order of activities, can cause anxiety. Many people rely on predictability to feel safe.
- Trauma and past experiences. Some participants have experienced abuse, neglect or restrictive practices in the past. Certain situations, tones of voice or physical contact can bring back those experiences and lead to fear-based reactions.
- Boredom or lack of meaningful activity. When days are empty or activities do not reflect a person’s interests, behaviour may be a way to seek stimulation, attention or connection.
- Mental health and emotional needs. Anxiety, depression, grief and other emotional experiences affect behaviour in the same way they affect anyone. Changes in mood, sleep or appetite can be important early signs.
Workers should record what happened before, during and after each episode. Over time, these notes help behaviour support practitioners, families and the wider team identify patterns and adjust supports.
Why Training Makes the Difference
Even experienced workers can find behaviours of concern difficult. Without guidance, people tend to react instinctively: raising their voice, trying to physically stop the behaviour or avoiding the participant altogether. These responses can increase distress, damage trust and, in some cases, amount to an unauthorised restrictive practice, which providers must report to the NDIS Commission.
Good challenging behaviour training gives workers a better toolkit. It helps them recognise early warning signs, use calm and respectful communication, adjust the environment, step back safely when needed and follow each participant’s behaviour support plan. It also reminds them of their obligations under the NDIS Code of Conduct, including acting with respect for each person’s rights and providing supports in a safe and competent way.
Training is also about confidence. Workers who understand why behaviour happens are less likely to take it personally, more likely to stay calm and better able to support participants through difficult moments.
What Free Online Training Is Available
People searching for challenging behaviour training courses online free Australia wide will find a small number of genuinely useful options, alongside many paid courses.
One of the most relevant is the Positive Behaviour Support Training Package, offered free to disability support workers through the NDIS Commission, with support from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. The online, self-paced courses were developed by National Disability Services and cover positive behaviour support, human rights and trauma-informed support, with a certificate on completion. Workers from both registered and unregistered providers can take part, although places may be limited.
The NDIS Commission’s Worker Orientation Module, “Quality, Safety and You”, is also worth completing. It does not focus on behaviour, but it explains worker obligations under the Code of Conduct, including respect for rights and managing risk, from the participant’s point of view.
Free training is a valuable starting point, especially for new workers. However, generic online courses cannot teach workers about the specific people they support. They should be combined with training on each participant’s behaviour support plan, ideally from the behaviour support practitioner who wrote it, and with practical, scenario-based sessions that reflect your own service and policies.
Six Things to Look for in Any Course
Whether training is free or paid, online or in person, these points help you judge whether it will change practice on the ground.
- It is grounded in positive behaviour support. Avoid courses that focus mainly on control or physical intervention. Good training explains why behaviour happens and how to prevent it, with restrictive practices discussed only within the NDIS rules.
- It uses realistic scenarios. Workers learn more from discussing a real situation, such as a participant becoming distressed on a bus, than from reading definitions. Scenarios also help them rehearse calm responses before they need them.
- It covers de-escalation and communication. Look for practical guidance on tone of voice, body language, giving space, offering choices and recognising early signs of distress.
- It reflects NDIS requirements. Training should explain the Code of Conduct, behaviour support plans, regulated restrictive practices and incident reporting, so workers understand both their practice and their obligations.
- It checks understanding. Quizzes, discussion and practical activities show whether workers can apply what they learned. A certificate of attendance alone says little about capability.
- It provides clear records. Certificates should show the worker’s name, topic, date and training provider, so they can be added to your training register and shown at audit.
How Angels Compliance and Training Services Can Help
Angels Compliance and Training Services is a compliance consultancy based in Gosnells, Western Australia, supporting NDIS and DVA providers across Australia with registration, audits, policies and staff training.
Our two-hour Understanding Challenging Behaviours session is designed for support workers, carers, team leaders and service coordinators who work directly with participants. It covers causes and triggers, proactive prevention, de-escalation, positive behaviour support approaches, calm communication during incidents and protecting participant dignity, along with NDIS incident response expectations. The session suits both new and experienced staff, can be delivered online or onsite in Perth, and every participant receives a digital certificate of completion.
Final Thoughts
Behaviours of concern are rarely random. They are usually a response to pain, distress, unmet needs or an environment that is not working for the person. When workers understand this, they respond with patience and skill rather than fear. Start with free foundational courses, build on them with practical, service-specific training and keep learning through supervision and each participant’s behaviour support plan. The result is safer support, stronger relationships and a better quality of life for the people you support.
Disclaimer: This article is general information for NDIS providers and workers and is not legal, clinical or behaviour support advice. Always follow each participant’s behaviour support plan and seek guidance from a qualified behaviour support practitioner. NDIS rules and training offerings can change, so check current information with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
