The difference between a behaviour therapist vs behaviour support practitioner comes down to one rule. Only a person the NDIS Commission has found suitable as a behaviour support practitioner can write an NDIS behaviour support plan. Behaviour therapist is an informal title. Some behaviour therapists are practitioners, and others run regular sessions that follow a practitioner’s plan.
You have heard 2 job titles, and you are not sure which one your family needs. This guide explains the difference in plain terms. You will learn what each role does and who can write a behaviour support plan. You will also see how the 2 roles often work side by side. It is written for parents, carers and support coordinators. It will help you choose support for someone you care about.
What is the difference between a behaviour therapist and a behaviour support practitioner?
Many people use the 2 titles for the same person, and families often search for behaviour therapy when they mean positive behaviour support. We use both terms too. The difference matters in one place: who is allowed to assess behaviour and write an NDIS behaviour support plan.
A behaviour support practitioner is a formal role under the NDIS. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission must find a person suitable first. Then they can assess behaviour and write behaviour support plans. Those plans may include regulated restrictive practices.
A behaviour therapist is a job title. Sometimes it means a practitioner. Often it means someone who works with a person each week or fortnight to build skills and practise strategies. Unless that person has also been found suitable as a practitioner, they do not write the behaviour support plan.
So one role designs the plan, and the other often helps put it into practice. Many families end up with both.
Both roles should rest on the same approach. That approach is positive behaviour support. It looks at quality of life, dignity and new skills. Punishment has no place in it.
What is an NDIS behaviour support practitioner?
An NDIS behaviour support practitioner is a person the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has found suitable to assess behaviour and write behaviour support plans. They must work for a registered NDIS provider or be registered themselves. The Commission’s rules for behaviour support practitioners set out these duties.
The NDIS Commission says a behaviour support practitioner is someone it finds suitable to do 2 things:
- carry out behaviour support assessments, including a Functional Behaviour Assessment
- develop behaviour support plans, which may include the use of restrictive practices
Until the Commission finds a person suitable, they cannot do either task. This applies even under supervision. The practitioner must also work for a registered NDIS provider. Or they can be registered themselves, for example as a sole trader.
In day-to-day terms, a practitioner will usually:
- meet the person and the people who support them
- complete an assessment to understand why a behaviour happens
- write the behaviour support plan with the person and their supporters
- train family, carers and support workers to use the plan
- review progress and update the plan over time
- work towards reducing restrictive practices, and removing them where possible
Restrictive practices should only ever be a last resort. A plan that includes one explains how the team will work to reduce it over time. You can read more about what goes into a behaviour support plan and how one is put together.
How are behaviour support practitioners assessed?
The Commission assesses suitability against the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework. It sets out the skills and knowledge a practitioner needs. It has 4 capability levels. The official level names are core, proficient, advanced and specialist.
One detail surprises many families. The Commission does not endorse these levels. It only decides if a person is suitable, not suitable, or that it cannot make a decision. After that, practitioners grow through the levels with supervision. So a level is a useful guide to experience. The suitability decision is the formal step.
What does a behaviour therapist do?
A behaviour therapist usually runs regular sessions to teach skills and practise the strategies in a plan. They may also collect data and show families how to use each strategy. Behaviour therapist is a job title rather than a registration, so ask what a person’s role and background are.
Behaviour therapist is a common job title in Australia. It is a job title rather than a registration. The NDIS Commission decides who is suitable to be a behaviour support practitioner. It makes no such decision about the title “behaviour therapist”. So training and background can vary between providers.
Some come from social work, teaching or disability support. Others come from allied health. Some are trained in applied behaviour analysis. If you want to understand how that approach relates to PBS, read our guide to positive behaviour support vs ABA.
A behaviour therapist will often:
- run regular sessions at home, at school or in the community
- teach new skills, such as communication, emotional regulation and daily routines
- practise the strategies from the plan in everyday settings
- collect simple data, so the practitioner can see what is working
- show families and support workers how to use each strategy
A behaviour therapist cannot write an NDIS behaviour support plan unless they have also been found suitable as a practitioner. If a behaviour therapist is working on behaviours of concern with your family, it is fair to ask who wrote the plan and who oversees it.
How do a behaviour therapist and a behaviour support practitioner compare?
A behaviour support practitioner assesses, plans, trains and reviews. A behaviour therapist who is not a practitioner focuses on hands-on sessions that follow the plan. Only the practitioner can complete the assessment and write the plan. Here are the main differences side by side.
| Question | Behaviour therapist | Behaviour support practitioner |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A job title used by many providers | A formal role that needs a suitability decision from the NDIS Commission |
| Main focus | Hands-on sessions and skill-building | Assessment, planning, training and review |
| Can they complete a behaviour support assessment? | No, unless also found suitable as a practitioner | Yes |
| Can they write the behaviour support plan? | No, unless also found suitable as a practitioner | Yes |
| Restrictive practices | Follows the plan and helps put safer strategies in place | Includes them in a plan only when needed, with clear steps to reduce them |
| How often you may see them | Often regular sessions, such as weekly or fortnightly | Often more at the start, then for training and reviews |
| Usually a good fit when | A plan exists and you want regular, practical help | You need a plan, a review, or help with complex or risky behaviour |
How do the 2 roles work together under one plan?
In practice, choosing between a behaviour therapist and a behaviour support practitioner is rarely an either-or choice. Think of it like building a house. The practitioner draws up the plans. The therapist is often on site each week, helping the work happen. Both look at the same plan. Both report back on what is and is not working.
A typical path looks like this:
- Referral. A family member, support coordinator or other professional makes a referral.
- Assessment. The practitioner watches, asks questions, and talks with the people who know the person well.
- The plan. The practitioner writes the behaviour support plan with the person and their supporters.
- Regular sessions. A behaviour therapist may run sessions to build skills and practise strategies.
- Training. Families, carers and support workers learn how to use the plan day to day.
- Review. The practitioner reviews the data and updates the plan as needs change.
Our own team is made up of behaviour support practitioners. Domenic Barca is our Director and a Proficient Behaviour Support Practitioner. Michelle Boyce, Mehdi Syed, Sofija Kozul and Sian Goodsell are Behaviour Support Practitioners. Our practitioners lead the assessment and the plan. You can read about each of them on our team page. We support people of all ages, from young children to older people.
Which one does my family need?
Start with a behaviour support practitioner if there is risk, a restrictive practice, or a plan to write or review. A behaviour therapist may help once a plan is in place and the focus is regular skill building. Many families use both. These signs can help you choose where to start.
You likely need a behaviour support practitioner if:
- behaviours of concern put the person or others at risk
- a restrictive practice is in use, or someone is thinking about using one
- you need a behaviour support plan, or an existing plan is due for review
- home, school, work and support staff all need one clear approach
- past ideas have not helped, and you want to know why the behaviour happens
A behaviour therapist may help if:
- a plan is already in place and you want regular, practical help to use it
- the main goal is building specific skills, such as communication or routines
- you would like someone to show you strategies in your own home
Many families use both. A common pattern is to start with a practitioner, then add regular sessions once the plan is written.
Support coordinators should also check the funding. Behaviour support is usually paid from the Capacity Building Improved Relationships budget. How other sessions are claimed can depend on the support and the plan. A plan manager or the NDIA can say what a plan covers. Our rate is $252.99 per hour, in line with NDIS pricing arrangements. Travel is charged at a 50% reduced rate, and we charge no kilometres. The NDIA reviews rates each year, so we confirm your rate at your first consultation and in your service agreement.
What should I ask a behaviour support provider?
Before you sign a service agreement, it helps to ask a few direct questions:
- Has the person writing the plan been found suitable by the NDIS Commission?
- Who will run regular sessions, and how are they supervised?
- How will the plan be shared with school, carers and support workers?
- How often will the plan be reviewed?
- If a restrictive practice is in use, what are the steps to reduce it?
For more on this, see our guide on how to choose a behaviour support provider in Sydney.
Frequently asked questions
Can a behaviour therapist write a behaviour support plan?
Only if they have also been found suitable as an NDIS behaviour support practitioner. The NDIS Commission is clear on this. A person must be considered suitable before they can complete behaviour support assessments or develop behaviour support plans. That rule applies even when someone works under supervision. Many behaviour therapists play a big part once a plan exists. They help the person practise skills and help families use strategies. The plan itself still comes from a practitioner.
Can we have a behaviour therapist and a practitioner at the same time?
Yes, and many families do. The practitioner completes the assessment and writes the plan. A behaviour therapist can then run regular sessions that follow that plan. The key is that both work from the same plan. They should share what they see. Then everyone around the person can use the same approach. Before you start, ask how they will keep in touch. Ask how often the plan will be reviewed, too.
How do I know if a practitioner has been found suitable?
Ask the provider directly. A registered provider should be able to tell you whether the person writing your plan has been found suitable. You can also ask if they have worked with people with similar needs. It is also fair to ask who supervises them. Levels are only a guide. The Commission itself just decides if a practitioner is suitable.
How do I get started with behaviour support?
If you are still weighing up a behaviour therapist and a behaviour support practitioner, we are happy to talk it through. We work with families across South West and Western Sydney, including Campbelltown and Liverpool. Support can happen at home, at school and in the community.
To get started, make a referral or call us on 0415 930 548. You can also read how our positive behaviour support works.
Guided by science, driven by care.
