Behavioural Support in an Australian Government Sector

Abstract

Problem behaviour in Australian schools is a frequent topic of public discourse and media coverage. Educational reports have highlighted concerns in relation to classroom management, student disruption, and disengagement, and government statistics show high rates of student suspension. While educational policies in the state schooling sector promote a proactive approach to behaviour support, with most jurisdictions recommending the uptake of Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), the implementation of such policies at the school and individual student levels can be less than optimal. In Queensland, Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is endorsed as the local version of SWPBS, and almost half of Queensland state schools have received training in school implementation of positive behaviour support practices. However, lack of formal systems to support implementation has resulted in inconsistent attention to monitoring and fidelity of implementation. In addition, a tension exists between traditional approaches to behaviour management, with a heavy reliance on exclusionary sanctions for those students with the most challenging behaviours, and adoption of PBL, which emphasises a preventative continuum of behaviour support for all students. This chapter will provide an overview of the current status of positive behaviour support in Queensland state schools and offer implications for future directions.