Behaviour Support Plan in Aged Care: A Complete 2026 Guide for Families and Providers
Quick answer: A behaviour support plan (BSP) in aged care is a legally required, individualised document that explains why a resident is experiencing changed behaviour, what strategies staff will use to support them, and, where relevant, how any restrictive practices will be applied safely and with consent. Under Australian law, providers must have a BSP in place for any resident who exhibits changed behaviour or may require restrictive practices as part of their care. This guide explains what a BSP must include, who develops it, what families should expect, and how it connects to the broader Aged Care Quality Standards.
What Is a Behaviour Support Plan in Aged Care?
A behaviour support plan in aged care, commonly abbreviated to BSP, is a documented, person-centred plan that sits within a resident’s overall care and services plan. It is designed to help staff understand the reasons behind a resident’s changed behaviour, identify strategies to address unmet needs, and reduce or eliminate the use of restrictive practices wherever possible.
A behaviour support plan is not a disciplinary document. It is not about managing a resident or labelling them as difficult. It starts from a fundamentally different premise: that changed behaviour in older people is almost always a form of communication. A resident who becomes distressed during personal care, who repeatedly calls out, who tries to leave the building at night, is communicating something. A BSP is the structured process of finding out what that something is, and building a care response around it.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) defines changed behaviour as “any behaviour which causes stress, worry, risk of or actual harm to the person, carers, family members or those around them.” This includes behaviours associated with dementia, mental health conditions, pain, sensory changes, medication effects, environmental discomfort, and unmet social or emotional needs.
a legal requirement
only when necessary
consent
any restrictive practice
is a reportable incident
The Legal Requirement: Why Every Aged Care Provider Must Have a BSP
Behaviour support plans became a mandatory legal requirement for residential aged care providers from 1 September 2021, under amendments to the Quality of Care Principles 2014. This requirement has carried forward under the Aged Care Act 2024, which commenced 1 November 2025 and strengthened provider obligations around restrictive practices, person-centred care, and resident rights.
Under current law, a residential aged care provider must develop a BSP for any resident who exhibits changed behaviour that causes or risks harm to themselves or others, requires or may require the use of any restrictive practice as part of their care, or has previously required restrictive practices but whose circumstances have changed.
The ACQSC enforces these requirements through its regulatory assessment programme. Failure to have adequate BSPs in place, or to ensure they are genuinely used by staff, is a compliance breach that can result in formal action. Inappropriate use of restraint is also a reportable incident under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS).
What Must a Behaviour Support Plan Include?
While BSPs are tailored to each individual, the ACQSC is clear about what a comprehensive behaviour support plan must contain. The following elements are required under current Australian aged care regulations.
Behaviour Support Plan Aged Care Example: What a Real BSP Structure Looks Like
Families and providers searching for a behaviour support plan aged care example often want to understand what a real, usable BSP looks like in practice. While no two plans are identical, the following structure reflects the framework the ACQSC expects providers to follow.
Behaviour Support Plan: Example Structure
Section 1: About the person
Name, date of birth, primary diagnosis, communication style, cultural background, life history summary, key relationships, likes and dislikes, daily routines and preferences.
Section 2: Description of changed behaviour
What the behaviour looks like (observable and specific), when it typically occurs, how often, what precedes it, what tends to reduce it, and what escalates it. Prepared using a functional behaviour assessment and observation records.
Section 3: Possible underlying causes
Pain, sensory changes, medication side effects, environmental triggers, unmet social or emotional needs, boredom, communication barriers, history of trauma.
Section 4: Proactive support strategies
What staff will do before the behaviour occurs to reduce its likelihood. Specific, practical, and individualised. Examples might include adjusting care routines, involving a familiar carer, modifying the environment, increasing meaningful activity, or reviewing pain management.
Section 5: Responsive strategies
What staff will do when the behaviour occurs. Step-by-step guidance written in plain language so any staff member can follow it consistently.
Section 6: Restrictive practices (if applicable)
Type of restrictive practice, reason, alternatives already trialled, informed consent from resident or substitute decision-maker, date of consent, review date, monitoring arrangements.
Section 7: Goals, review schedule, and outcomes
What success looks like, when the plan will be reviewed (at minimum every three months, or sooner if behaviour changes), who is responsible, and how outcomes will be documented.
The ACQSC has published BSP resources and scenario examples on its website at agedcarequality.gov.au. Dementia Support Australia (DSA) also provides comprehensive BSP resources and specialist consultation through its Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) for providers managing complex dementia-related behaviour. Providers can contact DBMAS on 1800 699 799.
Who Can Implement a Behaviour Support Plan in Aged Care?
This is one of the most commonly searched questions about behaviour support in aged care, and the answer has several layers.
Who develops the BSP: A BSP should be developed collaboratively by a multidisciplinary team. In practice, this typically includes the resident’s Registered Nurse or Care Coordinator, an allied health practitioner such as a psychologist, occupational therapist, or specialist behaviour support practitioner, the resident and their family where possible, and the GP or nurse practitioner where medication or clinical factors are relevant.
Who implements it day to day: Every member of the care team who works with the resident is responsible for implementing the strategies in the BSP. This includes personal care workers, enrolled nurses, registered nurses, and lifestyle staff. A BSP only works if all staff follow the same approach consistently. Inconsistency across shifts and carers is one of the most common reasons behaviour support strategies fail in practice.
Who monitors and reviews it: The clinical lead, typically a Registered Nurse or Care Coordinator, holds primary responsibility for monitoring the plan’s effectiveness and ensuring it is reviewed on schedule or when a resident’s circumstances change. The ACQSC expects reviews to be documented and to involve the resident, family, and relevant health practitioners.
Key roles in a behaviour support plan
- Registered Nurse / Care Coordinator: leads development, monitoring, and reviews
- Behaviour support specialist or psychologist: conducts functional behaviour assessment, advises on strategies
- GP or nurse practitioner: assesses pain, medication effects, and any clinical drivers of behaviour
- Personal care workers: implement daily strategies and report observations
- Family and support persons: contribute life history knowledge, participate in reviews, and provide consent where required
- Dementia Support Australia (DSA): specialist consultancy available free to all residential aged care providers via 1800 699 799
How to Demonstrate Positive Behaviour Support in Aged Care
Demonstrating positive behaviour support in practice, both during ACQSC audits and in day-to-day care, goes beyond having a written document. The Commission looks for evidence that the BSP is genuinely informing care, not sitting in a folder unread.
Staff observations of behaviour, including what preceded it and how it resolved, should be recorded in the resident’s clinical notes and linked back to the BSP. This creates the evidence base for meaningful reviews and demonstrates the plan is actively in use rather than completed as a formality.
Every alternative strategy tried must be documented in the BSP, with a note on whether it was effective. This is a regulatory requirement under the Quality of Care Principles and is one of the key things the ACQSC looks for during assessment visits.
Kitchen staff, laundry, maintenance, and lifestyle staff all have contact with residents. A well-run facility ensures everyone who regularly interacts with a resident knows the key points of their BSP, even if they have not read the full document.
Genuine family involvement, particularly in understanding a resident’s life history and triggers, often surfaces practical insights that a clinical team would not identify independently. Under the Statement of Rights, residents and their families have the right to participate in care decisions. BSP development is a genuine opportunity to honour that right.
The Five Types of Restrictive Practices in Australian Aged Care
Understanding restrictive practices is essential for anyone reading a BSP, whether as a family member or a staff member. A restrictive practice is any practice that restricts the rights or freedom of movement of a resident. Under current Australian law, they may only be used as a last resort, in the least restrictive form, and for the shortest possible time.
| Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical restraint | Medication used primarily to influence behaviour, not treat a diagnosed condition | Sedatives given to reduce agitation rather than treat a condition |
| Physical restraint | Using physical force to prevent or restrict movement | Physically blocking access or restraining a person to administer medication |
| Mechanical restraint | Using a device to restrict movement for behavioural purposes | Belts, harnesses, or lap trays used to prevent a resident from rising |
| Environmental restraint | Restricting free access to parts of the environment | Locked rooms, restricted access to communal areas, locked drawers |
| Seclusion | Solitary confinement where voluntary exit is prevented | Confining a resident alone in a room they cannot leave |
It is worth noting what does not constitute a restrictive practice. Wheelchairs used to increase mobility are not mechanical restraints. Medication prescribed to treat a diagnosed mental or physical condition is not chemical restraint. Hands-on guidance used reflexively to redirect someone away from immediate harm, done as an act of care rather than control, is not physical restraint. These distinctions matter because misclassifying routine care creates unnecessary compliance burden, while failing to recognise a genuine restrictive practice creates serious legal and ethical risk.
Consent for Restrictive Practices: What Families Need to Know
Informed consent is a non-negotiable prerequisite for any planned use of a restrictive practice. Consent must be obtained before the practice is used, not after. In a genuine emergency, where immediate use is required to prevent serious harm, consent is not required at that moment, but the resident’s substitute decision-maker must be informed as soon as practicable afterwards.
Where a resident can provide their own informed consent, they must do so. Where a resident lacks the capacity to consent, the provider must identify and work with a Restrictive Practices Substitute Decision-Maker (RPSDM), a person or body authorised under state or territory law to consent to restrictive practices on the resident’s behalf. The rules for who can act as an RPSDM vary by state and territory. A consent hierarchy applies where no appointed decision-maker exists, and this hierarchy is currently in effect until 1 December 2026.
If you are a family member asked to consent to a restrictive practice
The provider must clearly explain what practice is being proposed, why it is necessary, what alternatives have already been tried, and what the expected benefits and risks are. You have the right to ask questions, request time to consider, and seek independent advice. You also have the right to withdraw consent if you believe the practice is no longer appropriate. Your right to raise concerns is protected under the Statement of Rights and cannot result in any reduction of care to your loved one.
BSP and Dementia: Why It Matters Most in Dementia Care
The majority of BSPs in Australian residential aged care are developed for residents living with dementia. This is not because people with dementia are inherently more difficult to care for, but because dementia affects how a person communicates, processes their environment, and responds to stress.
As dementia progresses, verbal communication often becomes harder or impossible. Behaviour becomes the primary language. Restlessness, calling out, resisting personal care, trying to leave the building: these are not problems to suppress. They are communications about pain, fear, confusion, discomfort, or unmet needs. A well-developed BSP translates those communications into a care response.
Dementia Support Australia (DSA) provides free specialist support to aged care providers through its Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS). DSA’s evidence-based, person-centred approach consistently demonstrates that personalised, non-pharmacological strategies can significantly reduce behavioural distress, often before any consideration of chemical restraint is necessary. Providers can access DBMAS on 1800 699 799, free of charge.
What Families in Birkdale, Cleveland, Redland Bay and Victoria Point Should Know
For families in the Redlands area, including Birkdale, Cleveland, Redland Bay, Victoria Point, Capalaba, and surrounding South East Brisbane suburbs, navigating behaviour support in aged care can feel particularly daunting when it comes up unexpectedly. A change in your parent’s behaviour after moving into care, or the news that a behaviour support plan has been put in place, is often experienced as alarming, even when it reflects genuinely good, proactive practice.
Understanding what a BSP actually is, what it means for how your loved one is cared for, and what your rights as a family member are, makes these conversations far less stressful. A well-run aged care provider will talk you through the plan, explain each strategy in plain language, and genuinely welcome your input about your loved one’s history and preferences. This is not a formality. The insights families hold about a person’s life, their daily routines, their fears, their comfort objects, are often the most clinically useful information a care team can have.
At Wellington Park in Wellington Point, which serves families across the South East Brisbane and Redlands corridor, behaviour support is approached as an integral part of person-centred care, not a clinical process to be managed at arm’s length from the family. Families are invited into the conversation from the beginning, and their knowledge of the person is treated as essential, not incidental.
How a BSP Connects to the Aged Care Quality Standards
A behaviour support plan is not a standalone compliance document. It connects directly to multiple Aged Care Quality Standards, and understanding these connections helps families ask better questions when reviewing how their loved one is being cared for.
| Quality Standard | How It Connects to the BSP |
|---|---|
| Standard 1: The Individual | The BSP must respect the resident’s rights, autonomy, and dignity of risk. Restrictive practices must always be the least restrictive option possible. |
| Standard 3: The Care and Services | The BSP is part of the resident’s overall care plan, which must be individualised and reviewed regularly in partnership with the resident and their family. |
| Standard 5: Clinical Care | Medication management, pain assessment, and clinical monitoring all feed into the BSP where chemical or clinical factors are involved in the changed behaviour. |
| Standard 2: The Organisation | Governance obligations require the provider to have systems and training that ensure BSPs are developed, implemented, and reviewed effectively across the whole workforce. |
Frequently Asked Questions: Behaviour Support Plan in Aged Care
What is a behaviour support plan in aged care?
A behaviour support plan (BSP) is a legally required, individualised document that forms part of a resident’s care and services plan. It explains why changed behaviour is occurring, what strategies staff will use to support the resident, and, where applicable, how any restrictive practices will be used with consent. It is built around understanding the person behind the behaviour, not managing symptoms in isolation.
What does BSP stand for in aged care?
BSP stands for Behaviour Support Plan. In a medical or aged care context, you may also see it referred to as a behavioural support plan or a behaviour care plan. All refer to the same type of document. The term used in Australian aged care legislation and ACQSC guidance is “behaviour support plan.”
Who can implement a support plan in aged care?
A BSP is developed by a multidisciplinary team including the Registered Nurse or Care Coordinator, a behaviour support specialist or psychologist, the GP, and the resident and their family. Day-to-day implementation is the responsibility of all care staff who work with the resident. Monitoring and reviews are led by the clinical team, with family and health practitioner involvement.
Is a behaviour support plan legally required in aged care?
Yes. Since 1 September 2021, residential aged care providers have been legally required to have a BSP in place for any resident who exhibits changed behaviour or may require restrictive practices. This requirement continues under the Aged Care Act 2024 and is enforced by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
What is a comprehensive behaviour support plan?
A comprehensive behaviour support plan goes beyond a basic description of the behaviour and strategies. It includes a detailed functional behaviour assessment, documentation of all alternatives trialled before any restrictive practice, a full review schedule, evidence of family and resident involvement, and, where restrictive practices are used, documented consent and monitoring. It is a living document, not a static form completed once.
As a family member, can I ask to see my loved one’s BSP?
Yes. Under the Statement of Rights, residents and their family members have the right to be informed about and involved in care decisions. You can request to see the BSP, ask to be included in reviews, and raise any concern about the strategies it contains or the way it is being implemented. Your involvement cannot result in any adverse change to your loved one’s care.
Behaviour Support in Practice at Superior Care Group
At Superior Care Group, we approach behaviour support as an expression of genuinely knowing each resident as a whole person. Our two Queensland residences, Wellington Park in Wellington Point, South East Brisbane, and Merrimac Park on the Gold Coast, have been providing residential aged care since 1979, and our approach has always started from the same place: curiosity about the person, not frustration at the behaviour.
Every resident in our care who requires a behaviour support plan receives one that is genuinely tailored to who they are. We work closely with families, particularly those with loved ones living with dementia, to understand the history and preferences that inform meaningful support strategies. We use specialist support from Dementia Support Australia when complex behaviour requires external clinical expertise. And we treat restrictive practices as genuinely the last resort the legislation describes, not a default response to challenging situations.
If you have questions about behaviour support planning, how we approach dementia-related behaviour, or what care looks like at Wellington Park or Merrimac Park, we welcome the conversation.
Questions About Behaviour Support or Dementia Care?
We’re happy to talk through what this looks like in practice, no obligation.
Wellington Park | Wellington Point, Brisbane South East | (07) 3822 1876
Merrimac Park | Merrimac, Gold Coast | (07) 5618 1111
