Australian researchers have developed a new educational program, supported by artificial intelligence (AI), to address the use of restraints and seclusion on individuals with disability. The Promoting Positive Behaviour Support Practice program aims to provide practitioners with tools to create safer and more constructive plans for managing challenging behavior.
"Challenging behavior" encompasses acts such as aggression, self-injury, and destructive behavior that may pose risks to individuals with disability or others around them. Professor Keith McVilly from the University of Melbourne highlights that such behavior often stems from unmet needs or communication difficulties.
The disability royal commission has highlighted instances of people subjected to restrictive practices, with over 1.4 million instances of unauthorised restrictive practices reported in the 2021-22 period. Concerns have been raised about the quality of behavior support plans, with the majority identified as weak or underdeveloped.
The new program allows behavior support practitioners to upload draft plans, which are then analyzed by AI for areas of improvement. By utilizing natural language processing and machine learning models, the program provides feedback and directs practitioners to educational resources to enhance their plans.
The program is a collaborative effort involving the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, and Flinders University, funded by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. It was developed in response to the increased use of restrictive practices in disability support.
Catherine McAlpine, CEO of Inclusion Australia, emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying factors driving behavior. She notes that behavior support plans should focus on addressing these drivers rather than simply controlling behavior.
While the program is a positive step towards improving behavior support plans, questions remain about its effectiveness and oversight. McAlpine raises concerns about the role of the NDIS commission in ensuring material improvements for individuals with disability and monitoring the reduction of restrictive practices.
In response, a spokesperson for the NDIS commission affirms their commitment to improving the quality of behavior support. They highlight the use of regulatory powers to promote the reduction of restrictive practices and hold providers accountable for breaches.
The introduction of the Promoting Positive Behaviour Support Practice program marks a significant effort to address the challenges surrounding behavior management in disability support. By leveraging AI and educational resources, the program aims to enhance the quality of behavior support plans and ultimately reduce the use of restraints and seclusion, promoting safer and more respectful care for individuals with disability.
