Intense, frequent or persistent behaviour that threaten the quality of life and/or physical safety of the individual or others and is likely to lead to restrictive or exclusionary responses. Positive behaviour support is an approach that seeks to understand the relationships between the person’s behaviour and his/her ecology from a biological, psychological and social perspective.

Relates to the interplay between an individual and their physical environment that creates disadvantage. Geography can create access barriers, such as in rural and remote locations, and social barriers, such as lack of opportunity or social capital. Physical location includes poor living conditions, such as overcrowding or squalor, and placements at risk of breakdown.

A fundamental human right involving the act of choosing between two or more courses of action. Some people, including those with intellectual disability, require additional assistance (e.g., communication aids, different formats, longer timeframes, reminders of previous decisions, greater explanation of implications) to make and express choices

Includes profound, severe or long term physical or medical impairment or sensory disability that requires continuous support, high cost equipment and access to various mainstream services. The complexity of need may relate more to the complexity of services and systems than the complexity of an individual’s disability

Refers to the social, cultural and economic factors that impact on family relationships. For example, on the coping or stress levels of carers.

refers to hardship or inequality in a person’s standard of living, well-being, capabilities or other life opportunities. Socio-economic disadvantage is considered to be broader than poverty, as it reflects multiple types of social inequality. 

Mental illness  is a general term for a group of illnesses affecting thinking, emotions and/or behaviour. A mental illness can be mild or severe, temporary or prolonged

communication involves the exchange of information between two or more people. People with complex communication needs may have communication problems associated with a wide range of physical, sensory, cognitive and environmental causes which restrict or limit the person’s ability to participate independently in society. People with complex communication may need significant support from their communication partners for their messages to be understood.