Allied Health Counselling, Psychology, Social Work and Creative Therapy Professionals

How to become a Behaviour Support Practitioner

Also called: Behaviour Analyst, Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner

Works with carers and support workers to assess the need for, and develop, comprehensive behaviour support plans for people with behaviours of concern.

Main tasks

Undertakes functional behavioural assessments to identify contributing factors and consequences of challenging behaviours
Engages clients, their families, support teams and other allied health professionals to develop behaviour support plans
Recommends strategies or areas for skills development to provide opportunities for participation and inclusion
Develops behaviour support plans that contain preventative approaches, strategies for promoting success and methods for intervening
Provides guidance, training and coaching to clients' families and other members of the clients' support teams to implement behaviour support strategies
Monitors the implementation of behaviour support plans, and gathers data to review and reassess plans for clients or their support teams
Participates in peer support and clinical supervision activities with other practitioners to address challenges

Ways in

University: Psychology degrees, Offered by 39 universities in Australia
University: Health & Public Health degrees, Offered by 39 universities in Australia
TAFE and VET: Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315); Diploma of Mental Health (CHC53315); Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs (CHC53215)
Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Typical full-time pay: $114,608 a year
About 51,200 people work in this job group now, and about 66,900 are projected by 2035. (+30.6%)
AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Behaviour Support Practitioner?

Ways in include: Psychology degrees; Health & Public Health degrees; Certificate IV in Mental Health; Diploma of Mental Health.

How much does a Behaviour Support Practitioner earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $114,608 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Behaviour Support Practitioner a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 31% by 2035, from about 51,200 to about 66,900 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Behaviour Support Practitioner?

Usually. 87% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Behaviour Support Practitioner?

AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Sources

Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04