Behaviour Support Practitioner
Serving Ashburton & City of Boroondara

NDIS Behaviour Support in Ashburton

Some of the work I do starts because a teacher, principal or support coordinator has flagged a pattern. School’s getting harder, incidents are piling up, and nobody’s quite sure why yet. I try to work out what’s underneath it, sensory load, communication gaps, something unmet that the behaviour is standing in for, rather than treating the behaviour itself as the whole problem.

What Behaviour Support Looks Like in Ashburton

From there I build a plan that travels between home, school and anywhere else the child spends time, and I stay involved after I write it. If restrictive practices are already being used, I can usually prioritise an Interim BSP within two weeks rather than waiting the full four to six.

For a family in Ashburton, this might mean:

• A Functional Behaviour Assessment for a child in Ashburton whose meltdowns are escalating before school or bedtime
• A Behaviour Support Plan for a teenager with autism, ADHD, anxiety, or sensory overload
• Parent and carer coaching so responses are calm, consistent, and realistic under pressure
• Support worker guidance so strategies are used the same way across home and community settings in City of Boroondara
• An Interim Behaviour Support Plan where urgent safety strategies are needed before a full assessment is complete

I work directly with schools where that helps, sitting in on meetings, contributing to a plan the school’s already got, or starting one from nothing. The same approach carries through regardless of the participant’s age, five or fifteen or forty five, the method doesn’t really change.

Getting Started

A few people have asked what actually happens once they get in touch, so here’s the short version. First there’s a free 20-minute call, no referral needed, just a conversation about your situation. If it makes sense to go ahead, we sign a service agreement and book the initial assessment in, usually at home or at school with consent.

A full Behaviour Support Plan generally takes four to six weeks from there. If it’s urgent, especially where restrictive practices are already involved, I can usually get an Interim BSP done in about two weeks so you’re not left without any plan in the meantime. I try to keep the wait as short as possible for Ashburton families, same as anywhere else I work.

NDIS Funding & Early Childhood Support in Ashburton

City of Boroondara falls within the NDIS Inner Eastern Melbourne region. Behaviour Support is commonly funded under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living. Local Area Coordination for Ashburton is provided by your allocated Local Area Coordinator. We support plan-managed and self-managed participants:

• Plan Managed — your plan manager handles all invoicing; no out-of-pocket payments
• Self Managed — we invoice you directly; you claim reimbursement from the NDIS myplace portal
• Early Childhood (under 7) — no formal diagnosis required; families in Ashburton can also access Boroondara City Council's free Maternal and Child Health service for developmental checks alongside NDIS Early Childhood supports

Not sure what’s in your NDIS plan, or who your allocated Local Area Coordinator is for your area? Book a free consultation — we’ll explain your options in plain language.

Who We Work With in Ashburton

Brave Mental Health works with individuals across the lifespan in Ashburton and the surrounding City of Boroondara area. We support:

• Children under 7 accessing Early Childhood supports through Boroondara City Council's free Maternal and Child Health service and the NDIS, including children without a formal diagnosis
• School-aged children with autism, ADHD, developmental delay, anxiety, or communication differences
• Young people with trauma histories, emotional regulation challenges, or behaviour that affects school participation
• Adults living with family, independently, or in supported accommodation in Ashburton who need consistent support plans
• Parents, siblings, carers, and support workers who need coaching, not judgement
• Support coordinators seeking a responsive Behaviour Support Practitioner for a participant in Ashburton

School and Community Collaboration in Ashburton

If there’s a support coordinator or early childhood service already involved, we’re happy to loop them in so nothing runs as two disconnected processes.

Telehealth and In-Home Support

All sessions are available by secure telehealth, which is often easier for Ashburton families managing work, school pick-up, and support schedules. In-home and community-based sessions may also be available where clinically appropriate.

About Your Practitioner

Your Behaviour Support Practitioner is Himani Arora, founder of Brave Mental Health. Himani has 5+ years of experience supporting NDIS participants across Melbourne, including families in Ashburton and across City of Boroondara. She is trauma-informed, culturally affirming, and brings genuine expertise and warmth to every family she supports.

“I believe every person — regardless of their diagnosis, background, or the challenges they face — deserves support that truly sees them. Not just their behaviour, but their whole self.”

— Himani Arora, Behaviour Support Practitioner