Behaviour Support Plans Evolve Just Like People Do

I once came across a Behaviour Support Plan that had been written two years earlier. At first glance, it seemed fine. The strategies were clear, the language was professional, and the staff could recite it almost word-for-word.

But there was a problem. The person being supported had changed. They weren’t the same person they were two years ago. They had grown, gained new skills, and developed new interests. The challenges they faced were different, but the plan hadn’t moved with them. It was like trying to fit an adult into a child’s shoes, technically possible, but uncomfortable, limiting, and no longer fit for purpose.

When we finally gathered the team to review it together, it became obvious just how out of date the plan had become. Half of the old strategies were no longer relevant. They belonged to an earlier chapter of this person’s life, a chapter that had already been closed. In their place, the team added new skill-building goals that reflected who the participant was becoming: learning independence in daily routines, finding their voice in social settings, building confidence in community spaces.

At the end of the meeting, the participant looked over the new version of their plan and said with a big smile,

“This actually feels like me now.”

That moment mattered more than any compliance requirement or audit checklist.

Because a Behaviour Support Plan is not just a document. It is supposed to be a living, breathing reflection of the person at its centre.

And if a BSP isn’t evolving, it’s failing.