Symposium on Severe Behaviours of Concern

Irabina Autism Services is a not-for-profit organisation committed to changing outcomes for children and young people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Established in 1970, Irabina provides a comprehensive range of services delivered by a multi-disciplinary team to support children, young people, families and their communities. Our personalised and inclusive approach to service delivery and support ensures that every child fulfils their right to live a full and independent life.

Irabina Autism Services

A single day symposium with specialists in behaviour analysis, paediatric psychiatry, neurodevelopmental disorders and education.

RMH Function and Convention Centre

Symposium on Severe Behaviours of ConcernA single day symposium with specialists in behaviour analysis, paediatric psychiatry, neurodevelopmental disorders and education. Keynote speakers, foremost specialists in their field, will deliver presentations across the day. It will provide unprecedented access to some of our country’s leading thinkers and will cater for teachers, allied health workers and doctors.AGENDA9.00am – 10.30am - Dr Jose Molina Severe behaviours such as aggression, self-injury, property destruction, pica, and elopement are common among young people with autism and other neuro-developmental disorders. These severe behaviours present a significant risk to individuals and their caregivers, particularly during behavioural crises. Behavioural crises occur when caregivers and services are no longer able to cope with an individual’s behavioural presentation due to an escalation of their behaviours of concern, changes in the capacity of caregivers and services to manage the existing behaviours, or a combination of both. This presentation will explore the nature of behavioural crises, examine the most common evidence-based crisis intervention strategies, and discuss the best-practice treatment models available. 10.30am – 10.45am Morning Tea10.45am – 12.15am - Dr Erin LeifThe number of children diagnosed with severe behaviour disorders is rapidly rising, and many parents, teachers, and professionals report they struggle to adequately respond. Research consistently shows the most effective behaviour support strategies are those that are informed by a functional behaviour assessment, and emphasise the teaching of new skills. Dr Erin Leif is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education. She specialises in the design and delivery of early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) and in functional assessment and treatment of severe behaviours of concern (such as aggression and self-injury). Dr Leif will describe a strengths-based, skill-based approach for supporting children who display severe behaviours of concern.
12.15pm – 1.00pm Lunch 1.00pm – 2.30pm - Safety and Behaviour Response (SABR) DemonstrationThis interactive session displays the use of behaviour intervention strategies. Learn how to prevent, manage, and de-escalate crisis situations associated with severe challenging behaviours.
During the demonstration, users are taught how to recognise and reduce the likelihood of crisis situations, implement appropriate de-escalation strategies, and take appropriate actions following crisis situations to minimise the probability of future crises.
 2.30pm – 4.00pm - Dr Chidambaram PrakashAutism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses have been increasing annually. As diagnoses rise and the prevalence of severe behaviours increase, there is a fundamental need for effective therapeutic and pharmacologic methods to prevent and treat aggression and to improve outcomes in this disorder. Dr Chidambaram Prakash is a pre-eminent thinker and practitioner in paediatric psychiatry and will describe the role of nuanced medication use in managing agitation and aggression.
 4.00pm – 4.15pm Afternoon Tea4.15pm – 5.00pm - Dr Jose Molina, Dr Erin Leif and Dr Chidambaram PrakashThe day will conclude with the 3 pre-eminent specialists in their field for a panel discussion and question and answer session providing rare access to leading experts on severe behaviours in Australia.

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