PBS New Practitioner Group: Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behaviours - Presented by Will Baker

This session explores one of the most important concepts in positive behaviour support — teaching the person a functionally equivalent replacement behaviour (FERB) as an alternative to the behaviour of concern. Participants will learn how to identify replacement behaviours that serve the same function as the existing behaviour, making them genuinely useful and meaningful to the person. The session covers how to select replacement behaviours that are easier, more efficient, and more effective for the person to use than the behaviour of concern, and how to embed teaching opportunities into everyday routines and natural environments. Practitioners will also explore how to support the people around the person — including carers, support workers, and family members — to consistently recognise and reinforce the replacement behaviour, giving it the best possible chance of becoming established over time.