Our aim is to transform lives through Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) by fostering inclusive, equitable environments across schools, families, and communities. We collaborate with diverse stakeholders to challenge systems and practices, promote evidence-based approaches, elevate marginalised voices, and enhance behavioural, social, and emotional outcomes for individuals across their lifespan.
We seek to understand the factors that place people at risk of poorer wellbeing, engagement, educational, employment and life outcomes, and the conditions that can help them thrive. Our interdisciplinary research examines how mental health, gender, socioeconomic inequality, school engagement and attendance, digital cultures, and family and community contexts shape people’s experiences and opportunities. Working with people, families, schools, communities, employers, allied health practitioners, and other partners, we aim to generate research that responds to contemporary challenges facing children, adolescents, and adults. By connecting research with practice, we seek to strengthen prevention and early intervention, inform policy and practice, and support more equitable outcomes for people whose behaviour is considered challenging.
Staff
Associate Professor Shiralee Poed
HDR students
Brooke Avery-Overduin
Amy-Lee Hall
Collaborators
Adjunct Professor Dr Jeffrey Chan from the School of Education
Adjunct Research Fellow Trent Carberry
Positive Behaviour Support Plan Quality
A common question posed to researchers and practitioners in the field of positive behaviour support centres around positive behaviour support plan quality – how do we know if a plan is ‘good’ and if implemented, will likely result in positive outcomes for the person who is the focus of the plan? This webpage showcases the work of researchers from the School of Education at The University of Queensland who have dedicated considerable time and effort to answer this question.
Find out more
Keeping prep-aged students engaged at school: Creating a preventative pathway for eliminating school disciplinary absences and restrictive practices (2024-2026)
Sometimes I'm too safe. Exploring the dignity of risk with adults with intellectual disability. (2025-2026)
Contact us
Get in touch to learn more about our research.
Associate Professor Shiralee Poed