Challenges to positive behavioural support practice in Australia: implications for building the next generation of positive behavioural support leaders: a discussion paper

Succession planning to develop leaders is central to an organisation or discipline's success and future. This discussion paper highlights the necessity for an intentional succession planning process to build the next generation of positive behavioural support (PBS) leaders to firmly secure the future of PBS as a discipline. Whilst drawing mainly on the Australian PBS context, there is scope to consider this topic more broadly with the intent of creating a global discussion on why and how PBS needs to build a nimble generation of PBS leaders who hold a strategic vision beyond clinical and research capability. In an environment of increasing regulatory compliance and engagement with the law, there must be a generation of PBS leaders who can influence and shape public policy and legislative discourse and embed human rights into PBS practice and research so that PBS remains contemporary, relevant and effective as a discipline.