IABA International Constructional Case Studies Conference 2026
Join us this November for the 2026 International Constructional Case Studies Conference and a series of complementary learning and networking experiences, bringing together practitioners, researchers, educators, caregivers, advocates, and community leaders from around the world.
At the heart of this international gathering is our two-day conference in Melbourne, Australia, November 14–15, in partnership with The Centre for Positive Behaviour Support (CPBS), featuring leading voices in behavioral science, real-world case studies, innovative approaches, and meaningful conversations about advancing compassionate, person-centered, and evidence-informed support.
But the opportunities extend beyond the main conference! Whether attending in Melbourne or participating virtually, you can create a learning experience that aligns with your interests and goals through:
Pre-conference learning opportunities, including a free virtual session exploring humanistic approaches to behavioral science and an in-person and virtual MEBS Micro-Credential workshop.
The International Constructional Case Studies Conference, featuring expert presentations, practical insights, and opportunities for international collaboration.
Post-conference virtual programming, including our annual Caregivers in Conversation conference, bringing important perspectives and experiences into the global discussion.
With in-person, virtual, and hybrid participation options, flexible registration opportunities, a special conference and MEBS Micro-Credential bundle, and donation-based programming designed to broaden access, there are many ways to be part of this year's experience.
Explore the full lineup of events below and build your own conference experience.
The full conference schedule and speaker list is available below, however, we’re excited to highlight the following presenters and topics:
DR. T.V. (JOE) LAYNG at the core Int’l Conference: “Thinking Beyond ABCs: The Power of Non-Linear Contingency Analysis” | Sat 14 Nov - 9am AEST
DR. ERIN LEIF at the core Int’l Conference: “Beyond Technical Skill: Clarifying the Relational Dimensions of Positive Behaviour Support”
TEMPLE GRANDIN at the Annual Caregiver in Conversation Conference: “Different Minds, Different Needs - Caregiving Lessons” | Mon 16 Nov - 1pm AEST
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Build Your Custom Conference Learning Experience With Pre and Post Conference Events - In Partnership with The Centre for Positive Behaviour Support (CPBS)
2026 IABA International Constructional Case Studies Conference Core Information
13 November: International Welcome Reception for Constructional Case Studies Conference
In-Person Event| 13 November @ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Melbourne Time) | Included complimentary with core conference registration and hosted by The Centre for Positive Behaviour Support (CPBS).
Arcadia Hotel & Lounge Bar
2 Toorak Rd
South Yarra VIC 3141
Enjoy complimentary canapes and a welcome drink, and connect with attendees from around the globe as we officially launch the 2026 conference experience with an evening of networking, conversation, and community building.
14-15 November: 2026 IABA International Constructional Case Studies Conference
In-Person Event | 14-15 November | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Daily
Mind Medicine Australia
Level 4 | 479 St Kilda Road
Melbourne VIC 3004
Join an international community of practitioners, researchers, educators, leaders, caregivers, and advocates for two days of learning focused on constructional approaches, human rights, quality of life, systems change, and real-world implementation.
Through presentations, panel discussions, case studies, and collaborative conversations, attendees will explore innovative practices and practical strategies being implemented around the world.
Attend Live in Melbourne or Virtually
Registration: $299 USD
IN PARTNERSHIP: The Centre for Positive Behaviour Support (CPBS)
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Conference Venue
Mind Medicine Australia (MMA)
MMA is a charity registered with the Australian Charities and NFPs Commission
479 St Kilda Road
Level 4
Melbourne VIC
DAY 1 & 2 CONFERENCE AGENDA
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8:30 AM | Welcome and Welcome to Country (Not Recorded) | Lori Ann Dotson & Becca Beights; Elder, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation
9:00 AM | Thinking Beyond ABCs: The Power of Nonlinear Contingency Analysis (Remote Live) | Joe Layng
10:00 AM | Darling Point Special School Case Presentations
The Long and Shorts of It: Building Communication, Dignity and Choice Through MEBS | Christina Ramella & Erin Morrison
Progress Is Not Linear: Building Bridges from Isolation to Inclusion Through MEBS | Eloise du Plessis & Chloe Dickson-Hauser
Beyond the School Fence: Building Independence and Meaningful Participation Through MEBS | Breanna Stenning, presenting with and on behalf of Natasha Gumley
10:50 AM | Break
11:00 AM | Supervision in a Cross-Cultural Context: Providing Services and Supervision in Alice Springs, NT | Nicole McKillop, Matthew Spicer & Becca Beights
11:30 AM | More Laughs, More Time: Measuring What Matters in MEBS | Sandra Cosme
12:00 PM | Catered Lunch
12:15 PM | Recognising Multi-Element Behaviour Support (MEBS) Excellence in Practice (Remote Live) | Hazel O’Boyle & Caroline Dench
12:45 PM | Centre for Positive Behaviour Support (CPBS) COE Acknowledgement & Darling Point COE Acknowledgement | Lori Ann Dotson
1:00 PM | Constructing Socially Valid Practice | John Wooderson & Oliver Roschke
2:15 PM | Degrees of Social Validity: Exploring Social Validity in a Constructional World | Russ Fox & Meaghan Devlin
3:05 PM | Break
3:15 PM | MEBS as a Trauma-Informed Approach for Recovery and Restoring a ‘Good Life’: A Case Example | Matthew Spicer, Liz Madsen & Gillian Martin
4:05 PM | Rooted in Resilience: Growing Child and Parent Confidence and Independence Through Forest School | Nadia Kilgore
4:55 PM | Day One Close | Lori Ann Dotson & Becca Beights
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8:30 AM | Day 1 Recap and Day 2 Welcome | Lori Ann Dotson & Becca Beights
8:40 AM | How Change Happens: The People and Possibilities Behind Effective Support | Laura Takagi
9:30 AM | From Framework to Classroom Practice: Embedding MEBS Through a School-Based Handbook | Roxanne Rogerson, Darling Point Special School
10:00 AM | Are We Offering Genuine Choice—or Just Options? Exploring Goldiamond’s Conceptualization of Genuine Choice (Remote Live) | Anna Linnehan
10:50 AM | Break
11:00 AM | Planning With, Not For: A Scoping Review of Person-Centred Planning and Meaningful Participation in Behaviour Support (Remote Live) | Paige Humm
11:50 AM | Lunch – Delegates on Own
1:00 PM | Case Study Publishing | Jo-Anne Kelder, OAPA
1:30 PM | Case Studies as Evidence | Nicola Crates
2:00 PM | Positive Behaviour Support through a Depth Psychology Lens | Will Mithen
2:30 PM | Break
2:40 PM | Culture, Connection and Care: Behaviour Support with First Nations People | Matthew Spicer, Preeti Vogel & Geoff Potter
3:10 PM | Beyond Technical Skill: Clarifying the Relational Dimensions of Positive Behaviour Support | Erin Leif
4:00 PM | Starting Off on the Right Foot: Two Clinical Psychologists’ Experiences of Using Goldiamond’s Guiding Questions to Begin the MEBS Process (Remote Live) | Eila Nilsson-Karlberg & Caroline Dench
4:30 PM | Conference Closure | Lori Ann Dotson & Becca Beights
Pre-Conference Learning Experiences:
9-10 November: MEBS Masterclass: Comprehensive, Constructional & Compassionate Practice
In-Person Kick-Off | 9-10 November @ 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Melbourne Time) | Continued learning through live virtual sessions
Darling Point Special School, Manly, QLD
Facilitated by Dr. Lori Ann Dotson and other senior IREF faculty
Building on more than four decades of IABA's work and the legacy of its renowned Summer Institute, this intensive Masterclass brings together a small cohort of practitioners for a highly interactive learning experience. Participants will engage in advanced instruction, field-based assessment, case analysis, comprehensive support-plan development, peer consultation, and direct instructor feedback.
Key learning areas include:
Sophisticated, person-centered functional assessment
Comprehensive Multi-Element Support Plan development
Integration of ecological, skill-teaching, preventative, and situational management strategies
Implementation quality and consistency through the Periodic Service Review (PSR)
Registration: $4,995 USD
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12 November: Behavior and Being - A Humanistic Approach to Behavioral Science
Virtual Event | 12 November @ 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Melbourne Time)
This event explores the humanistic foundations of Multi-Element Behaviour Support (MEBS) and other constructional approaches.
Drawing on Carl Rogers' concept of unconditional positive regard, Wolf Wolfensberger's Social Role Valorization (SRV), and contemporary human rights principles, participants will examine how values shape the way we understand, support, and partner with others.
By immersing ourselves in the philosophical roots of constructional practice, this conversation highlights how behavioural science is most effective when grounded in dignity, respect, belonging, and a commitment to helping people create lives of meaning, contribution, and opportunity.
Suggested Donation: $50 USD | No participant will be excluded based on ability to contribute.
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13 November: Live MEBS Micro-Credential
In-Person Event | 13 November @ 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (Melbourne Time)
Mind Medicine Australia, Level 4, 479 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004
Facilitated by Dr. Lori Ann Dotson and Dr. Becca Beights
The Multi-Element Behaviour Support (MEBS) Micro-Credential provides participants with a practical introduction to the MEBS framework through engaging discussion, collaborative learning, and real-world application.
Grounded in more than 40 years of learning and practice, MEBS introduces participants to a compassionate, constructional framework that helps create meaningful outcomes for individuals, teams, and organizations.
Participants will gain practical tools that support quality of life, human rights, skill development, and sustainable systems of support across a wide variety of settings.
Registration: $199 USD or $399 when packaged with the International Conference
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8:00–8:15 AM | Welcome and Opening Remarks
Lori Ann Dotson & Becca Beights8:15–9:00 AM | Starting with the Story: Multi-Element Behaviour Support as a Framework for Valued Direction and Rights-Based Practice
Caroline DenchExploring how MEBS translates human rights principles into everyday practice by beginning with the individual's lived experience, preferences, and aspirations to identify and support their valued direction.
9:00–10:30 AM | Humanism for Complex Times: Lessons from Carl Rogers, Virginia Satir, and the Wisdom of Children
Barbara and Heather WilliamsAn interactive exploration of humanistic principles through the teachings of Carl Rogers and Virginia Satir, Kids' Workshops, and the transformative potential of authentic relationships and human connection.
10:30–11:00 AM | Socially Valid Practice: Two Case Examples
Preeti VogelTwo case examples illustrating how socially valid behavioral support practices can reflect individual priorities, meaningful outcomes, and quality of life.
11:00–11:45 AM | From Humanistic Principles to Practice: Defining Our Shared Commitments
Community Conversations: Developing a Humanistic Position Statement for MEBS
Facilitated by Lori Ann DotsonAn interactive discussion exploring six foundational tenets of humanism and their implications for behavioral support. Participants will identify shared principles and practical commitments to inform a humanistic position statement for MEBS.
11:45 AM | Closing Remarks
Post Conference Learning Experiences:
16 November: Brazelton Touchpoints: The How of Child and Family Engagement
In-Person Kick-Off | 16 November @ 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM (Melbourne Time) | Continued learning through live virtual sessions
464 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Facilitated by Dr. Lori Ann Dotson
As one of only 55 accredited Touchpoints training sites worldwide, the IABA Foundation is proud to offer this internationally recognized, evidence-based approach to supporting children and families from before birth through age five. The Brazelton Touchpoints Approach equips professionals with practical, preventive, and strength-based strategies for building meaningful partnerships with parents and caregivers.
Participants will explore how to:
Build trusting, strength-based partnerships with families
Better understand child development and challenging behaviors
Recognize developmental stress as an opportunity for connection and support
Integrate trauma-informed, relationship-based approaches into everyday practice
Strengthen communication, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving
Registration: $795 USD
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16-17 November: 2nd Annual Caregivers in Conversation Conference (24-Hour Event)
Virtual Event | 16-17 November @ 12:00 PM – 12:00 PM (Melbourne Time)
Caregiving is an around-the-clock endeavor. So is this unique event.
Our Second Annual Caregivers in Conversation brings together 24-hours of continuous live and recorded conversations that reflect the 24/7 reality of caregiving. Connect with caregivers, advocates, experts, and community leaders from around the world for meaningful discussions, practical resources, and shared experiences.
Learn how MEBS and other constructional approaches are supporting caregivers through education, advocacy, and community connection, ensuring caregivers have access to the tools, resources, and support they need to thrive.
We're honored to welcome Temple Grandin, renowned author, speaker, and autism advocate, who will share her reflections on the caregiving and support she has received.
Whether you're supporting a family member or working in the caregiving field, this virtual event offers inspiration, education, and connection from wherever you are. Come be part of the conversation!
Suggested Donation: $50 USD | No participant will be excluded based on ability to contribute.
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