To ask the Minister of Education to detail any training available to teachers in mainstream schools on managing challenging behaviour.

A range of whole school capacity building training is available to mainstream schools from both the Education Authority (EA) Primary and Post Primary Behaviour Support and Provisions services. This service encourages schools to establish early intervention, preventative, trauma informed and nurturing approaches to support behaviours that challenge and promote a culture of positive emotional health and wellbeing (EHWB). The core focus of this training is:

understanding that behaviour is a form of communication

to move away from controlling or managing behaviour to nurturing and support EHWB

the importance of relationships

creating a network around a school and the child

child centred: voice of the child is captured in support plans developed

a trauma Informed/ trauma sensitive approach is encouraged

understanding of neurological development

Training is available on the following areas:

A Positive Approach to Risk Reduction: regional approach to Risk Assessment and development of a Risk Reduction Action Plan

De-escalation and Diffusion training

Understanding and Managing Children that Present with Social Behaviour Emotional and Wellbeing (SBEW) needs

Whole School Positive Behaviour Frameworks that address effective staff structure, professional development, space, ethos and resources with emphasis on preventative and solution focused approaches and nurture principles

Development of a Positive Behaviour Policy relating to behaviour

Record keeping and legislation

Nurture training

Bespoke staff training e.g. classroom assistant

Supporting a Pupil with a Statement for SBEW Needs

Trauma Informed Practice training for schools

Better Together Programme: the development of regional model of support, specifically focused on support for Special Schools.

EA has developed a bespoke training programme for accredited safe handling training for staff working within Specialist Provisions in Mainstream Schools, “Connecting and Caring Across the Whole School Community” which provides a whole school framework to prevent, relate, support and respond to behaviours that require intervention. This programme was delivered as a pilot to over 60 Specialist Provisions in Mainstream Schools Term 3 of 2023/ 2024, with the revised programme delivered to a number of specialist provisions in February 2025. This training will be available to all settings from September 2025.

Other available support to schools includes:

Regional Primary Behaviour Support and Provisions Telephone Helpline

Provision of guidance materials and resources including signposting to specialist programmes

School visits by Education Authority (EA) staff to provide support with implementing:

Best practice in relation to risk reduction including escalation and diffusion and use of reasonable force and safe handling

Legislation and guidance in relation to bullying in schools

Violence at Work and Procedures – An EA draft Policy in development which includes guidance for school staff

Targeted support for pupils with a statement of special education needs for SBEW

Intensive pupil intervention support, which may include an EOTAS placement

Group Based Intervention to address specific areas of need

Revised chapter of SEN Resource File on SBEW key areas of focus: nurture/ trauma informed practice

Development of the Nurture in Education programme for all sectors

Fortnightly High Five newsletter for Primary schools: incorporates the Take 5 EHWB programme

Schools can refer directly to both Primary and Post Primary Behaviour Support to request staff professional development, pupil intervention and placement requests within EOTAS. Details are available on C2k Exchange and the EA web page.

The EA Behaviour Plan of Arrangements outlines all available support and resources to schools including Telephone Advice Helpline, teacher professional learning opportunities, risk management processes, relevant reporting and recording arrangements.