TESSA Professional Learning is specifically designed for staff supporting children and young people who are struggling with moderate to severe behaviour challenges and who may be, or currently are, at risk to themselves or others. 

Our services include:

  • Protective Intervention Training. 1 day training

  • Managing Challenging Behaviour - 1 day training

  • Managing Challenging Behaviour - 3 day training

  • Conflict Management - 4 hour workshop

  • Professional Learning Coaching

Please see below for further information about these training options.

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Protective Intervention Training

1 day training

Training for school staff on dealing with high level ‘behaviours of concern’.  Focuses on skills and strategies to improve staff ability with de- escalation, situational management and safety in last resort scenarios ‘in the moment’.

Other content includes clarity on policy and relevance to staff practice, as well as exploration of common scenarios, staff questions and concerns.

The aim of this workshop is to have staff feeling more confident in this space and empowered with more of an idea of ‘what to do’.

Consists of 3x 90 minute modules.

Managing Challenging Behaviour

1 day program

This training focuses on helping staff improve their ability with pre-emptive behaviour management and understanding.

Content includes understanding challenging behaviour and its causes, function of behaviour, utilising targeted interventions, student incident management and working towards assisting students to better regulate their behaviour in school.

This training is an intended compliment to the Protective Intervention Training; it’s also suitable for school staff dealing with less severe behaviours on a daily basis.

Consists of 3x 90 minute modules.


Managing Challenging Behaviour

3 days program

  • Understanding and working with challenging behaviour

    • Causes of challenging behaviour, our approach & core principles of working with challenging behaviour.

  • Circle of security

    • Practical tool built around understanding and application of attachment theory.

  • Trauma brain development

    • Trauma understanding, approaches and strategies.

  • Behaviour goals and interventions

    • Understanding specific motivations for negative behaviour and how you can target these effectively in a solutions focused manner.

  • The escalation cycle

    • Understand phases and know the interventions.

  • Limit setting and emotion coaching

    • Tool for teaching emotional regulation and working towards behavioural change.

Conflict Management

4 hour workshop

The 4C Conflict Management Program has been customised specifically for school staff, particularly those in first point of contact roles who may be dealing with distressed or angry members of the wider school community.

The training is delivered in a tailored, interactive workshop enabling participants to learn critical conflict management skills, including:

  • de-escalating strong emotions, particularly anger,

  • appropriately balancing a task and relationship focus, and

  • using a modified win-win negotiating structure.


Professional Learning Coaching

Tailored coaching sessions to meet the needs of school staff dealing with challenging behaviours and behaviours of concern.

Designed to work over a number of sessions, PL coaching sessions have proven to be an effective means of supporting staff dealing with challenging behaviours.

PL coaching sessions will assist to bring theory and strategies into practice (such as from our core trainings), relative to their setting, for improved outcomes.


I found the Protective Practice Workshop has helped improve confidence when managing challenging behaviour on a physical level as I am now more informed and aware of body mechanics, having learnt safe ways to protect myself and minimising risk to the student. I also acknowledge the benefits of learning new redirection strategies giving me the ability to respond positively with a sense of calmness in a variety of situations.
— Julie Davie, Education Support Staff, Somerville Primary School.

For more information about our Professional Learning Services, please contact Clint Cassell by emailing cassell.c@tessainc.org.au