Distressed behaviour: I see you, I hear you, you matter. Understanding and supporting children with distressed behaviour in early learning and primary school.
About the online workshop
In the past, children’s behaviour difficulties were called “challenging”. Modern research and a better understanding of children in general have seen most professionals working with children to shift their language from “challenging behaviour” (where the emphasis is our experience of the child) to “distressed behaviour” (where the emphasis is what is going on for the child).
Distressed behaviour can take many forms – anger, aggression, physical and verbal abuse, defiance, oppositional behaviour as well as self-harm and injury. Children with distressed behaviour often have an underlying mental health issue that requires treatment. The importance of addressing this issue is paramount given around a quarter (24%) of children with conduct problems displayed ‘a constellation of problems’ with anxiety, emotion, and inattention in adolescence (Bathelt et al, 2021) and there is strong evidence that mental disorders in childhood and adolescence predict mental illness in adulthood.
By completing this online workshop, you will have a deeper understanding of:
- why children might act out
- why children experience distress
- the purpose of distressed behaviour: for children to reach a goal or have a need met
- how distress can affect participation in class
- the links between some distressed behaviour and mental health conditions
- serious internalising disorders
- the Window of Tolerance (Within the window: the best state in which children can function and thrive. Outside the window: where children can become hyper-aroused, or hypo-aroused)
- strategies and techniques to assist children manage their distress when dysregulated.
Who is this professional learning suitable for?
This online workshop is suitable for teachers, educators, support workers and other professionals who work with children between 3 to 12 years.
Details
Date: Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
Time: 9:30am to 1pm (AEDT).
Location: Online webinar, attendees will receive their access details the week of the webinar.
Speaker: Heather Irvine-Rundle, senior clinical psychologist and director of The READ Clinic.
Ticket price: $210 per person (including GST).
Booking form: Download the booking form
Purchase tickets: Purchase tickets
If you would like to purchase your ticket via bank transfer, please email (info@committedtochildcareconferences.com) the team and we will send you our banking details.
Professional accreditation
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
This presentation meets the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:
- Standard 4 – Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments.
About the speaker
Heather Irvine-Rundle
Senior clinical psychologist, Conjoint Professor of Practice, School of Psychology at the University of Newcastle and director of The READ Clinic
Heather is a senior clinical psychologist and the director of The Read Clinic, which is one of the largest psychology practises in Australia. As well as practising in Australia, Heather has also spent three years in the UK working with some of the most deprived families in Liverpool and London. She also led a service providing advice and consultations on mental health to all the schools in the South London area.
As well as practicing for over two decades Heather has also found time to become a published author with her latest book Hello Baby. Heather speaks regularly on local ABC radio, has appeared on a number of television shows including 60 Minutes, and writes regular articles for print and digital media.
In 2019, Heather was appointed as Conjoint Professor of Practice in the School of Psychology at the University of Newcastle, NSW.
Registration policy
Read our registration policy.