Understanding Aggressive Behaviour in Children
Aggressive behaviour in children, such as hitting, kicking, biting, throwing objects or verbal threats, is usually a form of communication. It often happens when a child is overwhelmed, frustrated, in pain, frightened or unable to express a need in another way. Some aggression is a normal part of early development, but it becomes a concern when it is frequent, intense, puts people at risk or gets in the way of learning and relationships.
Common drivers of aggressive behaviour include:
- Difficulty communicating needs, wants or feelings
- Sensory overload or discomfort
- Difficulty regulating strong emotions
- Past trauma or stressful experiences
- Neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism or ADHD
- Unclear expectations or sudden changes in routine
Managing aggressive behaviour starts with understanding why it happens. This challenging behaviour training shows you how to use a Functional Behaviour Assessment to identify triggers and the purpose behind the behaviour, then put a plan in place to prevent it and respond safely.
De-escalation Training: Responding Safely When Behaviour Escalates
De-escalation means using calm, deliberate responses to reduce a young person's distress and help them return to a settled state before behaviour becomes unsafe. Effective de-escalation training teaches you to recognise each stage of escalation and match your response to it.
In this course, you will learn to:
- Recognise the early warning signs. Changes in voice, body language, breathing or activity often come before aggression. Responding early is the most effective way to prevent it.
- Adjust your response to each stage. What helps when a young person is first unsettled is different from what helps at the peak of a crisis. Stage-specific de-escalation strategies are a core part of the course.
- Reduce risk. Learn how to create space, remove potential hazards and keep yourself and others safe.
- Support recovery. After an incident, the young person needs time and support to calm down before any discussion of what happened.
- Plan to prevent the next incident. Use what you learned from the incident to update the behaviour support plan.
This de-escalation training is part of a broader Positive Behaviour Support approach, so you will learn to prevent incidents as well as respond to them.
Aggressive Behaviour Online Course
This online training course is aimed at teachers, health professionals and parents who wish to manage aggressive behaviours and learn the essential skills to effectively handle this difficult behaviour.
The course will arm you with the knowledge needed to help you manage aggression by spotting early warning signs and being prepared with de-escalation strategies.
What are Challenging behaviours?
Challenging behaviours are actions that interfere with learning, relationships, and participation in daily activities. In the context of aggression, these may include verbal outbursts, physical violence, property damage, or intimidation. Such behaviours are often a way for the individual to express unmet needs, frustration, or distress when other communication skills are limited.
Aggressive or violent behaviour is not simply “bad behaviour” it is a form of communication that signals underlying issues such as anxiety, trauma, sensory overload, unmet emotional needs, or difficulties with impulse control. Recognising this helps shift our focus from punishment to understanding and support.
Through the PBS framework, we learn to ask “What is this behaviour trying to tell me?” rather than “How do I stop it?” By identifying the function of the behaviour, we can design proactive strategies that prevent escalation and promote skill development.
What Causes Aggressive and Violent Behaviour?
Aggressive behaviour rarely has a single cause. It is typically the result of a combination of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, including:
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Biological influences: neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health difficulties, sensory sensitivities, or medical conditions that affect mood and regulation.
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Psychological influences: past trauma, poor emotional regulation, low self-esteem, or difficulty interpreting social cues.
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Social and environmental influences: inconsistent boundaries, negative peer interactions, stressful home or school environments, or lack of structure and predictability.
Mental health also plays a key role. Anxiety, depression, or experiences of rejection and bullying can heighten emotional responses, leading to reactive or defensive aggression. Understanding these root causes helps us design interventions that address the why behind the behaviour — not just the surface actions.
PBS encourages us to view aggression through a compassionate lens, focusing on prevention, teaching alternative skills, and creating safe, supportive environments.
Physical Intervention and Ethical Considerations
In rare circumstances, physical intervention may be required to prevent harm to the individual or others. However, such measures must always be a last resort, guided by strict ethical and legal frameworks.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Professionals and caregivers have a duty of care to maintain safety while upholding the rights and dignity of the individual. Physical interventions must:
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Be used only when there is an immediate risk of harm.
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Be proportionate, necessary, and reasonable.
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Stop as soon as the danger has passed.
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Be clearly documented and reviewed afterwards to prevent recurrence.
Personal Safety
Maintaining personal safety involves recognising the early signs of escalation and knowing when to seek support. Training in situational awareness, calm body language, and safe exit strategies helps minimise risk to everyone involved.
Conflict Management
Verbal de-escalation, active listening, and maintaining a calm, non-threatening tone are crucial tools. Building rapport, showing empathy, and acknowledging feelings can often defuse conflict before it turns physical.
Physical Intervention Techniques
When absolutely necessary, interventions should follow accredited, evidence-based approaches that prioritise safety and minimise restriction. All staff involved should receive ongoing training and supervision to ensure interventions remain ethical, consistent, and respectful.
PBS always emphasises prevention, early intervention, and skill-building — physical intervention should only ever be part of a wider, carefully planned support strategy.
De Escalate and De Risk
Effective de-escalation focuses on reducing tension, restoring calm, and preventing further risk. The following strategies are applicable across education, workplace, and care settings.
In Education
Teachers and support staff play a key role in creating emotionally safe classrooms. Strategies include:
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Recognising early warning signs (e.g., restlessness, withdrawal, increased noise).
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Offering calm spaces or sensory breaks.
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Using predictable routines and visual supports.
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Employing restorative conversations after incidents to rebuild trust and understanding.
In the Workplace
For staff working in health, education, or social care, de-escalation involves maintaining professional boundaries while showing empathy. Training in communication styles, team coordination, and post-incident reflection helps create a culture of safety and learning rather than blame.
Training and Prevention
Ongoing professional development ensures that individuals and teams are confident and consistent in their approach. Regular scenario-based training in PBS, conflict resolution, and self-regulation strategies helps staff remain calm and effective in high-stress situations.
De-risking also involves reviewing environments and systems — from classroom layouts to staffing levels to minimise triggers and create spaces where aggressive behaviour is less likely to occur.
Aggressive Behaviour Course Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Behaviour Help aggressive behaviour online course?
The Behaviour Help aggressive behaviour online course teaches practical Positive Behaviour Support strategies for supporting children and adolescents displaying aggressive behaviours, including hitting, kicking, biting, throwing objects and verbal aggression. It focuses on understanding contributing factors, preventing incidents, de-escalation, maintaining safety and teaching alternative skills.
Where can teachers complete online aggressive behaviour and de-escalation training in Australia?
Behaviour Help offers a self-paced aggressive behaviour and de-escalation course for Australian teachers, educators and education support staff. The course provides 5 hours of professional development and a certificate of completion. It covers recognising escalation, preventative strategies, responding safely and supporting recovery following incidents.
Is the aggressive behaviour course suitable for parents?
Yes. The course is suitable for parents and carers supporting children and adolescents displaying aggressive behaviours. It provides practical strategies for understanding contributing factors, identifying early warning signs, reducing environmental risks and responding safely when behaviour escalates.
Is aggressive behaviour in children normal?
Some behaviours such as hitting or pushing can occur during early childhood development while children are learning communication, social and emotional regulation skills. Aggression becomes a significant concern when it is frequent, severe, persistent, causes injury or places the child or others at risk.
What can contribute to aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents?
Aggressive behaviour can occur in different circumstances. Potential contributing factors include communication barriers, pain or discomfort, sensory factors, environmental demands, emotional regulation difficulties, changes in routine and previous experiences. A Functional Behaviour Assessment can help identify patterns and develop hypotheses about factors contributing to an individual’s behaviour.
Does the course teach de-escalation strategies?
Yes. The course covers recognising early warning signs, responding appropriately at different stages of escalation, reducing environmental risks, maintaining safety and supporting recovery. The focus is on prevention and respectful, individualised responses rather than confrontation.
Does the aggressive behaviour course include Functional Behaviour Assessment?
Yes. The course introduces Functional Behaviour Assessment, including collecting information about behaviour, identifying patterns and considering relevant environmental and individual factors. Assessment findings can inform preventative strategies, teaching approaches and response plans.
Does the course teach physical restraint techniques?
No. The course focuses on Positive Behaviour Support, prevention, de-escalation and reducing the need for restrictive interventions. Completion of the online course should not be treated as certification of practical competence in physical restraint techniques.
Who is the aggressive behaviour course suitable for?
The course is suitable for parents, carers, teachers, education support staff, disability support staff, behaviour support practitioners and allied health professionals supporting children and adolescents displaying aggressive behaviours.
Is aggressive behaviour associated with autism, ADHD or ODD?
Aggressive behaviours can occur in children and adolescents with or without a disability or diagnosis, including autism, ADHD or ODD. The presence of a diagnosis does not establish why a behaviour occurs. Individual assessment is important for understanding contributing factors and developing appropriate support.
Who developed the Behaviour Help aggressive behaviour course?
The course was developed by Dolly Bhargava, an NDIS Registered Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner and Speech Pathologist with over 26 years of experience supporting people with behaviours of concern.
Is the aggressive behaviour course accredited by NESA or TQI?
Behaviour Help is a NESA-accredited professional development provider, and the Behaviour Help aggressive behaviour online course is individually accredited by the Teacher Quality Institute (TQI). The course provides 5 hours of professional development and a certificate of completion. NESA provider accreditation does not mean that NESA separately accredits or endorses each course. Teachers should record this learning in accordance with their state or territory teacher registration requirements.
How long does the aggressive behaviour course take?
The course takes approximately 5 hours to complete, including video modules and course book activities. Participants receive 12 months of self-paced access from the date of purchase.
Is a book included with the aggressive behaviour course?
Yes. Participants receive a free Kindle copy of Dolly Bhargava’s book, Positive Behaviour Support Strategies for Students with Aggressive Behaviour, to support the practical application of strategies after completing the course.
Can NDIS funding be used to purchase the aggressive behaviour course?
NDIS funding may be available where the training meets the participant’s individual disability support needs and applicable NDIS funding requirements. Eligibility should be confirmed before purchasing. For invoicing enquiries, contact dolly@behaviourhelp.com.