Learning and behaviour supports for schools and kaiako

Our Learning Support team can assist you when you have concerns about the social and emotional learning of a tamariki or rangatahi and the way they relate to others.

Level of compliance Main audience Other

Inform

  • Teachers and Kaiako
  • Principals and Tumuaki
  • Learning Support Coordinators
  • Specialist Staff
  • All Early Learning Services
  • Other agencies
  • Parents, Caregivers and Whānau
  • Boards

He Pikorua framework

We recognise that whānau, ākonga, kaiako, communities and Ministry staff need to work together as collaborative decision makers.

Behaviour support practitioners can work with you to support your ākonga, whānau and community to create learning environments that promote the wellbeing of mokopuna.

We are moving toward embedding more proactive and collaborative supports into day-to-day teaching and learning. Responding to most challenging behaviour in isolation rarely results in sustainable change. Our bicultural practice framework, He Pikorua, provides clear principles and processes for joint decision making.

Working together – He Pikorua(external link)

He Pikorua Practice Principles 

Te Tūāpapa o He Pikorua framework is a dynamic model of supports that guides focused responses within clusters, schools, kura and early learning services.

He Pikorua Te Tuapapa

Culturally responsive approaches (for example, He Mapuna te Tamaiti, Journey to Tino Rangatiratanga, Huakina Mai) highlight the need to move away from managing behaviours of individual mokopuna and shift the focus to restoring relationships and understanding how relationships are always significantly influenced by wider social and cultural context.

Addressing these together shifts the focus from managing behaviour to engaging in relationships and supporting inclusive learning environments.

Support for managing challenging behaviour

We have new guidance for schools managing challenging student behaviour. It includes strategies for preventative and de-escalation techniques and information on new training workshops for schools.

Responding to ākonga distress with restraint

Behaviour crisis response service

If you have an extreme behaviour event at your school, the Behaviour Crisis Response Service can respond to your emergency.

Response specialists assess the situation and tailor a response that:

  • stabilises the school
  • ensures everyone is safe
  • prevents the situation from getting worse
  • begins immediately while a long-term plan is devised
  • links the school to more resources and support.

Reach them through your local learning support team.

Learning support services

Responding after a crisis

Traumatic incident teams also deal with emergencies, whether caused by people or by natural disasters.

The teams can also help your school draw up an emergency plan.

Responding after a crisis

Interim response fund

The interim response fund is short-term funding to help your school when extreme behaviour reaches crisis point.

Funding will help pay for short-term resources, meet student needs and get learning back on track.

Interim response fund

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

Positive Behaviour for Learning covers 10 services that improve wellbeing and behaviour of children and students and relationships in schools.

Services are for children and students, schools and family and whānau.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

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