Most professionals in education, health and the social services will be working with children or young people whose behaviour is hard to control and seemingly unresponsive to the feedback or interventions of the professionals trying to assist them. Traditional intervention models are often ineffective with these kids and their behaviour creates a barrier to their success in Learning, Behaviour and Socialisation. The overall impact of this is to disruption is to create a major societal and economic cost on their peers, their families and often the overall functioning and culture of the organisations that are trying to assist and support them. These young people are often diagnosed with conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD), and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Each of these conditions presents its own unique challenges and they often overlap. The common behaviour shared by them all is that many of these children display a ‘counter- will’ in relation to authority, especially when frustrated or stressed. They may be extremely inflexible or explosive in these situations and the more pressure which is applied to make them conform the greater the opposition.
Key content areas that will be discussed in this workshop include

• Nurture and Nature, the risk factors for behaviour and the prevalence and impact of ADHD, ODD, CD and ASD. Creating a context for challenging behaviour.
• The SF3R Behaviour Management Model. How the principles of Structure, Flexibility, Rapport, Relationships and Role Models are essential for developing a proactive approach to behaviour change and learning success
  How to create structure and establish effective rules, rituals and routines.
• Trouble shooting challenging behaviour. Strategies for re-directing behaviour and diffusing threatening confrontations through assertive discipline.
• Ideas for establishing effective communication to build rapport and foster positive relationships
• Strategies for effectively engaging and working with the parents and carers of these children and young people.
• The importance of early intervention to prevent the loss of potential of the individuals concerned and negate the cost associated with the lack of effective provision.

This presentation offers contemporary ideas and perspectives for all professionals working with children and young people with challenging behaviours, including educators, social, community and health sector providers, and those working in the criminal justice system. Fintan will outline a range of practical strategies and will consider specific case studies of individuals known to the delegates who attend the training

Fintan O’Regan is one of the U.K’s leading behaviour and learning specialists. He is an internationally acclaimed trainer, consultant and author and is an associate lecturer at Leicester University. He has previously been the Headmaster of the Centre Academy School,the first specialist school in the UK for children with ADHD/ODD. His experience has helped to develop a balanced perspective to the issues facing helping professionals, schools, and families confronted with challenging behaviours. He developed the SF3R behaviour model based on his belief that “although it is true that no two children are the same, structured and flexible systems and strategies will yield similar successful outcomes”