ABSTRACT

This chapter will address conceptualisations of children and young people whose behaviour is hard to manage in school and the practical responses that follow alternative ways of positioning both students and their behaviour. There is an increasing emphasis on student well-being in Australia, which encompasses a focus on resilience and the protective factors that enhance this. These include positive relationships, a sense of belonging, social and emotional learning, a focus on strengths and solutions, student participation, building a sense of community and restorative practices. Although a medical ‘within child’ model persists in some educational jurisdictions, this is increasingly being questioned as it does not sit well with the ‘whole child/ whole school’ approach advocated by the research.