Managing Aggressive Behaviour Safely in Early Childhood Education
Aggressive behaviour in early childhood settings is becoming an increasingly challenging issue for many educators.While children may hit, kick, bite, throw objects, or lash out for a variety of developmental reasons, these behaviours can pose significant health and safety risks to both educators and other children.
Managing aggressive behaviour is about more than responding in the moment. It requires a proactive approach that protects everyone involved while continuing to support the child's learning and development.
Aggressive Behaviour Is a Health and Safety Issue
Under New Zealand's Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, early childhood education providers have a duty to provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, a work environment that is without risks to health and safety.
When a child regularly displays behaviours that could cause injury, the risk should be managed just like any other workplace hazard.
This doesn't mean labelling a child as "the problem." Instead, it means recognising that certain behaviours create foreseeable risks that require planning, communication, and appropriate controls.
Understanding the Behaviour Behind the Behaviour
Children communicate in many ways, and challenging behaviour is often a form of communication rather than intentional aggression.
Possible contributing factors include:
Frustration due to limited language skills.
Sensory overload.
Fatigue or hunger.
Difficulty regulating emotions.
Changes at home.
Developmental delays.
Neurodiversity.
Anxiety or unfamiliar routines.
Understanding why a behaviour occurs is often the first step in reducing it.
Risks to Educators
When discussing aggressive behaviour, it's important to acknowledge the impact on educators.
Teachers may experience:
Bites and scratches.
Kicks or punches.
Head knocks.
Back or shoulder injuries while preventing harm.
Emotional stress and anxiety.
Reduced confidence when working with certain children.
These injuries should never be dismissed as "just part of the job."
Educators deserve to work in an environment where risks are recognised, assessed, and managed appropriately.
Start With a Risk Assessment
If aggressive behaviour is occurring regularly, a documented risk assessment can help identify:
What behaviours are occurring?
When do they happen?
Where do they happen?
Are there common triggers?
Who is at risk?
What controls are already in place?
What additional controls could reduce the risk?
Looking for patterns often provides valuable insights and helps the team respond consistently.
Practical Strategies to Reduce Risk
Every child is different, but some practical strategies include:
Know the Triggers
Observe what happens before the behaviour occurs.
For example:
Transition times.
Loud environments.
Waiting for turns.
Particular activities.
Fatness or overstimulation.
Identifying triggers allows educators to intervene earlier.
Adjust the Environment
Sometimes small environmental changes can make a significant difference.
Consider:
Creating quiet spaces.
Reducing noise where possible.
Limiting overcrowding.
Providing predictable routines.
Ensuring adequate supervision.
Use Consistent Responses
Children benefit from predictable responses.
Ensure all educators understand:
De-escalation strategies.
Agreed language.
Individual behaviour support plans.
When additional support is required.
Consistency helps children feel secure and reduces confusion.
Protect Other Children
Supporting one child should never compromise the safety of others.
Where necessary:
Increase supervision.
Modify activities.
Reposition children.
Remove hazards that could be thrown or misused.
The goal is to minimise opportunities for injury while maintaining an inclusive environment.
After an Incident
Once everyone is safe, it's important to learn from what happened.
Ask:
What happened immediately beforehand?
What worked well?
What could be done differently?
Do support plans need updating?
Were staff adequately supported?
Incident reports should focus on learning rather than assigning blame.
Don't Forget Staff Wellbeing
Repeated exposure to aggressive behaviour can affect staff wellbeing.
Centre leaders should:
Check in with educators after incidents.
Encourage reporting of injuries and near misses.
Provide opportunities to debrief.
Review staffing arrangements if necessary.
Seek external support where appropriate.
Looking after educators helps create better outcomes for children too.
Building a Safer Centre
Managing aggressive behaviour safely isn't about removing children from the learning environment. It's about creating systems that support children while protecting everyone around them.
By understanding behaviours, assessing risks, planning consistent responses, and supporting educators, centres can reduce injuries while continuing to provide high-quality care and education.
Health and safety and inclusive practice are not competing priorities—they work best when they support one another.
Need Support Managing Health and Safety Risks in Your Centre?
At On To It Health and Safety, we work alongside early childhood centres to develop practical health and safety systems that reflect the realities of everyday teaching. From risk assessments and incident management to staff training and health and safety audits, we help centres create safer environments for children, educators, and visitors.
If you're looking for practical, ECE-specific health and safety advice, we'd love to help, we 100% know what its like to be on the floor.