Challenging Behaviour in Autistic Pupils

Programmes
Challenging Behaviour in Autistic Pupils

Anna Bielak-Bajda

Specialist in therapeutic approaches

Challenging Behaviour in Autistic Pupils

When an autistic pupil repeatedly shouts, refuses, runs away, throws objects or becomes aggressive, the behaviour itself is only part of the picture. This programme helps you work out what may be triggering it, what function it might be serving and which response is most likely to help. Learn how to use observation, ABC analysis, Positive Behaviour Support and de-escalation strategies to move from reacting in the moment to building a clear, consistent support plan.

Essential

£49.00

£89.00

One-time · 12 months access

8 video modules
Teacher's Toolkit
Certificate
Classroom materials
Case studies
Knowledge Booster

Professional Recommended

£69.00

£129.00

One-time · 12 months access

8 video modules
Teacher's Toolkit (89 pages)
Certificate
24 classroom materials
7 case studies
Knowledge Booster (30 days)

Until 25 October 2026, this and every other programme is 45% off.

Standard price from 26 October: Essential £89, Professional £129.

Is this for you?

You work with an autistic pupil whose outbursts, refusal, aggression, running away, throwing objects or disruptive behaviour have become a recurring pattern rather than an occasional incident.
You sometimes feel that a behaviour happens “for no reason” and need a structured way to investigate what occurred before it, what the pupil may be communicating and what purpose the behaviour might serve.
You want to distinguish sensory overload, difficulty with change, communication needs, physical discomfort and excessive demands instead of treating every difficult situation as deliberate defiance.
You need practical methods for observing and describing behaviour without relying on labels such as “aggressive”, “naughty”, “attention-seeking” or “uncooperative”.
You want to understand the difference between the cause and the function of a behaviour, and use ABC analysis to turn observations into a realistic support plan.
You need clear guidance on what to do during an outburst: how to position yourself, what to say, what to avoid and how to reduce the risk of further escalation.
* You want to use proactive strategies, positive reinforcement and practical regulation tools rather than relying on punishment, confrontation or repeated consequences that do not lead to lasting change.
You need a consistent way for teachers, additional adults, specialists and parents or carers to observe the behaviour, implement agreed strategies and evaluate progress together.

We use AI as a tool to support production, but we do not hand over responsibility for the content. Our materials are based on real webinars by our trainers and are reviewed and approved by a person before publication. The videos feature an AI-generated avatar and voice of the trainer, used with her consent.

What you'll implement?

Ready to use tomorrow
- How to understand what may be behind the behaviour
  
  Learn how to examine six key areas that may contribute to challenging behaviour: sensory processing, structure, change, communication, physical wellbeing and demands. You will be able to look beyond the immediate incident and identify what may be triggering the pupil’s response.
- How to analyse a recurring behaviour
  
  Learn how to distinguish facts from interpretations, recognise patterns and use observation and ABC analysis to understand what happens before and after a difficult moment. You will be able to form a more reliable hypothesis about the behaviour’s function and choose support that follows from the evidence.
- How to respond when behaviour escalates
  
  Learn how to reduce arousal, maintain safety and avoid reactions that may intensify the situation. You will understand how your distance, posture, eye contact, tone of voice and amount of language can affect an autistic pupil during an outburst.
A different way of seeing the problem
- A cause and a function, not “bad behaviour”
  
  Move away from labels such as “naughty”, “aggressive” or “attention-seeking”. Learn to ask two more useful questions: what may have triggered the behaviour, and what might the pupil be trying to gain, avoid, communicate or regulate?
- Regulation before consequences
  
  Understand why most aggressive behaviour seen in educational settings is defensive rather than deliberately planned. Recognise how sensory overload, fear, frustration or demands beyond the pupil’s current abilities can push them outside their window of tolerance and make reasoning or discussing consequences temporarily ineffective.
- Prevention before crisis response
  
  Learn why effective support begins before an outburst occurs. Use the principles of Positive Behaviour Support to increase predictability, adjust the environment and task conditions, teach safer replacement behaviours and deliberately reinforce the behaviours you want to develop.

What's inside this programme?

Video modules

8 modules · approx. 138 min total · one film per module

1

Introduction

5 min

Available after purchase

Meet the trainer and discover the programme’s three interconnected areas: understanding, analysis and response. The introduction explains how the course will help you recognise challenging behaviour, investigate its causes and functions, and choose proactive and reactive strategies for early years and school settings.
2

Autism Spectrum and Challenging Behaviour: Diagnosis, Definition and Types

6 min
Available after purchase
Understand what challenging behaviour is, when the term is appropriate and how autism-related differences in communication, predictability and sensory processing may affect a pupil’s behaviour. You will also examine why most aggressive behaviour observed in educational settings is defensive rather than deliberately planned.

Lessons in this module
1. ASD diagnosis and challenging behaviour
2. When we call a behaviour challenging
3. Types of challenging behaviour
4. Aggressive behaviour: predatory and defensive
3

Observation and the Causes of Challenging Behaviour

25 min
Available after purchase
Learn how to begin with relationship-building and systematic observation rather than immediately selecting a technique. The module introduces six areas that may contribute to recurring behaviour and shows why the real cause may lie in the environment, communication demands, the pupil’s health or events outside the classroom.

Lessons in this module
1. Where to begin: observation and behavioural analysis
2. The causes of challenging behaviour
4

The Sensory Basis of Challenging Behaviour

19 min
Available after purchase
Explore self-stimulation, sensory overload, the window of tolerance and the mechanisms of over-responsivity, under-responsivity and sensory seeking. Practical examples show how the same pupil may avoid certain stimuli while actively seeking others, and why delayed responses can make a trigger difficult to recognise.

Lessons in this module
1. Stereotyped and compulsive behaviours, and self-stimulation
2. Sensory integration and the window of tolerance
3. Over-responsivity, under-responsivity and sensory seeking
4. Examples of over-responsivity in practice
5. Behaviours that disrupt the environment
5

The Functions of Behaviour and the Positive Behaviour Support Model

14 min
Available after purchase
Add a second question to your analysis: what purpose might the behaviour be serving? You will examine six common functions, learn how adult responses can unintentionally reinforce both desirable and undesirable behaviour, and discover why proactive strategies are the foundation of Positive Behaviour Support.

Lessons in this module
1. The functions of challenging behaviour
2. Reinforcing and extinguishing behaviour
3. The PBS model and proactive strategies
6

Behaviour Analysis in Practice: From Observation to the ABC Model

19 min
Available after purchase
Turn classroom observations into an organised plan. Learn how to describe the behaviour and the pupil’s wider profile, identify recurring antecedents and consequences, formulate a functional hypothesis, coordinate the staff team and measure whether an agreed strategy is producing meaningful change.

Lessons in this module
1. How to describe challenging behaviour and the child’s profile
2. A plan for working on the behaviour
3. Analysing behaviour step by step
4. Evaluating behaviour and observation logs
5. The ABC model
6. Case study: ABC analysis in a computing lesson
7

Responding Safely and De-escalation

25 min
Available after purchase
Learn how the adult’s posture, distance, facial expression, eye contact, voice and amount of language can affect escalation. The module presents a repertoire of reactive strategies and explains where everyday de-escalation ends and the setting’s agreed safety and safeguarding procedures must begin.

Lessons in this module
1. Principles for responding during an outburst
2. Strategies for action in practice
3. Safe strategies for responding when behaviour escalates
8

Tools for Working with Challenging Behaviour and Teachers’ Questions

25 min
Available after purchase
Explore practical tools for teaching safer ways to express anger and regulate tension. Learn how to create an anger plan, organise a safe space and introduce a token system with specific, measurable target behaviours. The module also addresses questions about the wider class, school trips, property damage, documentation and alternative ways of organising learning.

Lessons in this module
1. The anger plan and consequences
2. Ways of releasing anger and the safe space
3. The token system
4. Teachers’ most frequent questions

Teacher's Toolkit

89-page implementation guide · PDF

The Teacher’s Toolkit mirrors the seven video modules and can be used alongside the course or as a practical reference guide. It helps you understand challenging behaviour, analyse it systematically and choose safe, effective responses. Each chapter includes practical examples, ready-to-use guidance and a “Try It Tomorrow” section.

clear explanations of challenging behaviour, sensory processing, behavioural functions, PBS and ABC analysis
worked examples showing how the same principles apply in early years and school settings
practical scripts showing how a teacher’s response might sound
answers to common “What if…?” questions
prompts that help adults regulate themselves before approaching a pupil
guidance on safety, teamwork, documentation and collaboration with parents or carers
a “Try It Tomorrow” section at the end of every chapter
a contents guide that directs you to the right chapter for a specific classroom situation

See sample pages

Classroom Resource Library

Practical resources for real classroom situations

The Professional version gives you access to the complete library of practical resources created specifically for this programme. Inside, you’ll find ready-to-use materials that support classroom practice, behaviour analysis, communication, planning and implementation. Selected resources are available to preview for free, so you can see the format and approach before accessing the full library.

31

materials total
3

free for everyone
31

in Professional

Observation and functional analysis

5 materials
- Observation Sheet — “Count It Before You Call It Challenging”
  
  A one-page observation sheet that helps you check whether a behaviour really is a recurring pattern - before you label it.
  
  Open
- ABC Sheet — Event Log
  
  The heart of the toolkit: a structured record of a single event — what happened just before (A), exactly what the child did (B) and what followed (C).
  
  Open
- “6 Areas of Possible Causes” Sheet
  
  A quick, systematic review of six areas that may lie behind a recurring behaviour: sensory factors, structure, change, communication, health and demands.
  
  Open
- Behaviour Function Sheet
  
  Takes you from “what purpose might it serve?” to one proactive action. A ready matching table suggests, for each hypothesised function, a menu of proactive strategies to try first.
  
  Open
- Progress Monitoring Sheet
  
  A weekly record of one behaviour: frequency, duration, intensity, time to re-engage and use of the replacement behaviour. It shows you in black and white whether your strategy is working.
  
  Open
Respond safely and de-escalate

5 materials
- “If–Then” Quick Guide
  
  A one-page guide for the toughest moments: an outburst, rising tension, a child who needs space, a risk to safety.
  
  Open
- Phrase Bank
  
  Ready-made, classroom-tested sentences for de-escalation: calm presence, active listening, redirecting attention and the clean-slate return to work.
  
  Open
- Phrase Bank: Choices and a Sense of Control
  
  An advanced phrase bank for the hardest conversations: anticipating refusal, responding after “no”, offering simple choices and handling resistance to tasks - all while keeping boundaries firm.
  
  Open
- Rules for Responding During an Outburst - Poster
  
  Eight rules for responding safely during an outburst, designed as a poster for the support room and the staff room.
  
  Open
- Teacher Self-Regulation Sheet
  
  “Put on your own oxygen mask first”: a short routine for checking your own state before you approach - a longer out-breath, an anchor phrase, hands on the desk.
  
  Open
Plan support, learn and align the team

4 materials
- “What Can I Start Doing Tomorrow?” Checklist
  
  Eight practices you can start using tomorrow - the essence of the whole training on one page.
  
  Open
- Positive Support Plan
  
  A working Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plan template for the whole team: the behaviour, its triggers, the hypothesised function, the replacement behaviour, proactive strategies, consistent responses, reinforcement, baseline and review dates - on a single page.
  
  Open
- Script for a Conversation with a Parent or Carer
  
  A step-by-step script for a meeting with a parent or carer: how to open, how to describe behaviour in the language of facts instead of labels, what to ask about (always voluntarily) and how to close with joint agreements.
  
  Open
- Glossary of Terms
  
  The key terms of the training explained in brief — from the window of tolerance, sensory processing and meltdown to PBS, extinction and planned ignoring.
  
  Open
For parents and carers

4 materials
- Home Observation Sheet
  
  A gentle observation diary for parents and carers: sleep, food, wellbeing, important changes and events.
  
  Open
- The Language of Facts, Not Labels - Leaflet
  
  A one-page leaflet for parents and carers: how to describe a child’s behaviour factually, with ready examples and four simple questions.
  
  Open
- Challenging Behaviour - Understanding and Responding at Home
  
  A compact guide for families: what challenging behaviour is and where it comes from, how to respond calmly at home, the anger code and a safe space, what really motivates, and when to look for additional support.
  
  Open
- Working with the School and Specialists - Guide
  
  Explains to parents and carers who may be involved in supporting their child, what they can share (and that sharing is voluntary), and how agreements are documented.
  
  Open
For students

5 materials
- My Tension Levels
  
  A child-friendly “thermometer” (green–yellow–red) filled in together with the child: how I feel at each level and what I can do.
  
  Open
- I Can Ask for a Break
  
  Open
- When I Feel Angry - My First Step Card
  
  A simple picture card completed with the child: “When I feel angry, I can…”. One small, practised first step instead of an outburst - chosen, drawn and owned by the child.
  
  Open
- My Plan for the Day - Visual Timetable
  
  A visual timetable the child can see and tick off, with space for marking changes of plan and the next two steps.
  
  Open
- Calming Strategies Wheel
  
  The flagship of the pack: a spinner game with eight calming strategies - from paper-based activities and drawing to movement, fidget tools and the calm place - each with a short rationale for adults.
  
  Open
On the wall

1 materials
- Poster Series (4 posters)
  
  Four ready-to-print posters: the Window of Tolerance, the Six Areas of Possible Causes, ABC Analysis and My Tension Levels.
  
  Open
Case studies

7 materials
- Module 1: A defensive reaction or deliberately planned behaviour?
  
  A 5-year-old hits out when his model is suddenly taken away. A worked example of interpreting behaviour, testing several hypotheses and teaching a simple replacement phrase - with reflection questions for your own class.
  
  Read
- Module 2: Tension building throughout the day
  
  Fine in the morning, struggling in the afternoon. How one teacher used an observation notebook and the six areas to find the pattern and the one small change that made the difference.
  
  Read
- Module 3: Different sensory responses in one child
  
  He covers his ears, yet seeks intense movement. A step-by-step example of responding to different sensory responses - without forcing exposure, and starting with the smallest change.
  
  Read
- Module 4: “Finished — now what?”
  
  A student who finishes early and disrupts the class. Separating two behaviour patterns, matching one action to each hypothesised function, and using positive reinforcement.
  
  Read
- Module 5: A full ABC analysis
  
  One small mistake — and he left the room. A complete ABC analysis in practice: recurring records, an agreed break signal and a less public format for the initial presentation.
  
  Read
- Module 6: Safe responses and de-escalation
  
  An outburst after being told no. Safe responses step by step — body language, distance, few words - plus proactive strategies that build a sense of control for the future.
  
  Read
- Module 7: Teaching safe ways to express anger
  
  A strong reaction to losing a game. Introducing the anger code, the safe space and a token system in stages — so you know what is working. Ideal, like the whole series, for staff meetings, team training and self-study.
  
  Read

Knowledge Booster

The Professional version includes the Knowledge Booster, which helps you return to the programme after completing the video course - step by step, without trying to implement everything at once. Inspired by Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve, it uses short emails sent at the right intervals to help you remember and apply what you learn.

Professional: 11 emails over 30 days

1

Day 1

Welcome - how the sequence works
2

Day 3

One bad morning does not necessarily make a pattern
3

Day 5

Assume defensive first
4

Day 7

The pattern is in your notebook, not in your memory
5

Day 10

The cause you cannot see from the classroom
6

Day 13

The window of tolerance and what a meltdown really is
7

Day 16

What function might this behaviour be serving?
8

Day 19

You may be reinforcing something
9

Day 22

A, B and C - three parts of a pattern
10

Day 26

Say less. Stand side-on. Lower your voice
11

Day 30

Three tools, four measures, one change

You control when it starts. Activate from your account whenever you're ready - it won't start automatically.

Certificate of completion

Each Edutimo programme includes a short end-of-programme test. After completing the modules, take the test to confirm what you have learned and download your certificate of completion. The test is included in the programme and can be retaken if needed.

Ready? Take the test and get your certificate.

10 questions · approx. 10 min · available after completing all modules

Your trainer

Anna Bielak-Bajda

Special education teacher, therapist and PhD candidate, valued for practical SEN support and turning theory into real help for students.

therapeutic approaches
students with SEN
autism spectrum support
preschool education

What teachers say?

Trusted by teachers across Europe

Miriam Gibreel

primary school educator

"Highly Recommended CPD for Educators – Exceptional Neurodiversity and Practical Strategy Courses that are both relevant and impactful in modern day classrooms. Having spent 16 years teaching children aged 5 to 11 in London-based primary school settings, I am incredibly judicious about the professional development I invest my time in. I am thoroughly impressed by the extensive range of courses offered on Edutimo. In particular, Joanna Nienałtowska-Padło’s modules focusing on neurodiverse conditions are exceptional, providing deep insights alongside highly practical classroom advice. The strategies for navigating challenging situations and de-escalating them effectively have given me concrete, actionable tools that actually work in a live classroom environment. Additionally, the recommended resources and guidelines for creating personalised student toolkits are fantastic for helping children navigate day-to-day school life. As an experienced professional, I know that having up-to-date courses available is instrumental in confidently establishing well-prepared lessons and a welcoming classroom environment for the upcoming school year."

Shannon Carter

Assistant Headteacher

"What I found particularly valuable about Edutimo was how closely the programme connected professional learning with what actually happens in the classroom. The training is clear and practical, with real classroom examples and strategies that I can use straight away. I often found myself going back to particular modules when planning lessons, and some of the approaches have now become part of my everyday teaching. The Challenging Behaviour training has completely changed the way I approach difficult situations in the classroom. I found it particularly useful to understand what sits behind challenging behaviour and how to respond calmly when situations escalate. It has given me more confidence in knowing what to do and what to say when things become difficult. It genuinely feels like a programme created by people who understand the realities of teaching. Rather than just giving you theory, Edutimo gives you ideas that you can actually take into your classroom and put into practice straight away."

Margaret M.

Teacher

"Clear and well-explained step by step - what may cause various behaviours and how to deal with them."

Questions about this programme

FAQ

What's the difference between Essential and Professional?

Essential includes the full video programme, the Teacher’s Toolkit ebook and a certificate of completion. Professional includes everything in Essential, plus the complete Classroom Resource Library and the Knowledge Booster.
How long do I have access?

You receive 12 months of access to the programme after purchase.
Does the programme include ready-to-use materials?

Yes. Depending on your package, you receive templates, scripts, cards, procedures, case studies and classroom tools.
What is the Knowledge Booster?

It is a 30-day email sequence that helps you revisit the most important ideas from the programme and apply them step by step.
Do I receive a certificate?

Yes. After completing the programme, you can download your certificate of completion.