The behavioural climate of the early childhood educational setting is one of the major contributors to educator burnout. Many educators feel uncertain and under prepared when it comes to responding to and de-escalating behaviours that challenge. Sometimes behaviours can be big, impacting other children and adults as well as the child’s ability to engage effectively in the social and learning environment of the early education service.
The first step is awareness
Our first step to ensuring effective, supportive and responsive environments should be about developing a deeper awareness of the different functions of children’s behaviour.
Every behaviour sits within a continuum:
- The antecedent (what leads up to the behaviour)
- The behaviour
- The consequence (the events or responses that happen after the behaviour)
The antecedent is what fuels the behaviour and the consequence is what typically causes it to persist.
Supporting children by understanding what drives behaviours
Our responses should not only prioritise the behaviour itself but go beyond to consider the routes, or underlying causes. We need to reflect on our own responses, the presence or absence of effective relationships, and how these elements interact to shape children’s well-being and behaviour. To truly support each child in reaching their potential, early childhood educators must have a clear understanding of what drives children's behaviour.
Changing the way we understand children’s behaviours is key to how we respond to children – and it is key to how they behave toward us.
The 6 Rs framework for understanding and responding to children’s behaviour
The image that you see here is a framework which was developed in response to sector need. The framework is specifically designed to support teachers and educators to better understand the complexity behind children’s behaviour and to intentionally build children’s capacity to navigate their environment.
Each component of the framework is informed by the rich evidence-base on children’s behaviour, as well as the practices and principles embedded across the EYLFV2.0.
The effectiveness of this framework of practice relies on adults:
• holding high expectations for every child
• understanding the factors underpinning children’s behaviour
• prioritising respectful relationships and responsive engagement
• creating an environment that both acknowledges and embraces equity and diversity
• prioritising the use of assessment for learning and development
• adopting an integrated and holistic approach to teaching and learning
The strength of this framework lies in how it encourages us to recognise the uniqueness and complexity of children’s behaviour. It shifts us away from the common misconception that positions the behaviour (or the child) as the problem, towards a more compassionate perspective that asks: what has this child experienced, and what do they need to reach their full potential?
Effective support is informed by a comprehensive understanding of children’s needs, the origins or routes behind children’s behaviour, and the practices and pedagogies needed to create responsive environments
The 6R framework is not prescriptive; rather, it is designed to empower teachers and educators to identify the key factors influencing children’s behaviours. It encourages critical reflection on existing program strengths and areas for growth, enabling the creation of individualised, responsive approaches to supporting each child.
Unpacking the framework
R for Relationships captures the importance of strong, responsive, and healthy relationships where there is trust, safety, and reciprocity. Relationships are foundational to the way we respond to children’s behaviour, and integral to facilitating behavioural change. It includes relationships among staff, with children, between children and with families.
Adults can have a major influence on children’s behaviour. Children equally influence and shape their relationships with adults. The quality of our relationships result from patterns of interaction over time. If we are consistent, positive, and calm then children feel safe, secure, and valued. Children need to feel secure in order to regulate their emotions and behaviour and before they can actively engage in learning.
R for Routes captures the common pathways to behaviours that challenge. Our ability to provide effective support for children hinges on our understanding of what has come before. What children have experienced in their lives and relationships until this point.
Routes considers various contexts of influence, including child characteristics (such as temperament or diagnosis), familial characteristics, experiences and interactions within the home (parent-child relationship quality, parenting approach), neighbourhood environment (exposure to violence, levels of social capital or connection), the early childhood education (ECE) context (structural and process quality), and the broader social context (socioeconomic status).
This also highlights elements of the early childhood education environment that can increase the risk of ‘big behaviours,’ such as noisy settings, limited opportunities for child choice, poorly defined learning areas, and lack of engagement.
The R for Regulation speaks to the role of self-regulation as a key component of children’s behaviour and engagement with the learning environment. It considers the specific skills necessary to support children’s success across a range of contexts.
Self-regulation (SR) is related to children’s ability to exert control over their behaviour, emotions, and thoughts in response to situational demands. It allows children to engage in problem-solving, set goals, and respond appropriately to their environment, which is a strong predictor of “good behaviour”.
R for Responses refers to how we create rich and responsive learning environments, pedagogies and practices that are responsive to children’s individual needs and behaviours, and support rich engagement and learning.
For all children this means ensuring that:
• The physical ECE environment provides for children’s needs, is enriching and stimulating
• The play activities are appropriate for their developmental level, interests and culture
• Children are given opportunity to choose activities and have some control over their own learning environment
• The educators in the setting are consistent and caring and the children know what to expect from staff and other children
• Desired behaviour is made explicit and discussed with children and expectations are made clear
R for Respect highlights the importance of respecting the child, their family, and their cultural context. It involves helping children express their feelings while showing respect for those emotions, no matter how ‘big’ they may seem. This also includes guiding children to differentiate between feeling emotions and acting on them. Big feelings can be overwhelming for young children and are not always fully understood.
Many children may feel embarrassed or humiliated after recovering from an emotional outburst. It’s important to help them understand that while it’s okay to feel angry or upset, certain actions, like kicking down someone’s tower or throwing a truck, are not acceptable. We must also provide children with alternative ways to express their emotions.
Showing children respect early on helps establish mutual trust and a sense of security – we know that when children feel safe and connected, we see lower rates of challenging or maladaptive behaviours.
The wrap around R – is for Research and speaks to the importance of educators understanding the research and engaging in evidence-based practices – practices that we know will make a difference for children.
Why research underpins our reflective practice.
We need to ask ourselves: “What is the evidence behind my practice?” and “How do I know that what I am doing is in the best interests of the child?”
Research shows that certain adult behaviours can contribute to children's stress, make self-regulation more difficult, and result in higher levels of maladaptive behaviours. While each of the Rs within the 6R Framework is grounded in research, the final ‘R’—Responses—particularly emphasises the importance of evidence-based practice. It urges educators to reflect deeply and ask: “How do I know that what I am doing, with and for this child, is setting them up for success?”
Conclusion
Understanding and addressing children's behaviours requires a compassionate, reflective approach that considers underlying causes, relationships, and individual needs.
The 6 Rs framework acknowledges the need for varied and individualised responses when supporting children's behaviour. Rather than advocating for a specific model or program, it encourages educators to think deeply about children's routes, the presence or absence of relationships, and their individual self-regulatory needs when determining the best strategies to use.
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