The Challenging Behaviour program is funded via Focus Area Four of the Behaviour Management and Discipline (BM&D) strategy. It provides resources to district education offices to implement programs and strategies to assist schools to address issues related to student behaviour. 

Building the capacity of staff in schools and districts is an underlying principle to guide planning in the implementation of strategies via the Challenging Behaviour funding. Developing relationships with other agencies and working across a cluster of schools are also recommended principles.

Challenging Behaviour program strategies may be best targeted to support students in the early years, as significant funding has been allocated directly to schools for students in Years 4 to 9 via BM&D Focus Areas One and Two.

Schools who are not targeted by the BM&D strategy may also require support on a needs basis to assist with the management of individual students. 

It is expected that early intervention programs will also be supported by district offices, to assist schools address emerging concerns, or where possible prevent problems occurring.

Districts will implement strategies which are tailored to the identified needs in their local school communities. It is possible for existing programs or strategies within the district to be strengthened. For example, additional resources may be provided to the local Socio Psychoeducational Resource (SPER) Centre to enable access to this service by country districts.

More details regarding processes and procedures for districts to access funding are available in the booklet Challenging Behaviour Program: Information for District Education Offices.