Visit to Schools in Ireland to help with Positive Handling Issues

Dynamis delivered positive handling training to schools in Ireland working with special-needs pupils in mainstream settings. The post notes the lack of departmental guidance, quotes a principal's feedback and links to a course video.

Our team has just returned from delivering positive handling training for schools in Ireland, where we worked with staff facing specific challenges around special-needs pupils in mainstream settings.

Schools across Ireland are navigating difficult territory. Pupils are becoming distressed, behaviour is escalating, and in some cases children are endangering themselves or those around them. Yet historically, there has been little guidance from the Department for Education and Skills on how to respond safely and proportionately.

💡 Key takeaway: The lack of official guidance doesn’t remove a school’s responsibility. Staff need practical, evidence-informed strategies for managing distressed behaviour — and they’re asking for that help now.

What Schools Are Saying

Feedback from the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive. Staff and management alike reported that the training gave them clarity and confidence when handling difficult situations.

It would be important for any school where physical restraint is necessary to do this course. Staff need to be familiar with the information and techniques outlined in this course.

Principal, Primary School, Co. Meath, Ireland

More feedback from our recent positive handling training courses in Ireland is available on our blog here.

See the Course in Action

To learn more about bringing this training to your school, visit our dedicated webpage for Positive Handling courses for schools in Ireland.

Picture of Gerard O'Dea

Gerard O'Dea

Gerard O'Dea is the founder of Dynamis, creator of the SCENA approach, and a holder of the ICM Physical Skills Tutor Award. He designs conflict management and physical intervention programmes for NHS and emergency services teams.

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