Other considerations for emotions

Safety

Some students with less adaptive emotion regulation skills may engage in behaviours of concern. Consider all student's safety if they experience intense anger, sadness or have meltdowns. 

Relaxation may help students feel calm. Access information and resources to support mindfulness practices

Wellbeing

Feelings of low mood and anxiety may be more common in students who experience complicated or challenging emotions regularly. Reappraisal, planning and acceptance may help students manage strong emotions of sadness or worry.

Monitor the wellbeing of students who appear to have sudden or significant changes in their mood, social life or school engagement. Support for students’ wellbeing may include school wellbeing staff, the student learning support team or a general practitioner.

Refer to our anxiety page if a student experiences ongoing worries or anxiety.

Other co-occuring conditions

Students with emotion regulation challenges may also have behaviours of concern, or challenges with attention, social skills or anxiety. Some students may also be on the autism spectrum or experience oppositional defiant disorder, or intellectual disability.

Refer to understanding disability page or common needs page to help support the student. 

Behaviour

Students with less adaptive emotion regulation skills may show more behaviours of concern at school such as outbursts, fighting or defiance towards teachers or SLSOs. 

Access the behaviour page to help identify why a student shows behaviours of concern, what they are trying to communicate with their behaviour and which strategies may help support them. 

Encouraging students to improve their problem solving skills may help them manage social, emotional or learning problems.

Transitions

Some students may benefit from supports when moving across education settings. 

Teaching students a variety of skills to regulate emotions can support a student to become independent, resilient and better able to manage the transition.

For more information about supporting students with disability when transitioning to a primary or high school setting access our transition page. 

For students transitioning to primary school access our school story - a school day and for students transitioning to high school access our school story - how to be organised.