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Challenging Behaviour in Children and Young People Diploma Course

Understand the "why" behind difficult behaviours—and learn how to respond with confidence, care, and clarity.

Behavioural challenges in children and young people are often misunderstood. What may seem like "bad behaviour" is usually a child’s way of communicating something they don’t yet have the words for.

This course is designed to help parents, teachers, carers, and professionals uncover the deeper reasons behind challenging behaviour—and respond with strategies that lead to real, lasting change.

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Course overview:

Certified

Accredited

6 Modules

Study Group Access

Earn reward points

What Will You Learn?

What You’ll Learn

What “challenging behaviour” really means—and why it happens
The link between child development, brain function, and behaviour
How to identify root causes and respond rather than react
Tools to promote positive behaviours and prevent escalation
How to adjust your own mindset and responses for more peaceful outcomes
Effective strategies for both home and classroom settings

Every Behaviour Has a Meaning

Children often act out when they’re overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unable to express their needs. This course helps you:

Understand that behaviour is a form of communication
Look beyond the surface to uncover what a child may be trying to say
Approach difficult moments with empathy, patience, and clarity

The Building Blocks of Behaviour

Explore how brain development—from birth through adolescence—shapes behaviour. You'll learn:

What behaviours are developmentally normal
When to step in with support and structure
How to meet your child or student where they are, developmentally and emotionally

Rethink, Reframe, Respond

This course is not just about managing children’s behaviour—it’s about transforming the way you see and respond to it.

You’ll explore:

How your own reactions and mindset shape behavioural outcomes
Why behaviour change often starts with us, the adults
How to develop calm, mindful, and emotionally intelligent responses
Tools to become more aware, present, and empowered in your parenting or teaching role

Practical Tools That Make a Difference

You’ll learn a toolkit of proven strategies for everyday challenges such as:

Tantrums and emotional outbursts
Aggression or defiance
Inattention or classroom disruption
Withdrawal, anxiety, and overwhelm

These strategies are designed to be realistic, compassionate, and effective—whether you're working with toddlers, teens, or anyone in between.

For Educators and Classroom Support

Teachers face unique challenges when navigating difficult behaviours while trying to maintain a positive learning environment. This course includes:

Specific techniques to re-engage students
Strategies to address disruption, resistance, or anxiety
Tools to build stronger relationships with learners, especially those struggling to connect

This Course Is For You If You:

✅ Are a parent or caregiver looking for a calmer, more connected way to support your child
✅ Work in childcare, education, or mental health and want to strengthen your skills
✅ Are struggling to understand or manage a child’s challenging behaviour
✅ Want to shift from frustration to confidence with practical strategies
✅ Are ready to create a more peaceful, positive environment for children to thrive

Introduction
Part 1: What is Challenging Behaviour?
Part 2: Where Behaviour Comes From
Part 3: Challenging Behaviour in Babies
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 1 Assessment

Part 1: Challenging Behaviour
Part 2: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Attachment Theory
Part 3: Tips for Parenting a Child with Reactive Attachment Disorder or Insecure Attachment
Part 4: Other Reasons for Challenging Behaviour and Learning Styles
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 2 Assessment

Part 1: Inevitable Brain Development
Part 2: Teenage Challenges
Part 3: Punishment V Consequences
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 3 Assessment

Part 1: Dealing With Challenging Behaviour in Toddlers
Part 2: Empathise With Your Child
Part 3: Reflective Listening
Part 4: Let Them Know You Care
Part 5: How to Ask Questions
Part 6: Teen Issues
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 4 Assessment

Part 1: Be a Good Role Model
Part 2: Rose Coloured Glasses
Part 3: The Six Most Common Mistakes Parents Make
Part 4: Intention Setting
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 5 Assessment

Part 1: Behaviour and Discipline
Part 2: Global Issues and Concerns
Part 3: Strategies for Success
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Conclusion
Module 6 Assessment

The Challenging Behaviour in Children and Young People Diploma Course takes around 150 hours to complete and can be completed at your own pace. This is a Level 3 course and will give you 150 CPD (Continued Professional Development) points.

Upon completion of your course assessments, you receive 2 certificates. A certificate from the Centre of Excellence and a CPD certificate displaying the number of CPD points earned from the course.

Many Centre of Excellence courses are Fully Accredited by the world’s leading professional membership association for natural medicine – The Complementary Medical Association (The CMA).

You can apply to join The CMA as a Student Member while you are still studying, and if you do so, you will be eligible to use the post-nominal letters CMA after your name.

Upon graduation from a qualifying course, you will be eligible to apply for CMA Membership, and this will give you numerous professional benefits, including being able to use the letters MCMA after your name – Member of The Complementary Medical Association. This will demonstrate your commitment to excellence and professionalism in the natural healthcare field.

Register with The CMA as a Student or fully qualified Practitioner via the CMA website. You will be asked to submit your certificate of graduation and proof of insurance.

The CMA’s recommended insurers are Westminster global.

This course is endorsed by the Quality Licence Scheme. Therefore, upon successful completion of this course, learners can also receive a certificate of achievement from Quality Licence Scheme and a Learner Unit Summary, which lists the details of all the units the learner has completed as part of the course. (This certificate is optional and costs an additional £25).

The Quality Licence Scheme is part of the Skills and Education Group, a charitable organisation that unites education and skills-orientated organisations that share similar values and objectives. With more than 100 years of collective experience, the Skills and Education Group’s strategic partnerships create opportunities to inform, influence and represent the wider education and skills sector.

The Skills and Education Group also includes two nationally recognised awarding organisations; Skills and Education Group Awards and Skills and Education Group Access. Through their awarding organisations they have developed a reputation for providing high-quality qualifications and assessments for the education and skills sector. They are committed to helping employers, organisations and learners cultivate the relevant skills for learning, skills for employment, and skills for life.

Their knowledge and experience of working within the awarding sector enables them to work with training providers, through the Quality Licence Scheme, to help them develop high-quality courses and/or training programmes for the non-regulated market.

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FAQs

There is no time limit for completing your course it can be studied in your own time at your own pace.

All of our courses vary in length but most of our courses will take you between 50 - 250 hours to complete. The length of this course can be found in the Accreditations section above.

Once purchased your course is located in your Learning Centre on our website. Please log in using the same email address that you used when you purchased your course.

You can purchase a printed copy of your course materials at the checkout or from within your Learning Centre at any time after purchasing your course.