Addressing Educator Behaviour Concerns: A Step-by-Step Guide

Table of Contents

• Why Addressing Educator Behaviour Concerns Matters for Culture
• Step 1: Identify and Understand the Behaviour Concern
  • Distinguishing between performance issues and behaviour concerns
  • Recognising triggers and context
• Step 2: Documenting Staff Performance Issues
  • What to record and when
  • Creating a clear incident record
• Step 3: Having Difficult Conversations with Staff
  • Preparing for the conversation
  • In-the-moment conversation frameworks
• Step 4: Aligning Behaviour with the Early Childhood Educator Code of Ethics
• Step 5: Creating a Behaviour Support Plan
• Step 6: Follow-Up and Reflective Practice
• Building a Culture Where Concerns Are Addressed Proactively
• Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: October 1, 2026

Why Addressing Educator Behaviour Concerns Matters for Culture

When an educator's behaviour doesn't align with your centre's values, the whole team feels it. Other staff members lose trust. Children sense the inconsistency. Parents notice the difference. And suddenly, the culture you've worked to build starts to fracture.

Leaders often avoid addressing educator behaviour concerns because it feels uncomfortable or risky. But avoiding the conversation costs more than having it. Teams with unaddressed behaviour concerns experience higher turnover, lower morale, and weaker accountability.

You don't need to be a conflict expert. You need a clear system. Addressing educator behaviour concerns isn't about catching people out or being punitive, it's about creating clarity so your whole team understands what good looks like and how to live it every day. When you address concerns early and consistently, you send a powerful message: culture is everyone's responsibility, and we protect it together.

This guide walks you through six practical steps to address educator behaviour concerns in a way that builds trust, strengthens accountability, and keeps your culture intact.

Step 1: Identify and Understand the Behaviour Concern

Before you have a difficult conversation, be clear about what you're seeing. A behaviour concern differs from a performance issue. Performance issues are about capability, someone struggles with a task or needs training. Behaviour concerns are about choices, someone acts in ways that contradict your values, undermine your culture, or breach professional expectations.

Distinguishing between performance issues and behaviour concerns

A performance issue: an educator struggles to write observation notes or manage transitions. A behaviour concern: an educator speaks harshly to a child, dismisses a parent's concern, or ignores a safety protocol after training.

Each requires a different response. Performance issues need training or coaching. Behaviour concerns need clarity about expectations and accountability. Ask yourself: "Is this about capability, or about choices?" If capability, focus on support. If choices, you're addressing a behaviour concern.

Recognising triggers and context

Understand the full picture. Look for patterns: Does this happen at specific times? With particular people? Has something changed recently? Is the educator under stress? Understanding context doesn't excuse the behaviour, but it helps you respond effectively. An educator who's burned out needs different support than someone deliberately undermining values. Observe, talk confidentially to team members, and ask: What's really going on?

Step 2: Documenting Staff Performance Issues

Documentation protects everyone: the educator, your team, the children, and your centre. It creates a clear record of what happened and what was done. Good documentation is the most respectful thing you can do, it ensures concerns are handled fairly, consistently, and professionally.

What to record and when

Record a behaviour concern when it breaches your centre's values, affects child safety, undermines team culture, happens repeatedly, or requires action.

What to include: date and time, what happened (specific facts, not interpretations), who was involved, context, your response, and next steps.

Example: "Tuesday 14 October, 3:15pm. During snack, educator Sarah spoke to Mia in a raised voice, saying 'You're being silly, just sit down.' Mia became upset. Other children looked uncomfortable. Sarah mentioned being tired. I'll have a full conversation tomorrow to discuss expectations around tone with children."

Creating a clear incident record

Keep records factual and specific. Describe what you saw and heard, not interpretations. Store records securely and confidentially. If the educator asks to see their record, show it, transparency builds trust. Don't let records pile up without action. Document, then act.

Step 3: Having Difficult Conversations with Staff

Difficult conversations feel risky. But avoiding the conversation damages the relationship far more than having it. A well-prepared conversation often goes better than you expect.

Preparing for the conversation

Before you sit down, get clear on three things:

1. What behaviour are you addressing? Be specific. "I want to talk about what happened on Tuesday when you spoke to Mia" is clearer than "I want to talk about your attitude."

2. Why it matters. Connect it to your values. "Speaking harshly to children contradicts our commitment to respectful care."

3. What you want to happen next. Are you seeking understanding? Exploring what's going on? Be clear about your intention.

Choose a quiet office, early in the day, with enough time. No interruptions, no audience.

In-the-moment conversation frameworks

Open with curiosity, not accusation. Instead of "You were rude to Mia," try "I noticed something on Tuesday. I want to understand what was happening from your perspective." This invites dialogue instead of triggering defensiveness.

Use this structure:

1. Describe what you observed: "On Tuesday at 3:15pm, during snack, I heard you speak to Mia in a raised voice."

2. Share the impact: "When children hear that tone, they feel unsafe."

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3. Invite their perspective: "Help me understand what was happening for you."

Listen without interrupting. The educator might share context you didn't know.

4. Name the expectation: "In our centre, we speak to children with respect and warmth, even when redirecting behaviour."

5. Problem-solve together: "What would help you manage that differently next time? What support do you need?"

Real conversation example:

You: "I noticed on Tuesday you spoke to Mia in a raised voice during snack. What was happening?"

Educator: "I was frustrated. She was disruptive and I'd asked her three times to sit down."

You: "I hear that. When you speak in that tone, children feel scared rather than guided. What would help you stay calm?"

Educator: "I was just tired."

You: "That makes sense. Let's think about what might help.

Step 4: Aligning Behaviour with the Early Childhood Educator Code of Ethics

Your centre operates within a professional framework. The Early Childhood Educators Professional Code of Conduct sets clear expectations for professional behaviour, relationships with children and families, and accountability.

Key areas of the code include:

• Respectful relationships with children, families, and colleagues
• Child safety and wellbeing as the priority
• Professional conduct that maintains public trust
• Accountability for decisions and actions
• Ongoing professional development and reflection

Step 5: Creating a Behaviour Support Plan

If a behaviour concern is significant or recurring, a behaviour support plan creates accountability and clarity.

A simple behaviour support plan includes:

• The behaviour of concern: Specific, observable description
• Why it matters: Connection to values, code of conduct, or child safety
• What needs to change: Clear expectation
• How you'll support it: Training, coaching, check-ins, resources
• How you'll measure progress: Specific signs of change
• Timeline: When you'll review progress (usually 2-4 weeks)
• Consequences if change doesn't happen: Be honest about next steps

Example framework:

Step 6: Follow-Up and Reflective Practice

The conversation and plan are just the start. Follow-up is where real change happens.

Building a Culture Where Concerns Are Addressed Proactively

Here's what we know from working with Early Learning leaders: strong, consistent cultures address concerns early and openly. They don't wait for things to get bad. They don't avoid difficult conversations.

This doesn't happen by chance. It happens when leaders:

• Set clear expectations about behaviour and values from day one
• Model the behaviour they expect, speak respectfully, admit mistakes, ask for feedback
• Address concerns promptly before they become patterns
• Support people to succeed through coaching, resources, and genuine care
• Make it safe to speak up so concerns surface early, not late
• Celebrate consistency when people live the values