Safety & Wellbeing in Complex Services

In this episode, Clare talks to Cale Begley, Learning and Development Lead for Team Teach Australia and New Zealand, about how we can enhance safety, wellbeing, and productivity in complex support services.

They discuss the types of stressors staff might face and how these can impact safety and wellbeing. They also explore strategies to create calm, positive, and supportive environments for all, especially around behaviour.

Prior to his current position leading the L&D team for Australia and New Zealand, Cale worked in special needs education for over 15 years, with roles encompassing teaching, chaplaincy, and school leadership.  Most of Cale’s work was in a school for students with the most complex support needs, including physical, cognitive, and communication disabilities.

Cale led the school through a number of changes that supported the reduction of incidents, resulting in improvements in student and staff wellbeing and safety. His work with Team Teach now enables him to share his experience with other practitioners.

Cale shares three tips during the episode:

• When there is a high level of anxiety and escalation, reflect on whether contact and proximity are effective strategies for supporting behaviour and maximising safety, or whether this approach could lead to increased risk.
• Regularly review practice, asking: How can we prevent this situation from happening? How can we plan for situations if they do arise? And what do we have in place for post-incident support, repair, and learning?
• Teamwork is vital. Make sure there is always someone available to support colleagues, with clear processes in place for accessing that help and guidance.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region and be aware of the applicable