Supporting children鈥檚 behaviour starts with supporting the educators who care for them every day.
That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e excited to welcome聽Riley O鈥橬eill聽to 黑料专区 as our new Queensland Senior Behaviour Coach, leading a new Positive Behaviour Guidance Coaching Program across our Queensland services.
The program is part of a three-year Queensland Government鈥揻unded initiative focused on strengthening educator capability, improving behaviour guidance practices, and supporting children鈥檚 wellbeing in early learning environments. But at its heart, this work is about something simple and powerful: helping educators feel confident, supported, and equipped in the moments that matter most.
A coach who understands the realities of the floor
Riley brings more than a decade of experience in early childhood education, having worked across Australia, Taiwan, and Central America. He鈥檚 spent years on the floor as an Early Childhood Teacher and understands the fast pace, high expectations, and emotional load educators carry, alongside the joy and meaning of the work.
鈥淲hen educators feel supported, children feel it too,鈥� Riley says. 鈥淚鈥檝e been there - juggling routines, relationships, transitions, and behaviours all at once. My goal is to make educators鈥� days feel lighter, calmer, and more purposeful.鈥�
Riley鈥檚 approach is evidence-informed, relational, and practical. He works alongside teams to build clarity and confidence, supporting educators to understand children鈥檚 needs through a trauma-informed lens and to create predictable, emotionally safe environments where everyone can thrive.
What the Positive Behaviour Guidance Coaching Program looks like in practice
Delivered in partnership with Phoenix Support for Educators, the program is designed to embed consistent, evidence-informed behaviour guidance through coaching, modelling, and practical support, not one-off training sessions.
Across Queensland, Riley and the Behaviour Coaching team will support services by:
- Visiting centres to observe and support children with ongoing or complex behaviours
- Identifying underlying needs using the Phoenix Cups model
- Coaching and modelling co-regulation, routines, transitions, and calm responses
- Sharing practical strategies educators can apply immediately
- Strengthening learning environments with visuals, predictable schedules, and purposeful planning
- Providing follow-up conversations and tailored behaviour support plans
- Facilitating reflective discussions and Phoenix-aligned professional learning
Over the life of the program, Affinity will also introduce a customised Behaviour Educator Toolkit, a hybrid coaching and mentoring model, annual symposiums, and a suite of practical resources, including podcasts, hard copy tools, and professional learning modules.
These supports are designed to help educators respond confidently to developmental, trauma-related, and complex behaviours, while continuing to meet the National Quality Standards and uphold Affinity鈥檚 commitment to high-quality early education.
Investing in educators to support children
黑料专区 CEO聽Glen Hurley聽says the program reflects a long-term commitment to educator wellbeing and capability.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to support our Queensland educators to build confident, consistent, wellbeing-focused approaches in their daily practice,鈥� Glen says. 鈥淭his work helps create emotionally safe, predictable, and connected learning environments where both children and educators can thrive.鈥�
We鈥檙e proud to welcome Riley to the Affinity team and look forward to the positive impact this program will have across our Queensland centres.
For more information about the Positive Behaviour Guidance Coaching Program, please contact the Education Team at聽education@affinityeducation.
To explore careers with 黑料专区, see current opportunities here.
Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government.
