Supporting children’s behaviour starts with supporting the educators who care for them every day.
That’s why we’re excited to welcome Riley O’Neill to Affinity Education 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–funded initiative focused on strengthening educator capability, improving behaviour guidance practices, and supporting children’s 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’s 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.
“When educators feel supported, children feel it too,” Riley says. “I’ve been there - juggling routines, relationships, transitions, and behaviours all at once. My goal is to make educators’ days feel lighter, calmer, and more purposeful.”
Riley’s approach is evidence-informed, relational, and practical. He works alongside teams to build clarity and confidence, supporting educators to understand children’s 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’s commitment to high-quality early education.
Investing in educators to support children
Affinity Education CEO Glen Hurley says the program reflects a long-term commitment to educator wellbeing and capability.
“We’re excited to support our Queensland educators to build confident, consistent, wellbeing-focused approaches in their daily practice,” Glen says. “This work helps create emotionally safe, predictable, and connected learning environments where both children and educators can thrive.”
We’re 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 education@affinityeducation.
To explore careers with Affinity Education, see current opportunities here.
Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government.
