Schools
PETMA™ (Professional Ethical Therapeutic Mindful Approach) stands as the pioneering and sole Irish-based model of behaviour management training accredited with the Restraint Reduction Network, BILD Certified, and proudly Guaranteed Irish. Developed by Martha McGinn and Bernie Kerridge, Company Directors of the National Institute of Intellectual Disability Studies, PETMA™ emerged from extensive research into the needs of those providing support to children and young people in special schools, schools, special classes, or residential and respite care settings in Ireland.
PETMA™ is meticulously designed to equip teachers, SNAs, and other education professionals with the fundamental professional, ethical, and therapeutic competencies, knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to support children and young people in school settings during moments of distress.
The programme aims to guide them to a calmer state while ensuring the safety of all involved. These programme focus on providing learners with relevant skills in prevention, prediction, and recognition of escalating situations, as well as the ability to manage actual or potential verbal or physical distressful behaviour.
There are three programmes available.
Click on a section below to view full details.
This programme is tailored for staff supporting children and young people with a range of developmental disabilities, including Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, Attachment Disorder, or educational and/or social vulnerability. These individuals may occasionally exhibit behaviours of concern, potentially leading to distressing or verbal and physical distressful behaviour.
Specifically, this programme is suitable for:
- Teachers
- Special Needs Assistants (SNAs)
- Resource Teachers
- Managers
- Direct support workers
- Parents
- Unpaid carers
Allied professionals working in mainstream schools, special education settings, respite, or residential services.
These services may be provided by the Department of Education, HSE, voluntary bodies, or private agencies. For further information, please request a brochure here.
This programme is meticulously designed to fulfil the mandatory requirements for all staff working with children and young people in schools or disability services. However, it goes beyond the basics by offering an opportunity for staff to delve into an in-depth case study focusing on child or young people experiencing significant distress. This aspect of the programme involves a thorough examination of the root causes and triggers behind their distressful behaviour.
This programme is specifically tailored for individuals supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) who may exhibit behaviour of concern, potentially resulting in distressing behaviour and verbal or physical distress.
The programme is designed for staff working in various educational settings, including mainstream schools and special education settings. These services may be provided by the Department of Education, HSE, voluntary bodies, or private agencies, such as early education services or out-of-school recreation programme.
Specifically, this programme is suitable for:
- Teachers
- Special Needs Assistants (SNAs)
- Resource teachers
- School principals
- Bus escorts
- After-school club staff
- Allied professionals
For further information, please request a brochure here.
What is PETMA™ TTT?
PETMA™ TTT presents a distinct behaviour support training approach for disability organisations, schools, and nursing homes in Ireland, which is HIQA compliant, standing out from other models which have flooded the market. While many of these models originated as staff self-defence courses, PETMA™ took a different approach by listening to service users' voices. This enabled the development of a behaviour support model centred on understanding, empathy, compassion, and collaboration with service users.
PETMA™ TTT empowers trainers to enact real change in classrooms, enabling them to deliver tailored content relevant to the individuals they support. Through conducting a Training Needs Analysis (TNA), trainers gain insight into the practical challenges and realities faced by staff daily. This knowledge allows them to deliver the 2-day Foundation Programme with a mix of mandatory modules and also to craft a customised training programme, drawing on our vast number of modules that addresses specific needs effectively.