‘A promising, practical solution’: Sydney’s new schools-based therapy changes how teachers and parents deal with bullying

Melissa Anderson, who works at the Ingleburn parent-child interaction therapy hub, says PCIT is one of the most effective programs in managing emotional and behavioural problems in young children. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

When children began at Ingleburn public school in south-west Sydney with disruptive behaviour, parents often laid blame with the teachers and their educating style. Then the school opened a world-first behavioural clinic that brought families into the school grounds – with “dramatic results”, according to the school’s principal, Graeme Green.

He says that after 25 years on the job seeing many programs with varying results, “I’ve never seen such a calm, beautiful school operating”.