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Live webinar – 12th August, 2025 (recording will be available to watch/purchase after this)
When supporting students who are experiencing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, school staff often walk a fine line between compassion, legal responsibility, and practical limitations. In this session, Dr Matt O’Connor (Clinical and School Psychologist) and Ben Tallboys (Principal – Lawyer) will unpack the complexities of duty of care in these situations.
Together, they will explore:
This PD is designed for
This practical and informative session will help pastoral care leaders, school psychologists and counsellors and school leaders to better understand their responsibilities, while feeling more confident in setting fair and sustainable boundaries when supporting students at risk.
This course includes:
Who is it for?
Presented by:
Dr Matt O’Connor
Clinical and School Psychologist
Dr Matt O’Connor is a Clinical and School Psychologist, Board-Approved Supervisor, and Director of ConnectEd Counselling and Consultancy—a Brisbane-based clinic supporting young people, families, and schools. With experience across clinical, educational, and organisational settings, Matt brings a deep understanding of the real-world challenges facing school-based professionals.
His areas of expertise are in supporting school psychologists, counsellors, and pastoral care staff to navigate the layered dynamics of school systems, where limited time, complex relationships, and competing demands can make the work especially challenging.
Matt’s work focuses on implementing practical, sustainable approaches to student wellbeing, including the design of effective school counselling systems, early intervention initiatives, and whole-school pastoral care frameworks. He helps schools create clear, usable processes that align with best practice.
A sought-after presenter, Matt has delivered over 1,000 workshops, presentations and keynotes for schools, universities, and organisations across Australia, combining academic insight with practical strategies that genuinely support those working on the ground.
Ben Tallboys
Principal – Russell Kennedy
Ben has been providing workplace relations, education, governance and safety advice to schools since 2006.
With the support of his team at Russell Kennedy, Ben advises Heads and Boards around Australia on all matters to do with staff, students, parents, governance and the media.
Ben almost exclusively works with independent schools, and in any given month his team will often support 100+ schools (in addition to generalist advice shared with peak education bodies).
Ben regularly advises schools on a range of governance issues, including regulatory compliance, conflicts of interest, delegations, arrangements with parents’ associations, grievance management, and crisis management. Ben assists Boards with managing complaints against Principals, and he is often retained in response to governance and student safety concerns raised with Boards by school regulators and the media.
In addition to working directly with schools, Ben and his team also work with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia, Independent Schools Australia, Independent Schools Victoria and systems for Anglican, Catholic and Lutheran schools both locally and interstate.
Ben is a Hutchins alumni.
School Psychologist and Counsellor PD package
Access ALL courses from 2023-2025
(works out to be only $15 per PD!)
"It has been really helpful to have access to PD that's specific to school psychology/ counselling. The most helpful element has been hearing about the diversity of school psychology/ counselling, and getting a sense of what's "normal" in terms of role expectations, approaches to counselling, etc."
"I appreciated the focus on processes and how to effectively set up localised, meaningful systems (within an already existing system of a school/sector)"
Expert-designed live and on-demand webinars, complete with resources, for school psychologists and counsellors. Covering the most important, practical, and complex areas of school-based practice.
"ConnectEd provides informative, thoughtful and engaging PD that can be applied to all therapeutic practices. Being available for live sessions is difficult, but the ability to go back and view recordings has made ConnectEd one of my favourite ways to stay up-to-date on topics that are always relevant to my practice."
A practical and engaging guide to designing and running effective intervention groups in primary school settings
A practical PD session on balancing well-being and time management for school psychologists and counsellors counsellors, covering burnout prevention, boundary setting, and effective time management strategies to enhance efficiency and work-life balance
Learn how to harness AI tools to improve efficiency, streamline processes, and navigate compliance in your professional practice in schools.
A practical and insightful session exploring strategies and tools to collaborate effectively with parents, supporting student wellbeing and success.
Explore frameworks and strategies for building effective interdisciplinary teamwork between school psychologists and learning support teams to enhance student success
Gain essential insights into Family Law Orders, parental responsibilities, and navigating the complexities of family dynamics in schools.
Expert-designed live and on-demand webinars, complete with resources, for school psychologists and counsellors. Covering the most important, practical, and complex areas of school-based practice.
Learn how to ask the right questions, collect and analyse data effectively, and share your findings to make a real difference in your school community.
Explore innovative strategies for school psychologists and counsellors to support student well-being beyond traditional therapy.
Enhance your skills in supporting school administration and support staff, managing pressure points, and fostering collaboration for better student care.
Discover practical guidance for setting up and managing effective school wellbeing spaces to support student self-regulation and mental health.
Explore practical strategies for school assessments, from administration to reporting, to enhance personalised learning and support mental health interventions.
Learn effective meeting structures to enhance service delivery in schools, improving collaboration and productivity for school psychologists and counsellors
Learn practical strategies to set boundaries, prevent burnout, and enhance wellbeing in your professional role.
Enhance your presentation and group facilitation skills in school settings with practical tips and strategies.
Learn to use digital systems for efficient management of referrals, bookings, notes, and data in school counselling and psychology settings.
Enhance your school’s approach to managing student risk. Learn to pre-plan, identify, assess, and manage risk, ensuring effective communication and better outcomes.
Learn to collect, analyse, and communicate data to improve service delivery and support student well-being.
Discover strategies to define your role, enhance clarity, and improve communication as a school psychologist or counsellor
This unique Professional Development session will explore how to integrate AI-driven digital scribing solutions into your practise—whether you are a psychologist, physiotherapist, GP, or other health practitioner!
Pastoral Carers PD package
Access ALL courses for 2025
(works out to be only $25 per PD!)
Tailor-made live and on-demand webinars (and resources), designed specifically for Pastoral Carers in Schools. Supporting you with practical insights, strategies and considerations to address the unique challenges faced in these roles (e.g. year level coordinators, heads of house, deputies and principals).
Explore practical strategies for supporting young people in developing healthy technology habits, engaging parents in conversations about digital wellbeing, and creating effective guidelines for technology use
Strengthen school-home relationships with practical strategies for effective communication, managing difficult conversations, and fostering parent engagement.
A PD session that equips pastoral carers with skills to set boundaries, prevent burnout, and prioritise sustainable wellbeing in their roles.
Gain essential insights into Family Law Orders, parental responsibilities, and navigating the complexities of family dynamics in schools.
Discover how to optimise pastoral care processes with digital systems and tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in your role
Tailor-made live and on-demand webinars (and resources), designed specifically for Pastoral Carers in Schools. Supporting you with practical insights, strategies and considerations to address the unique challenges faced in these roles (e.g. year level coordinators, heads of house, deputies and principals).
Discover strategies to define your role, enhance clarity, and improve communication as a school psychologist or counsellor
Gain essential skills in managing risk and supporting students at risk of significant self-harm and suicide. This webinar will cover comprehensive processes for identification, assessment, immediate management, and ongoing care, ensuring effective and empathetic support within a school setting.
Enhance your role as a school pastoral carer with practical counselling skills to support students' mental health. This webinar will provide you with essential tools for handling challenging conversations, establishing effective boundaries, and collaborating efficiently with your team.
Enhance your role as a school pastoral carer with practical strategies for clarity, consistency, and communication, strategies better define your responsibilities, establish effective boundaries, and collaborate efficiently with your team.
Practical guidance for school staff supporting students experiencing family difficulties, including separation, conflict, and other complex home situations.
A practical PD session on balancing well-being and time management for school psychologists and counsellors counsellors, covering burnout prevention, boundary setting, and effective time management strategies to enhance efficiency and work-life balance
A practical and insightful session exploring strategies and tools to collaborate effectively with parents, supporting student wellbeing and success.
Gain essential insights into Family Law Orders, parental responsibilities, and navigating the complexities of family dynamics in schools.
Explore innovative strategies for school psychologists and counsellors to support student well-being beyond traditional therapy.
Explore practical strategies for school assessments, from administration to reporting, to enhance personalised learning and support mental health interventions.
Enhance your school’s approach to managing student risk. Learn to pre-plan, identify, assess, and manage risk, ensuring effective communication and better outcomes.
This unique Professional Development session will explore how to integrate AI-driven digital scribing solutions into your practise—whether you are a psychologist, physiotherapist, GP, or other health practitioner!
ConnectEd acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live, the Turrbal and Yuggera people, and pay our respect to Elders past and present. We celebrate, learn and welcome stories, culture, and traditions, and acknowledge the history and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of all communities
We also embrace and welcome people from all faiths, cultures, genders and diversities. We celebrate the unique humanity in all of us.
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