Revealed: New expert tasked with hauling school kids into line

A spate of concerning bullying scandals have prompted the NSW government to hire a new Chief Behaviour Advisor. Meet the woman tasked with reforming our kids.

A renowned child and adolescent health expert has been unveiled as the government’s new Chief Behaviour Advisor tasked with hauling the state’s badly behaved pupils into line.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell welcomed Emeritus Professor Donna Cross OAM to the role and said she will report to the minister’s school advisory council.

“Professor Cross is a leader in the field of children’s mental health and brings with her decades of experience in education, public health and research, having worked with governments at a state, local and international level, including with the UN,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Her appointment as a specialist Advisor on student behaviour is a proactive and necessary step in addressing existing, as well as new and emerging, issues in our schools.

“These are complex issues that school and broader communities are dealing with, and while we need a whole-of-community approach, school can be a starting place to support engaged and healthy young people.”

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell welcomed Emeritus Professor Donna Cross OAM as the new chief behaviour advisor. Picture: Supplied

Professor Cross said cyber-bullying and bullying were among the most “heinous” issues plaguing schools.

“When children aren’t behaving well, they aren’t learning well, it’s impacting their wellbeing,” she said.

Professor Donna Cross is a leader in the field of children’s mental health

“If a child wasn’t reading well, we would help them to read better. So, if a child wasn’t behaving well we should be helping them.

“We need to use the best quality evidence to ensure we are at the forefront of actions to equip our students, their schools and families with the skills and tools to optimise their life outcomes.”