This story began a little more than two years ago. It's the story of a sleeper issue in schools being boldly addressed – an issue none of the so-called experts and commentators talk about in their unhealthy obsession with school "performance" through the narrow lens of NAPLAN results.

It's the story of an Education Minister and a department head genuinely listening to the representatives of a profession and being prepared to accept the occasional challenging news day because it's the right thing to do. It's the story of brave teachers saying "no more".

Finally, it's the story of the rapid turnaround in approach that can be achieved by an effective and tenacious union.

Two years ago, we surveyed members of the teachers union. They told us by the hundreds they were being verbally and physically abused at work. This is unsurprising in workplaces that welcome all comers. Public schools do the bulk of the heavy lifting for students with complex needs, though private schools no doubt face similar issues. While it wasn't surprising that occupational violence was happening, usually resulting in soft tissue and superficial injuries, it was surprising to uncover the extent to which teachers had accepted being hit, kicked, spat on and sworn at as part of the job.

It was deeply concerning that most people were unwilling or unable to talk them out of that view. The cultural-change journey then began, convincing a caring profession that turning a blind eye helped no one – not them, their families or their students.

What message was being sent to children when (mainly) boys got off pretty much scot-free after they assaulted women (mainly women, who make up 75 per cent of teachers)? How did this sit with our national commitment to addressing domestic violence? We heard stories of young girls cowering under a desk while a boy attacked a teacher. We heard of the young female teacher who wished a metal bracket that had smashed into the wall next to her head had actually struck her "so something would be done".

After robust but ultimately productive negotiations between the employer and the union, a nation-leading occupational violence policy and an occupational violence management plan were born in July 2017. Next year in Canberra, this work will be shared with educational officials, teachers and unionists from other states and territories, which are mostly well behind the ACT. In our schools, training of staff has begun, resources have been increased within the work safety team, school leaders are prioritising the issue, a reporting culture is growing, and Worksafe ACT is taking an active interest.

Not all incidents have been perfectly addressed, but good practice is evolving. WorkSafe's latest intervention will result in quality assurance mechanisms to ensure that all incidents receive the appropriate response and follow-up. Four more work-safety practitioners will be employed to share their expertise. The government will develop a parental-engagement strategy and numerous other promising measures.

Our union is seeking to build upon this in enterprise bargaining, negotiating an occupational violence clause in the teachers' enterprise agreement, face-to-face training and refresher training for all public school teachers, and the time and training that health and safety representatives need to properly perform a role with increased expectations.

Schools are statistically very safe places, but our union wants to make them as safe as they can possibly be. We do not judge those children who act violently in schools – there are myriad explanations for that sort of behaviour. But we must be mature enough to care for, help and educate these often troubled young people at the same time that we professionally manage their violent behaviour as a hazard to workers. We can do both, we must do both, and we are now trying to do both.

In a few years' time, when the ACT is a beacon for occupational violence management in this country, our union will be proud that we lifted the lid on this problem, and our public servants and politicians will be proud that they braved some short-term reputational risk and rolled up their sleeves with us.

Glenn Fowler, a public school teacher, is secretary of the Australian Education Union's ACT branch.