Administrative Procedures

Administrative Procedure 352

Seclusion and Physical Restraint

Background:

All students have the right to receive educational programming and supports in a safe and least restrictive environment. The student population includes students whose behaviour presents a concern for the health and safety of the students themselves, other students in the school, and/or staff.

Early intervention is the first strategy to be used to prevent misbehaviour and promote academic and behavioural student success.  All behavioural interventions assume a regard for well-being and dignity of students and staff.  Educators, parents and other members of the school community will work together to promote positive behaviour, teach and reinforce appropriate social skills, and encourage the development of respect and responsibility in students. 

If seclusion or physical restraint are used, strategies must be systematically planned, delivered, supervised and evaluated to determine their effectiveness with individual students and should only be used when less restrictive interventions have not been successful. 

Definitions:

Seclusion: 

Seclusion is the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving.  This includes situations where a door is secured or held by staff.

Physical Restraint:

A physical restraint is defined as any method of one or more persons restricting another person’s freedom of movement, physical activity, or normal access to his or her body.

Guidelines:

1. Children whose pattern of behaviour impedes their learning or the learning of others should receive appropriate educational assessment, including functional behaviour assessments followed by behavioural intervention plans that incorporate appropriate positive behavioural interventions.
2. Seclusion or physical restraint procedures should be used in school settings only when the physical safety of the student and/or others is in imminent danger.
3. Seclusion or physical restraint is viewed as a “last resort” intervention while maintaining student dignity as much as possible. “Last resort” means that all other available interventions have been implemented with fidelity and these interventions have failed to prevent or de-escalate a situation and there is significant concern for the personal safety of the student and/or others.
4. Seclusion and physical restraint should be used for the purpose of redirection of misbehaviour that has resulted in repeated and directed aggression or hostility that compromises safety and not as punishment or as a substitute for appropriate educational support. 

Procedures:

1. Any student in seclusion must be supervised by an adult for the entire period of the seclusion.  
2. The form Informed Consent for Intensive Behavioural Interventions must be signed by parents/guardians to indicate knowledge of the potential use of these interventions and conditions under which they will be used.  The form must accompany a student safety plan. The safety plan should be developed in conjunction with a behaviour plan which outlines behavioural goals and positive strategies for improving student behaviour.
3. Administration will be notified as soon as a student is put in seclusion or physical restraint.
4. Parents will be informed as soon as possible if physical restraint or seclusion has been utilized for their child.
5. The use of seclusion will be documented at 5 minute intervals in a log (Form 352-1)that indicates the behaviour resulting in the seclusion, the time entered, the behaviour at each interval, and the time released. The log must be signed/initialed by staff.  This documentation will be available to the parent upon their request.
6. The use of physical restraint will be documented showing events leading up to the use and outcome (352-1).
7. All staff and administration involved in programming for a child in which the potential to use physical restraint is present must be trained in appropriate procedures.
8. Should a student present with behaviours that compromise the safety of others, and the student has never presented such behaviours before, the use of physical restraint and/or seclusion for safety reasons may occur at the discretion of a school based administrator.  This incident must be documented and reported to parents.

Follow-up:

1. Debriefing following the use of physical restraint or seclusion is required.  The school based team involved will meet to review the events that occurred and problem-solve to determine what is needed to prevent escalation of such behaviours in the future.
2. A member of the school based team will contact parents and debrief following the use of physical restraint or seclusion.

Seclusion/Timeout Rooms:

1. Seclusion/Timeout rooms must provide for the safety and security of the student and be shown to be effective in the reduction of dangerous behaviours and the promotion of the appropriate behaviour.  Timeout/seclusion rooms must:
1. Meet National Building Code of Canada regulations re: Door Release Hardware
2. Be supervised at all times
3. Not contain items or fixtures that may be harmful to students
4. Be well ventilated
5. Allow students to exit should there be an emergency
6. Provide the means where adults can visually monitor the student

References:

The Education Act, 1995, Sec. 152 (General Discipline)

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code (The Right to Education)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 19 (Protection from all forms of violence), Article 28 (Right to Education) and Article 37 (Detention and Punishment)

The National Building Code of Canada 2010 – 3.4.6.16 Door Release Hardware

Lloydminster Public School Division

April 2014