Post by @youreducationadvo

RESTRAINT IS NOT A BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. IT IS A CRISIS INTERVENTION. A student refusing work, yelling, leaving their seat, being disrespectful, laying in the floor, or being noncompliant does not automatically justify putting hands on them. The U.S. Department of Education has stated that restraint and seclusion should be avoided to the greatest extent possible and should not be used except when a student’s behavior poses an imminent danger of serious physical harm to themselves or others. And restraint should NEVER become the behavior plan. When I hear, “We had to restrain them,” my advocate brain immediately has questions: What created the safety emergency? What de escalation strategies were attempted first? Who performed the restraint and what training did they have? What type of restraint was used and for how long? Was the student injured? When was the parent notified? Where is the written incident report? Was the incident required to be reported to the district or state? And if this keeps happening, why does this child keep reaching crisis and what is the team changing? For students with IEPs whose behavior impedes their learning or the learning of others, IDEA requires the team to consider positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies. Parents also need to know that restraint and seclusion requirements are not identical across the country. Each state may have different laws, regulations, policies, or guidelines regarding when restraint is permitted, prohibited practices, staff training, parent notification, documentation, incident reports, and reporting to the district or state. So know YOUR state’s requirements and ask for the documentation. *Disclosure: All name, schools, and identifying details have been removed or altered to protect privacy. This content was created in a one-party consent state where all parties agreed to record the meeting. The purpose of this post is educational and advocacy-based. #specialeducation #fape #advocate #iep #504plan