Time Out Secured Seclusion Restraint Alexis Cash, Program Facilitator

Time out is a behavioral management technique, when used appropriately, can help students gain control. Used inappropriately, time out can significantly disrupt the integrity of the classroom.

Time out may be defined as a period of time in which the student is placed in a less reinforcing environment. Time out should not be viewed as punishment; it is a consequence for the student who is exhibiting targeted, well-defined understood behavior.

Three Major Types of Time Out Nonexclusion Exclusion Isolation

Nonexclusion Time Out Allows the student to observe ongoing activities but not to participate. An example of ongoing activities would be: turn away from a child.

Exclusion Time Out Excluding the student from participation in and observation of ongoing classroom activities without removing the student. Examples of exclusion time out could be: moving student’s chair away from the lunch table or removing a disruptive student to a time out corner in the classroom.

Isolation Student is placed in a separate area.

Planning and Implementing Time Out Define the behaviors targeted for time out. Develop contingencies to be used prior to time out whenever possible. Consider relevant characteristics of the student. Determine initiation, duration, and termination of time out procedures. Develop appropriate and adequate transition procedures that allow the student to return to classroom activities.

Define the types of time out to be used and the conditions of supervision. Develop procedures for the reinforcement of desirable alternative behaviors. Communicate. Develop procedures for ensuring that the student understands the purpose and rules. Plan for monitoring and evaluating the time out intervention.

First-Level Interventions (examples): Planned Ignoring Be (or have aide/associate) available to counsel, provide one-to-one tutoring, or negotiate if the student is involved in a dispute. Modify/change student’s assignment to get him or her re-involved with learning. Select a task that will provide immediate success. Separate student from others (creative seat assignment).

Send student out of room – on an errand, for a walk, to “cool off”. Offer a “time – in” situation with a support person outside the classroom. Quietly praise other students for ignoring inappropriate student behavior. When possible, talk to disruptive student out of classroom away from other students so that he or she can save face.

Prior to Second-Level Interventions Post the rules and consequences; be sure students understand them. Identify the situations that reinforce the student’s inappropriate behavior. State explicitly the behavior that will result in time out. Attempt to control the inappropriate behavior with milder interventions (see above). Document the use of milder interventions before using exclusion or seclusion time out; indicate that they have been ineffective.

Second and Third-Level Interventions – Exclusion/Seclusion Time Out Follow written procedures when placing a student in exclusion or seclusion time out, such as the following: Avoid lengthy explanations to student Give students the opportunity to take their own time out If students refuse to take their own time out or fail to respond to the teacher’s instructions (within 5 to 10 seconds), physically remove them to the time out area. It should be noted that any staff person who may be asked or required to physically remove a student should first be trained in appropriate physical restraint procedures.

Keep time out period brief – 1 to 5 minutes Keep time out period brief – 1 to 5 minutes. (Time out periods longer than 15 minutes rarely serve their intended purpose-temporary withholding of positive reinforcement. For time out periods longer than 30 minutes, a supervisory staff person should be consulted about the appropriateness of continuing the time out procedure.) In-school suspension or other out of class but in school interventions should be considered. Make release from time out contingent on student’s behavior.

Plan for Transition Developed and communicated to students prior to implementing time out procedures. Plan should include a sequence of less restrictive time out settings to allow for gradual reentry.

Records should be kept for each occasion when time out is used: include the following: Student’s name Description of episode resulting in student’s placement in time out (i.e., behavior, activity, other students involved, staff person who made time out decision ) Type of time out (observation, exclusion, seclusion) Date, time, and duration of time out All less restrictive interventions tried but found ineffective Parent notification Teacher’s signature

Using Secured Seclusion (time out room): Secured seclusion should be used only When less restrictive intervention alternatives have been attempted and have failed, and this has been documented. To prevent acute self-mutilative behavior In an emergency when student shows evidence that he or she may injure others.

Secured seclusion should never be indicated for the following situations: As corporal punishment As a punishment technique in a planned behavior modification program To correct inappropriate behavior in students who do not pose a threat of physical harm to themselves or others To correct verbally disruptive or threatening behavior To punish for destroying property

Students in secured seclusion must be observed continuously. Secured seclusion is not a long-term intervention. If it exceeds 30 minutes, other intervention should be used.

Parental notification is essential Parental notification is essential. Notification to parents should include the following steps and information: Before secured seclusion can be used with a student, the school should have on file a permission slip signed and dated by the parent/guardian; this should be updated annually. Parents must be notified each time secured seclusion is used with their child. Notification of the parents will be included in the report of secured seclusion.

Every incidence of secured seclusion must be followed by a meaningful written report. This will include the information indicated in “Records” under “Exclusionary time out” as well as the following: The name of the person observing secured seclusion A brief summary that also identifies interventions used after secured seclusion

A written record of parent notification A written record of parent notification. Contact with parents after the use of secured seclusion should be mandatory. Written documentation of telephone notification should be included in the report. If telephone contact cannot be made, a letter or note should be sent, with a section for the parents’ signature, to be returned to the school to verify that the letter was received. Signature of building principal (designee) and person reporting the use of secured seclusion

Reports of secured seclusion should be made to the school principal at least daily. An advisory committee, consisting of the teacher, principal, behavioral specialist, and parent, should be called to evaluate the appropriateness of using time out as a consequence for misbehavior if its effect in suppressing the behavior is questionable.

A secured seclusion room must have the following characteristics: Must have at least 36 square feet Must be properly lighted (with the switch outside the room) Must be properly ventilated Must be free of objects and fixtures with which children could harm themselves Must be constructed so that an adult can continuously monitor all areas of the room, visually and auditorily Must not be locked. The door may be actively secured with a spring bolt or other latching device that automatically disengages when released by the person monitoring the student in the room Must meet all safety and fire code standards

Physical Restraint A personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head freely. The term physical restraint does not include a physical escort. Physical escort means a temporary touching or holding of the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, or back for the purpose of inducing a student who is acting out to walk to a safe location.

Mechanical Restraint The use of any device or equipment to restrict a student’s freedom of movement.

Mechanical Restraint Cont. The term does not include devices implemented by trained school personnel or devices utilized by a student that have been prescribed by an appropriate medical or related service professional and are used for the specific and approved purposes for which such devices were designed, ( this must be indicated on the IEP) such as:   • Adaptive devices or mechanical supports used to achieve proper body position, balance, or alignment to allow greater freedom of mobility than would be possible without the use of such devices or mechanical supports  • Vehicle safety restraints when used as intended during the transport of a student in a moving vehicle • Restraints for medical immobilization • Orthopedically prescribed devices that permit a student to participate in activities without risk of harm

New Legislation UPDATES! The use of mechanical restraint or manual physical restraint that restricts a child from breathing is prohibited! School Personnel is prohibited from closing, locking, or physically blocking a student in a room that is unlit and does not meet the time out room code (see slide 24)

Cont. Legislation Updates! Schools are required to notify parents or guardian each time restraint or seclusion is used before the end of the school day in writing. In addition, efforts must be shown to contact by telephone or email, or both. School must keep this in their records.

Legislation Updates All secured seclusion and restraints will be logged into State Database within 3 days of incident by administration or dean. All signed reports from parents will be put into the cum file (the left side)

District Procedures Once Secured Seclusion or Restraint is used by a trained faculty member, the supervising teacher will write the incident up on the district electronic form within 2 hours of the ending time of incident Faculty member will then send the incident report to the school administrator and make sure to call to the office and inform them that an incident has taken place and that the incident report has been sent. Administration will then review incident and record any further information from the teacher and call the parent to inform them of the incident. Inform parents that a written incident report will be sent home that day. If Administration has utilized both telephone and email and has not received confirmation back from parent, administration will send social worker out to the home with the incident report provided by the district.

District Procedures Cont. After parent has been made aware of incident by the end of the school day, administration will use the district incident report to fill out the State Database for Secured Seclusion and Restraint at: https://app1.fldoe.org/ESE/RestraintSeclusionIncident/Default.aspx You must have username and password provided by district. Once state report has been filled out and saved as a draft, Administration will contact Alexis Cash ( casha@mail.santarosa.k12.fl.us) to verify that all information has been accounted for. Within 24 hours of information sent, Alexis Cash will send back verification that the report is accounted for and any changes or updates that need to be added. Once verification has been sent, the documenting administrator will finalize the state incident report, print, and send home by mail within 3 days of initial incident date. Parent must sign and return the incident report. All signed incident reports will be placed in the student’s ESE Cumulative File or Section 504 File on the left side of folder.