1. Emergency Safety Interventions
Presented by:
Linda Aldridge, Ed.D.
Joan Robbins, Ph.D.
Facilitator Notes
Intended Audience:
All staff, licensed and classified, who have experienced the initial all staff presentation and who will benefit from on-going professional development.
Presentation time:
15 minutes
Set Up:
Adults should be seated in small groups, three to six per group
A scenario is embedded; allow one minute discussion time for this scenario.
Do not extend thinking time. Remember, rapid pace.
Evaluation:
Quiz at end through Infinitec or to be downloaded and used on-site
Talking Points Explanation:
Power Point notes include key talking points that will be discussed in voice overs. Listen to participant discussion. Make sure talking points are emphasized, especially if talking points did not emerge in participant discussion.
Kansas State Department of Education | Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson St., Suite 102, Topeka, KS | |

2. Seclusion & Restraint Beyond the Basics
ESI:
Seclusion & Restraint
Beyond the Basics
Facilitator Notes
Intended Audience:
All staff, licensed and classified, who have experienced the initial all staff presentation and who will benefit from on-going professional development.
Presentation time:
15 minutes
Set Up:
Adults should be seated in small groups, three to six per group
A scenario is embedded; allow one minute discussion time for this scenario.
Do not extend thinking time. Remember, rapid pace.
Evaluation:
Quiz at end through Infinitec or to be downloaded and used on-site
Talking Points Explanation:
Power Point notes include key talking points that will be discussed in voice overs. Listen to participant discussion. Make sure talking points are emphasized, especially if talking points did not emerge in participant discussion.
Kansas State Department of Education | Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson St., Suite 102, Topeka, KS | |

3. Presenters: Linda Aldridge, Ed.D. Joan Robbins, Ph.D.

4. Attention Please! This is important. Facilitator Notes
Please share with participants:
Short presentation (15 min.)
Accountability – evaluation at end of presentation
State requirement that EACH staff member has some minimum knowledge regarding emergency safety interventions
Voice over power point
Embedded scenario for discussion (Power Point must be paused for participant discussion)
This is important.

5. Emergency Safety Interventions
Seclusion
Restraint
Talking Point
Seclusion and restraint are the two interventions referenced in State law and district policy.

6. When is seclusion/restraint allowed?
Reasonable and immediate danger of physical harm
Present ability to affect such harm
Cease as soon as immediate danger ceases to exist
Violent action that is destructive of property
Talking Points
Key words are “immediate” and “present ability.”
Consider the “reasonable person” strategy.
Size and age of child, comparative physical status of adult, nature of danger, access to resources, etc. ALL impact the individual’s judgement at the time of the incident.
Property damage – Yes, damage to property can be a basis for utilizing ESIs, BUT consider:
District policy
Nature of “damage”
Is protection of property really worth possible injury to student and/or adult?

7. PREVENTION Talking Points
Seclusion and restraint are EMERGENCY interventions.
If student behavior is predictable (has happened previously) PLAN for provision of supports that prevent dangerous situations from arising, or that can assist in de-escalation prior to emergence of dangerous behaviors.
An emergency means someone is about to get hurt or is getting hurt. Something needs to be done right away.
Through planning, avoid emergencies.

8. Key Documents State Statute District Policy KSDE ESI Guidance Document
Talking Points
State law provides explicit requirements regarding seclusion and restraint.
Every district has a policy regarding emergency safety interventions.
KSDE establishes expectations via Emergency Safety Intervention Revised Guidance Document.
Documents are available on your district web-site and the KSDE web-site.

9. Definition - Seclusion
Purposefully placed
Isolated from adults and peers
Egress is not permitted or the student reasonably believes she is not allowed to leave
Talking Points
Based upon statutory language.
All three conditions must be met.
If the “adult present” is there solely to prevent egress, the child is still considered to be isolated and is, therefore, considered to be secluded.
If a teacher “directs” placement, it could be reasonably assumed that the student IS NOT permitted to leave.
Must be considered from the perspective of the child.

10. Definition – Physical Restraint
Bodily force used to substantially limit a student’s movement
Talking Points
Based upon statutory language.
Share key terms, but don’t get too hung up on the details.
Not to be used for adult convenience or as punishment.
Remember, mechanical, prone, and chemical restraint – specifically prohibited

11. Test your understanding
A fourteen year old student misunderstands two peers and believes he was physically threatened.
This student screams at the peers, “I’m going to kill you,” and runs into the hallway.
As two staff members approach this student, he backs away, screaming, “Don’t hurt me.”
The student backs down the hallway and into a bathroom.
The two staff members stand in the bathroom entrance (there is no door), preventing egress.
The student is directed to remain in the bathroom until he is calm.
The student attempts to leave the bathroom, charging at the two staff members.
The staff members, trained in a nationally recognized program, attempt a two person hold, but the student twists away and runs to the counselor’s office.
Talking Points
Allow five minutes small group discussion time.
Was there an emergency?
Was this student restrained?
Was this student secluded?
What about parental notification?
What planning should occur as a result of this incident?

12. Thoughts from Linda and Joan
This student was secluded.
Restraint was at least attempted.
Definitely notify parents.
Adult response escalated student behavior.
Think PREVENTION.
Talking Points
Was there really an emergency? Could be a variety of thoughts regarding this question.
If this has happened before, there should have been a plan.
Now there definitely needs to be a plan.
The adults may have inadvertently escalated the situation by moving toward the student.
Seclusion occurred as the student was not allowed to leave, even though the initial event was over.
Seclusion in the bathroom likely further escalated the situation.
The student ran to the counselor’s office. Was this a pre-taught safe spot? If not, perhaps it should become one.
Definitely notify parents, both seclusion and restraint.
Consider the initial “trigger” when developing a plan. Are there on-going language processing issues? Or was this an isolated event?

13. Parental Rights Easy access to critical documents
Web-site and handbook requirements
Parental notification of an emergency safety intervention event
Talking Points
When in doubt, notify the parent.
Solid relationships are built on a foundation of trust, respect, and safe guarding of parent and student rights.
Parents might suspect a “cover-up” if it looks like school people are trying to hide something.

14. INVITE TRUST Talking Points INVITE trust.
Failure to notify parents results in distrust, appearance of cover-up, reasonable parental fear that important information is withheld.

15. A quick quiz What have you learned? Talking Points
Participants may access Infinitec and complete the quiz.
Award professional development points as per local policy.

16. If you see something that might be seclusion or restraint…
If you see something that might be seclusion or restraint… Report the situation. Know your district policy.
Talking Points
All staff need to know about emergency safety interventions because, in the past, some common interactions might have been considered “business as usual.”
Times have changed; some (previously common) school occurrences might now meet the definition of seclusion or restraint.
There are legal and ethical considerations regarding on-going improvement of schooling practices.
When we know better, we must do better!
Neither the Kansas State Department of Education nor the Kansas State Board of Education encourage or recommend the use of emergency safety interventions; every effort must be made to prevent use of such interventions. However, if an ESI is used, strict reporting requirements must be followed.

17. Myron Melton, Education Program Consultant
Kansas State Department of Education
900 SW Jackson St.
Suite 102
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:  KSDE General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, KSDE, Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 102, Topeka, KS 66612, (785)