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Safe Holding at Wells Park

Introduction

Physical management of children should be the last resort to keep children, staff and in some instances the environment safe. The process of keeping children safe by managing them physically is not expected to be initiated by new, or inexperienced members of staff. It is taught as part of the induction and supervision processes and is the responsibility of members of the senior management team, and will be reviewed annually as part of whole school training. No member of staff should engage in physical interaction of any nature with children that they are not in relationship. The essential qualities of this relationship should be warmth, understanding, empathy, support and respect. These will be identified and recognised through supervision. Staff should feel confident in their relationship and capacity to manage a child before engaging in physical management of that child.

Staff should be aware that most children who attend Wells Park present behaviour that appears to be aggressive but is based on fear and anxiety, and that this aggression is likely to diminish in a secure, emotionally warm and boundaried environment. This is the objective of the environment at WellsPark and safe holding should be seen within this setting.

This document concentrates solely on the subject of restraint that may be part of behaviour management policies in schools as a final strategy within a process of care and control. It is understood that the appropriate boundaries and structures within a school will primarily manage and control children.

Little is known about the effects of restraint on the primary aged child who has emotional and behavioural difficulties perhaps because it is seen in light of adult restraint and has therefore negative or aggressive overtones. There is also the fear that adults may choose to use restraint thus limiting the potential of the learner to acquire other skills and appropriate behaviour.

The danger of restraint is that it may increase further confrontation with a child or it models behaviours that are unacceptable if a child follows the example presented. Because children watch adults carefully, it is important that the safe holding of young children is seen to be ‘safe’ rather than controlling and aggressive. The recipient and the on-lookers, child and adult, must be able to see holding as a working process toward a child’s own self control and independence.

Growing up has to do with the gradual lessening of adult control (holding hands) to the use of adult verbal prompts to a child independently controlling choices and actions. For many children the process has to be re-enacted in order for understanding to take place. In this way restraint and self restraint are connected.

Although various methods of behavioural management are clearly more suitable, there are times when behaviour management must include holding a child when they are out of control and will:

  • hurt him/herself
  • hurt others
  • damage the environment

There may also be situations where a child is resisting going into class or engaging with his group. In these situations it may be considered that a child will benefit from being encouraged to join his group and this may involve the child being physically taken into class or to the learning area. The end result of following this course of action is to give the child an opportunity to ‘move on’ and become positively engaged in the learning available.

Angry or very anxious children can be aggressive. Often they find that anger or anxiety difficult to manage without help. Small children are not often expected to be able to hurt and are seen as vulnerable. Whilst it is clear that they are vulnerable to violent adults, they can also be very hurtful to the adults who are there to help them. A small child recognising the damage they can do to an adult is often either frightened by their control and ability to hurt an adult, or strengthened in their belief that they are strong and powerful. Because of this fear, a child should not be given the opportunity to hurt and because they need help to socialise, they need to know that strength and physical hurt are not good ways of relating to others. It is important therefore that any physical management:

  • is seen to be safe holding rather than aggressive control
  • does not allow for the adult or child to be hurt
  • dealt with confidently and positively by the adult
  • combined with talk that helps a child feel safe and controlled
  • that works with the child to control her/himself

Wells Park School follows the advice and training of ‘Safe Holding’ as given by Essex Steps. This was adopted by Wells Park School in April 2015 and additional specific guidance relating to the Essex Steps approach are listed in Appendix A and are complimentary to this policy and should be read in conjunction with the Behaviour Management Policy.

Staff may only engage in Restrictive Physical Intervention (safe holding) following approval by the Directorate and when the relevant parts of the Induction Programme have been completed and appropriate training in RPI techniques have been completed. All staff will receive safe holding refresher training each year.

Scales of Restraint

Although time and place offers a variety of opportunities to distract, affirm good behaviour, follow behavioural programmes, this list only focuses on the range of possible body and verbal interventions when needed.

Body and eye contact – adult looks to child in warning

  • Verbal – adult givesexplanation and understanding of consequences
  • Verbal and close control (non-physical)- adult sits/stands near child sitting within one area, no physical contact
  • Verbal and physical (slight) body control - adult gets and holds child’s attention (i) leaning toward the child (ii) gentle hand-holding
  • Physical (slight) no verbal- adult initiates some physical control, hand held, no explanation, calming, ignoring, waiting for child’s control
  • Physical (control) one adult verbal adult sitting and using Safe Holding plus repetitive words
  • Physical adult non verbal - adult to calmly hold to slow down processes
  • Physical two adults - two adults for Safe Holding

Methods of safe holding

In the early years of school, it is important to recognise that some training for restraint and holding is inappropriate. The size of the child alone renders some holds impossible or uncomfortable for both child and adult. Whilst size may be a problem, the strength of an angry primary child should not be underestimated. The child’s self controls and empathy with others is underdeveloped and s/he has a capacity to hurt.

All the RPI (Restrictive Physical Intervention) methods should be demonstrated, explained and supported by the Directorate and should not be used before this has taken place. It is expected that members of staff will have witnessed the correct use of these techniques in the school environment and that this will have been monitored by senior staff and recognised the respective line manager. The Restrictive Physical Intervention techniquesare described and shown in picture form at the end of this policy in Appendix B.

Safe Holding Advice
  • Hold where there are other adults to assist if a child is out of control.
  • Never grapple with a child. You either know how you will hold or not. Grappling causes either hurt to the child or yourself and does not inspire confidence.
  • Make sure you are not initiating the holding as a response to a child’s verbal language.
After Holding
  • Children should not have a sense of win or lose. They should be aware of the adults’ interest in discussing the initial problems and to look for ways to solve them once there is calm.
  • Leaving go should give the child a chance to reaffirm self-control and to be able to talk with the adult at this time or at a stated time.
  • Young children need to be moved on and to look at the positive aspects of help and the adults concerns.
  • Giving the child practise in other ways to solve problems and relieve anxieties is a way forward.

Effects of Safe Holding – Social Considerations

Wherever there is holding, there is a social situation in progress. The children often react to situations in which they are having difficulty managing. There are often other adults or peer group around. Safe holding can become a focus but if done well, may also be ignored by other children. However, initially the following may be happening:

  • Children willwatch – Other adults will see that the children focus on their work or task in hand by giving them attention. Children should see that a child is being managed and that they are safe.
  • Adults willwatch – Adults will see that the holding adult is managing and that there is no furniture or resources that are harmful nearby. Other adults will then attend to the other children.
  • Adults may offer help – Other adults may feel that a child needs to be made safer with two adults (E2). If the child is very angry, two adults may be needed initially. If the senior member of staff prefers to see to the other children, they may accept help and ask the second adult to take over. If the first adult feels they can manage safely, they will say so.
  • Other children may try to get involved. – Some children get excited by other children’s anger and will need to be settled down by the second adult and reassured
  • There maybe disruption of resources – The safety of the child is more important that the resources. Objects thrown by the child will be dangerous. The adult should see that they are safe before deciding on safe holding.
  • There will be loud noises– The disturbed child may make a lot of noise and the adult may decide to give reassuring verbal or to stay quiet in order to calm the child down whilst holding him/her safely. The other adult should help the other children to remain calm.

Children’s Safety

It is important to remember both the psychological and physical repercussions of holding and to treat the child with respect throughout.

Adult Safety

  • The adult must be firm and confident.
  • The adult must make sure that he/she will not be hurt by the child
  • The adult must make sure that help is near at hand.
  • If an adult is physically tired, she/he must let others take over.
  • The adult must know what hold and places to hold may cause children harm.

LA Guidelines

DfEE Circular 10/98 clarifies the powers of teachers, and other staff who have lawful control or charge of pupils, to use reasonable force to prevent pupils committing a crime; causing injury or damage or causing disruption.

Note also the guidelines set out in the Education Act 1996 550a.

Staff must be aware of and adhere to Physical Contact and Intervention Policy and Guidance for Essex Learning Services, Directorate and Educational Establishments (2000). Revised guidance from the DfEE 2001.

Conclusion

It is important that adults work hard to give the child his or her self-control back and in a positive way. Talking with the children when temper has calmed is a quiet time to suggest better ways of managing a situation and to move the child into a good position. The children should not see safe holding as a way to receive attention rather the adults should use an ‘ignoring policy’with lots of positive reinforcement and positive attention once a child is showing required appropriate behaviour.

Wells Park School targets children and works with children to learn and develop acceptable social language and behaviour that take the place of aggressive behavioural outbursts. Its token economy system is in place to structure a working environment where rewarded normal, daily acceptable behaviour forms the basis to providing a balanced environment in which learning can take place.

Reviewed Sept 2016

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