Tag: Seclusion
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The Impulsive Princess
School is hard. A classmate told my mom I wasn’t a real Princess. My mom said, “How do you know she isn’t a real Princess?” I Iaughed.This Princess is restrained and secluded at school for not listening or not working on boring worksheets or not sitting in my boring chair. Being secluded makes me sad…
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Ending Seclusion: Lessons in advocacy from our friends in New Hanover County, North Carolina
Advocacy is hard work. It takes time, energy, and tremendous dedication, but advocacy can change the world. I began my journey in advocacy by advocating for my son’s needs through the individual education plan (IEP) process at his school. Today the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint advocates for many children worldwide. We advocate for changes…
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A letter to the Board of Montclair Public Schools regarding restraint and seclusion
You may have seen the recent article on NJ.com called “Inside the quiet rooms.” The article focused on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools throughout the state. If you read the article, you no doubt saw the references to Montclair Public Schools. A mother and a former Montclair educator were quoted in the…
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Letting Go of Restraint and Seclusion
I was invited to join the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition (WAARC) in April of this year to discuss the impact of trauma associated with the use of restraint and seclusion, and I have since followed the process of policy review by the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD). I am impressed by the depth and…
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How proper support and a service dog named Koko helped Mason
Back in the day, I would usually start my IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings with a statement like, “Restraint should be the last resort, or things will go downhill quickly.” Every year it seemed to get worse after the first restraint would happen. It was just the beginning of a long road ahead for my…
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An unsafe place for Jane
Growing up, I lived in a very unstable, violent home. I spent too many nights hiding in my bedroom as I listened to fighting in the other room. I know domestic violence and abuse. I know what it is like to have the police in my living room in the middle of the night to…
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If not seclusion and restraint then what do we do?
To begin, we don’t believe that seclusion is ever an appropriate response. To be clear, we define seclusion as a situation where a child is forced into a room or area, alone, against their will, and prohibited from leaving. We are not referring to a self-directed break to a quiet space or even a sensory room. There…
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An Avoidable Crisis: The Keeping All Students Safe Act (Part 3)
One shift in our mindset can mean the difference in appropriately meeting a child’s needs or potential harm to a child if we ask the question “why” and “why now” (Dr. Stuart Shanker). This curiosity means the difference between a child receiving empathy and support versus punishment and consequences. Again are these lucky or unlucky…
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An Avoidable Crisis: The Focus on Compliance (Part 1)
We hear from so many parents, caregivers, and teachers how “out of control” so many kids they work with are. They describe them as rude, disrespectful, disruptive, always touching things, and one of my favorites, can’t sit still. But what makes “these kids” so terrible?
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Alternatives to Restraint and Seclusion
A common question from school staff, administrators, and members of local school boards is “if not restraint and seclusion then what?” In this article, we will address how the current approaches to behaviors of concern are failing and leading to the use of restraint and seclusion. We will also address some of the approaches that…