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. Annual Training-Basic
ESI:
Annual Training-Basic
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. Talking Points:
Facilitator should set the tone. Remind participants that they all have at least a basic understanding of ESI statutes and that this presentation was developed to deepen their understanding.
It is critical to know relevant law and district policy.
It is critical to plan for prompt, coordinated, supportive action necessary to maintain or restore a safe school environment.
Knowledge level will be assessed with a quiz.
This is important.

5. Emergency Safety Interventions
Seclusion
Restraint
Talking Points:
Facilitator - Pause for one or two minutes of small group discussion. Give the following directions: Please take one minute to discuss what the terms “seclusion” and “restraint” mean.
Facilitator: When the discussion is completed, please remind the staff of the following:
Prevention is the key! We want to prevent use of seclusion/restraint
Safety – students and staff
Avoid disruption of critical relationship between student and staff
Implement preventive, effective teaching interactions

6. PREVENTION Relationships Social/emotional supports Plan of action
Supervision
Teach/model expectations
Predictable routines
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.

7. 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?

8. Definition - Seclusion
1) Purposefully placed
2) Isolated from adults and peers
3) 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.

9. Seclusion – What it is NOT
Time out
Student chooses a safe space
Talking Points
Time out – when in accordance with established practice, does not involve isolation from others.
Sometimes a student may authentically “choose” to be in a place that, under different circumstances, might be used for seclusion.
Adult prompts a de-escalation strategy
Student utilizes pre-taught strategies to get some alone time
Remember, the situation MUST be evaluated from the perspective of the student.

10. Seclusion? Was this child secluded?
A fourth grade girl with Down Syndrome becomes upset in class.
She has been taught self-calming strategies, such as going to a quiet location.
She asks an adult if she can go to a small office located just outside the classroom. She is given permission to go, accompanied by an adult.
She enters the space and begins to yell loudly. The adult pulls the door so that it is almost closed and waits outside the door. The child calms after 5 minutes and asks to go back to class.
Was this child secluded?
Facilitator: Stop the PowerPoint and allow 1-2 minutes for discussion.

11. Thoughts from Linda & Joan…
Child requested to go, was not placed there.
Was not prevented from leaving.
Not a seclusion
Talking Points:
Consider legal definition of seclusion
Child requested to go, was not placed there.
Was not prevented from leaving.
Not a seclusion

12. Definition - 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.

13. Restraint – What it is NOT
Physical escort
Providing comfort, assistance, or instruction
Talking Points:
Statutory Language-“temporary touching or holding the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, or back of a student who is acting out for the purpose of inducing the student to walk to a safe location.
except that consensual, solicited, or unintentional contact and contact to provide comfort, assistance, or instruction shall not be deemed to be physical restraint”
Hugs are not restraint.

14. Restraint? Was this child restrained?
Four-year-old child yelling, kicking, flailing fists. Hitting other children.
Teacher and para use an approved escort technique to move the child to another location.
The child walks with them. Suddenly, the child drops to the ground.
The staff ask him to stand and he does; however, now he will not move his feet. They have about 20 feet until they reach a quiet location to calm the child. They continue to use the approve escort hold but the child’s feet are dragging.
Was this child restrained?
Facilitator: Stop the PowerPoint. Allow 1-2 minutes for discussion.

15. Thoughts from Joan and Linda…
Bodily force? Yes Substantially limited child’s movement? Yes Yes, physical restraint was used.
Talking Points
Focus on the legal definition of restraint.
What might be done to prevent this from occurring again?

16. 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.

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

18. A quick quiz What have you learned?
To be written and included on the Infinitec site for PD points. Will also be available as a download to be used on-site.

19. 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:
New staff may not immediately understand the restrictions around the use of ESIs.
Make sure that appropriate training is given to all staff and that the training is appropriate for the population they serve.
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.

20. 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)