Behaviour Management Policy
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT POLICY
The School’s Behaviour Management Policy is designed to reflect best practice, statutes and statutory guidance to assist the achievement of the aims, ethos and values of the school. The Principal and governors acknowledge the school’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010, in respect of safeguarding and in respect of our children and young people as they all have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
The pupils at St. Rose’s School all have special educational needs and disabilities. Behaviour management is enshrined in the positive response to good behaviour and the de-escalation of poor and/or challenging behaviour. We use positive behaviour management methods, without the recourse to physical intervention unless vital. St Rose’s has a no physical restraint policy and recognise the individual needs of each child or young person. Lap belts, belts and harnesses may be used to ensure their safety in wheelchairs and on Acheeva beds, support straps are used in standing frames, bed sides and other equipment essential for their wellbeing, safety and maximising function may be used. It cannot be underestimated that good posture for the pupil is essential for minimising pain and to prevent physical deterioration. All supportive equipment that are therapeutically necessary are recorded in care plans and risk assessed under the instruction of the many professionals involved. In all actions concerning a child with disabilities, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
LEADERSHIP
The Principal and senior management team recognise that they have a duty of care and that the children’s welfare and safeguarding takes precedence. For teaching staff, the duty of care is set out in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document. The governing body of St. Rose’s makes arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The Principal publicises the behaviour policy, in writing, to staff, parents and pupils (where appropriate and in a form they can access) at least once a year.
BEHAVIOUR STRATEGIES AND THE TEACHING OF GOOD BEHAVIOUR
St. Rose’s delivers a programme of Personal and Social Education within an extended curriculum in school and in the residential areas. This programme covers more than behaviour, but, together with the religious education programme and the Christian ethos of the school, is a key tool in developing pupils’ social and behavioural learning. This curriculum is supported throughout the school. Additional time is also given, when appropriate, on an individual basis to help pupils develop their understanding of acceptable behaviour and social development. Pupils are able to discuss their own behaviour and how they may become more self-regulating. We use social stories to facilitate positive behaviour. Pupils are supported by their class tutors, key workers and the school occupational therapist.
The pupils discuss the behaviour management policy at meetings of the school council and how to make it relevant to the young people at St Rose’s.
At St Rose’s we use positive behaviour management techniques within the school and residential areas. Praise and appropriate rewards should recognise achievement, attainment and progress as well as good behaviour. The attitude of adults is an important factor in promoting a positive relationship which is vital when considering good behaviour. Pupils receive and interpret an adult’s attitude through verbal and non-verbal responses to them. This includes specifics such as
tone, pitch and volume of voice, facial expression, body posture and proximity. St Rose’s recognises that it is essential for all pupils to feel that they are respected, safe and are familiar
with the people around them. We recognise that some young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties and/or autistic spectrum disorder may exhibit extreme difficult behaviour.
ENVIRONMENT AND TRIGGERS – Some children and young people with complex learning difficulties including autistic spectrum disorder may have specific environmental and sensory triggers that result in challenging behaviour. This is especially pertinent to children with sensory modulation difficulties. In these cases a sensory processing assessment is carried out and a sensory diet devised to avoid and/or de-escalate challenging behaviours. Triggers that are identified must be avoided or reduced where possible and will be recorded on the pupil’s individual positive behaviour management plan.
RISK ASSESSMENT – All pupils who are at risk of exhibiting challenging behaviour have specific strategies and techniques outlined in that pupil’s behaviour management plan and positive handling plan. Every individual child at St Rose’s has a risk assessment.
PREVENTION – Techniques are used to prevent challenging behaviour. When there is a change to routine, personnel, activity or environment techniques such as social stories are used to prevent anxiety for those children who become anxious and/or exhibit challenging behaviour at change.
DIVERSION AND DISTRACTION – Are used if the prevention techniques are unsuccessful. These may be though words, interests but also sensory objects, sensory interaction techniques and stimuli.
DE-ESCALATION – Staff use a wide range of de-escalation strategies that may include calm talk, contingent touch, planned ignoring, reassurance, the offer of withdrawal, change of adult and sensory integration techniques. The specific techniques will be included in the pupil’s positive behaviour management plan where appropriate. When it is considered in the best interest of the child, a child can be removed to a separate room where, in isolation their sensory needs can be met.
PHYSICAL INTERVENTION – This is in the form of positive handling and is only used as a last resort. It is only used in the specified conditions of this policy.
POST INCIDENT SUPPORT – The school offers a calming atmosphere for the pupil to recover. This is an opportunity for the adult and pupil to recover, rebuild and restore a positive relationship. If a member of staff that an incident could have implications for the child protection the matter must be reported to the designated person. Communication may also be a needed for all partners who have an interest in safeguarding. Planning for future prevention will take place and review of risk assessment and positive behaviour management plan. Any disciplinary issue will be addressed by the Principal, Head of care and/or senior manager.
REPORTING AND RECORDING – St Rose’s records any challenging behaviour and physical intervention and recognises that the use of a positive handling intervention, whether planned or unplanned (emergency) should always be recorded as quickly as practicable (and in any event within 24 hours of the incident) by the person(s) involved in the incident. The written record indicates:
• The names of the staff and service users involved
• The reason for using a physical intervention (rather than another strategy)
• The type of physical intervention employed
• The date and the duration of the physical intervention
• Whether the pupil or anyone else experienced injury or distress and, if they did, what action was taken.
The parents of a pupil will always be informed within 24 hours of any incident that require positive handling intervention. The school will inform outside agencies such as Doctors, Nurse, Social Worker, and the Local Authority Designated Officer, LADO etc. when appropriate.
Corporal punishment is illegal and forbidden and students are never restricted, i.e. locked in rooms.
POSITIVE HANDLING
The use of reasonable force, is where possible avoided. At St Rose’s reasonable force is in the form of positive handling. However, despite creating the right environment and providing pastoral care the nature of some of our pupils means that there may be times when challenging behaviours occur. All members of school staff have a legal power to use reasonable force, Section 93, Education and Inspections Act 2006.
Reasonable force can be used to;
• remove disruptive child from the classroom where they have refused to follow an instruction to do so;
• prevent a pupil behaving in a way that disrupts a school event or a school trip or visit;
• prevent a pupil leaving the classroom where allowing the pupil to leave would risk their safety or lead to behaviour that disrupts the behaviour of others;
• prevent a pupil from attacking a member of staff or another pupil;
• Prevent a pupil at risk of harming themselves through physical outbursts.
In all cases where positive handling is necessary safeguarding the young person is the paramount principle and positive handling should only be used as a last resort when the young person is at risk of harm or of at risk of harming others. Team Teach techniques should be implemented by appropriately trained staff where possible. In the event of a physical attack on a member of staff they have the right to defend themselves though withdrawing to a safe distance whilst ensuring that other people are safe. All foreseen risks are regularly risk assessed in accordance to the Health and Safety Act 1974.
If a student is behaving dangerously in an electric wheelchair or endangering the safety of others then a member of staff will switch off the power to the chair until the student is calm. The member of staff will always stay with the student during the situation.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT
Team Teach is a vital part of the school’s continual professional development plan and all staff who work with the pupils carry out the training every three years. We have trained staff who have completed ‘Train the trainer’ in Team Teach. They deliver on site training to staff across the educational and residential setting.
The staff also complete the required safeguarding training every three years.
This policy has been written with reference to the Department for Education documents:
• Behaviour and discipline in schools, A guide for head teachers and school staff (February 2014, Ref: DFE-00023-2014)
• Use of reasonable force, Advice for headteachers, staff and governing bodies (July 2013, Ref: DFE-00295-2013)
• Guidance on the use of restrictive physical interventions for staff working with children and adults who display extreme behaviours in association with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder (Ref: LEA/0242/2002)
This Policy Statement is considered part of the Terms and Conditions of Employment for all staff at St. Rose’s
NB All staff are required to read this policy and discuss it with their line manager as part of their induction and sign a form to say they have read and understood the policy. The signed declaration is to be held in the staff handbook.