NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 89 — 1 SEPTEMBER 2017

• promoting the goal of minimising the use of physical restraint through a focus on alternative strategies.
• ensuring appropriate training is provided that aligns with the goal of minimising physical restraint in schools.
• monitoring the use of physical restraint in the school (to include gathering and analysing information, identifying trends, and checking that documentation about each incident is complete).
• collating information about physical restraint in a report and sharing data on physical restraint regularly with the Board of Trustees via the Principal’s report at Board meetings – do this in a public-excluded session.
• managing any complaints and feedback.

Reporting and documenting the incident

• Staff must complete an incident report. Use the form attached as appendix 1 to these guidelines, or other suitable template.
• The staff members involved in the physical restraint should sign the incident report, as well as the Principal or Principal’s delegate.
• Put the completed forms on the student’s file, and make them available to the student’s teacher and parents or caregivers.
• All incidents of physical restraint must be reported to the Ministry of Education and the employer. This reporting contributes to the self-review and monitoring process. Use the form attached as appendix 2 to these guidelines.

Individual Behaviour Plan

A student who regularly presents with high-risk behavior should have an Individual Behaviour Plan. The student’s support team may agree to include physical restraint in the Individual Behaviour Plan as an emergency strategy for keeping people safe. Making this part of their plan ensures an individualised approach that is tailored to the student’s needs.

The Individual Behaviour Plan should outline the preventative and de-escalation strategies which, if successfully implemented, would prevent the need for physical restraint. It should clearly state that physical restraint is only to be used when the student’s behaviour poses a serious and imminent risk to the safety of themselves or others.

The team supporting the student should ensure the type of physical restraint used is consistent with the student’s individual needs and characteristics, including:

• the student’s age, size and gender.
• any impairments the student has, for example physical, intellectual, neurological, behavioural, sensory (visual or hearing) or communication impairments.
• any mental health issues or psychological conditions the student has, particularly any history of trauma or abuse.
• any other medical conditions the student has.
• the student’s potential response to preventative, de-escalation and physical restraint techniques.

Parents or caregivers should always be a member of the team developing the plan

• Give parents or caregivers the opportunity to help make decisions about their child and agree to the interventions that will be put in place to support them.
• Inform parents or caregivers if physical restraint is identified in the student’s Individual Behaviour Plan, including how it will be applied in accordance with these guidelines.
• Provide all relevant professionals and parents or caregivers with a copy of the Individual Behaviour Plan. It should be signed off by the Principal (or Principal’s delegate) and the student’s parents or caregivers.

The use of physical restraint

• The use of physical restraint should be regularly reviewed and monitored by the team supporting the student.