Guidelines for Registered Schools in New Zealand on the Use of Physical Restraint

The Guidelines for Registered Schools in New Zealand on the use of Physical Restraint (“guidelines”) are issued by the Secretary for Education under section 139AE of the Education Act 1989 (“Act”). They supplement the legislation relating to limits on the use of physical restraint and the prohibition of seclusion. They explain the legislation (sections 139AB to 139AE of the Act) and the associated Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2017 (“rules”).

Student and staff wellbeing is at the heart of these guidelines. Inclusive practices and a safe physical and emotional environment are of greatest importance for all students.

The guidelines have been issued under the legislation to help schools understand the legislation and follow it. They address the uncertainty staff experience when faced with a student exhibiting difficult behaviour that may escalate into a dangerous situation. The legislation requires all schools to have regard to these guidelines.

Information is provided on how to incorporate physical restraint into an Individual Behaviour Plan if necessary, and who to involve in the decision-making process, including parents and caregivers.

The guidelines direct staff to training in techniques for managing potentially dangerous situations and applying physical restraint safely, and describe how to debrief and report a situation involving physical restraint.

The guidelines also make it clear that under the legislation seclusion is prohibited and must not be used in New Zealand schools.

Developing the guidelines: expertise from throughout the sector

An advisory group from across the sector contributed to the development of the guidelines. The group included representatives from the Special Education Principals’ Association of New Zealand, New Zealand Principals’ Federation, New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa, New Zealand School Trustees Association, Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand, New Zealand Post Primary Teachers Association, Ministry of Health, High and Complex Needs Unit and the Ministry of Education.

The guidelines take into account current international research and directions, and relevant legislation and international conventions including the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, Education Act 1989, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Vulnerable Children Act 2014, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and the Crimes Act 1961.

Guiding principles

These guidelines supplement the Act and rules and provide a resource to assist principals and boards, sponsors of partnership schools kura hourua, and managers of private schools understand their responsibilities under the legislation, and to support staff to safely manage potentially dangerous behaviour where the safety of students, staff, or any other person is threatened.

There are some fundamental principles on which the guidelines are built.

Principle 1: Physical restraint is a serious intervention. These guidelines aim to minimise the use of physical restraint.

Principle 2: If there is an alternative to physically restraining a student, use the alternative.

Principle 3: All schools are required to provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students and staff. Parents, students and the public have a legitimate expectation that the school environment will be a safe environment that supports learning.

Principle 4: The Education Act 1989 provides for the circumstances when teachers and authorised staff members may physically restrain a student. In exercising these powers, teachers and authorised staff members must act reasonably and proportionately in the circumstances to achieve a safe environment for students and staff.

Principle 5: Students’ rights are protected under the Bill of Rights Act 1990.

Legislation

What is physical restraint?

The Act defines physical restraint as using physical force to prevent, restrict, or subdue the movement of a student’s body or part of the student’s body.

Who can use physical restraint in schools?

Physical restraint can only be used by teachers or authorised staff members. Teachers are people employed in a teaching position at a school. This includes a person with a Limited Authority to Teach, and a relief teacher employed by the employer (eg board of trustees, sponsor or manager). All teachers are automatically authorised to act under the legislation.

Authorised staff members are employees of a school authorised by their employer.

When can physical restraint be used in schools?

The Act limits the use of physical restraint by teachers or authorised staff members in schools to situations where:

the teacher or staff member reasonably believes that the safety of the student or of any other person is at serious and imminent risk; and
the restraint used is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

How does the legal framework for physical restraint work?

Physical restraint is now regulated via a combination of the Act, the rules and statutory guidelines. It is a legal requirement for schools to:

comply with the Act and rules.
have regard to the guidelines.

The legislation and rules set out what schools must do. The guidelines outline good practice in using physical restraint, and monitoring and reporting on the use of physical restraint.

By following the Act, the rules and the guidelines when using physical restraint, a teacher or authorised staff member will minimise their risk of injuring a student or being hurt themselves, and mitigate their risk of legal liability.

What does the legislation say?

Section 139AC limits the use of physical restraint in schools.

When does the legislation come into effect?

The legislation applies from 19 May 2017.

Seclusion

The Act bans the use of seclusion in schools and early childhood services including ngā kōhanga reo.

More information about seclusion can be found on the Ministry of Education website: education.govt.nz/school/managing-and-supporting-students/student-behaviour-help-and-guidance/seclusion.

Responsibilities of Boards of Trustees, Sponsors of Partnership Schools Kura Hourua, Managers of Private Schools

Authorising Staff Members

Boards, sponsors of partnership schools kura hourua and managers of private schools must follow the procedure for authorising staff members, who are not employed as teachers, to use restraint in accordance with Rule 5 of the rules.

Administration

Boards, sponsors and managers should ensure that:

school practices are clear, follow the rules, are well-documented, explained to students in an age-appropriate way, and available to all.
teachers and authorised staff who are designated to physically restrain students are suitably supported and trained for this task.
systems are in place to support the smooth running of the school. These include keeping written records and following requirements to notify, monitor and report on the use of physical restraint.

School policies on physical restraint

Each school should:

develop policies on physical restraint that follow these guidelines and make these policies available for all students, parents and caregivers.
provide a clear complaints process for students, parents and caregivers.
review the policy as part of the school’s annual review cycle.

Communicating with students and with the school community

It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that parents, students, school staff and the community know about the school’s plans and policies for managing challenging behaviour and using physical restraint.

This includes having processes in place to inform parents when physical restraint has been used.

Review

The Education Review Office may review a school’s use of physical restraint, as it would any other school operation or procedure.

Good practice guidance

Student and staff wellbeing come first

Physical restraint affects the wellbeing of both the student and the staff member who applies it. It is associated with injury and increased emotional trauma to them both.

These guidelines focus on staff and student safety and wellbeing. They provide staff with generic techniques for preventing and de-escalating potentially dangerous situations. For more information schools can request the Understanding Behaviour – Responding Safely training (see below).

Identifying when you may need to apply physical restraint

Use physical restraint only where safety is at a serious and imminent risk

Physical restraint is a serious intervention. The emotional and physical impact on the student being restrained and the person doing the restraining can be significant. There are legal and reputational risks if a student is harmed.

The first aim should be to avoid needing to use physical restraint. Use preventative and de-escalation techniques to reduce the risk of injury.

Use physical restraint only when:

The teacher or authorised staff member reasonably believes that the safety of the student or of any other person is at serious and imminent risk.

The physical restraint response must be reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances:

Use the minimum force necessary to respond to the serious and imminent risk to safety.
Use physical restraint only for as long as is needed to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

What is serious and imminent risk to safety?

The physical restraint provisions are intended to deal with the upper end of the spectrum of situations where teachers and authorised staff members have physical contact with a student. It is clear that, in these situations, the restraint is in response to a serious and imminent risk to safety.

Teachers and authorised staff members will need to use their professional judgement to decide what constitutes “a serious and imminent risk to safety”. These situations are examples:

A student is moving in with a weapon, or something that could be used as a weapon, and is clearly intent on using violence towards another person.
A student is physically attacking another person, or is about to.
A student is throwing furniture, computers, or breaking glass close to others who would be injured if hit.
A student is putting themselves in danger, for example running onto a road or trying to harm themselves.

These examples do not pose a serious and imminent risk to safety

Avoid using physical restraint to manage behaviour in these situations:

to respond to behaviour that is disrupting the classroom but not putting anyone in danger of being hurt.
for refusal to comply with an adult’s request.
to respond to verbal threats.
to stop a student who is trying to leave the classroom or school without permission.
as coercion, discipline or punishment.
to stop a student who is damaging or removing property, unless there is a risk to safety.

Acceptable Physical Contact

Staff may need to physically support students. The following situations involving physical contact to support students happen in schools every day:

Temporary physical contact, such as an open hand on the arm, back or shoulders to remove a student from a situation to a safer place.
Supporting a student to move them to another location, or help them to get in a vehicle or use the stairs.
The practice of harness restraint, when keeping a student and others safe in a moving vehicle, or when recommended by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist for safety or body positioning.
Younger students, especially in their first year of school, sometimes need additional help. For example, you may “shepherd” a group of younger students from one place to another.
Staff may hold the hand of a young student who is happy to have their hand held for a short time.
Staff may pick a student up to comfort them.
Assisting a student with toileting, including changing a nappy.

Use preventative and de-escalation techniques first

The first aim is to avoid needing to use physical restraint.

Use the following strategies to prevent or de-escalate potentially dangerous behaviour. These are general suggestions only.

Preventative techniques

Understand the student

Get to know the student and identify potentially difficult times or situations that may be stressful or difficult for them.
Identify the student’s personal signs of stress or unhappiness and intervene early.
Monitor wider classroom/playground behaviour carefully for potential areas of conflict.

Respect the student

Demonstrate a supportive approach: “I’m here to help.”
Be flexible in your responses: adapt what you’re doing to the demands of the situation.
Be reasonable: a reasonable action, request or expectation deserves a reasonable response.
Promote and accept compromise or negotiated solutions, while maintaining your authority.
Take the student seriously and address issues quickly.

Preserve the student’s dignity

Address private or sensitive issues in private.
Avoid the use of inappropriate humour such as sarcasm or mocking.

De-escalation techniques

Safety first – create space and time

Remove the audience – ask other students to take their work and move away.
Give the student physical space.
Name the emotion in a calm even voice: “You look really angry”, “I can see that you are very frustrated”…
Wait.

Communicate calmly

Talk quietly, even when the person is loud.
Try to remain calm and respectful.
Monitor your own body language and allow the student the opportunity to move out of the situation with dignity.
Focus on communicating respect and your desire to help.
Keep verbal interactions respectful.
When appropriate, give the student clear choices and/or directions to help them feel more secure and regain control.

Think ahead in case the situation escalates

If escalation occurs, move further away.
Make sure you have an exit plan.
Constantly reassess the situation.
Send for help if necessary.

What may escalate the behaviour

Threatening the student.
Arguing or interrupting.
Contradicting what the student says – even if they are wrong.
Challenging the student.
Trying to shame the student or showing your disrespect for the student.

Guidance if you have to use physical restraint

What to do if prevention and de-escalation do not work

Physical restraint should only be applied by teachers and authorised staff.
There may be situations when an unauthorised staff member intervenes and physically restrains a student, for example when there are no teachers or authorised staff nearby.
The Education Act 1989 will not cover the intervention of an unauthorised staff member who physically restrains a student. There may be other justifications for intervening available in legislation or common law that apply.
If teachers and authorised staff members do not have the skills or confidence to safely restrain a student, call for help.
Call the police when a student cannot be managed safely and the imminent danger to students, staff or themselves remains, after all alternatives have been explored.
All staff should be aware that physical restraint is a serious intervention to be used when no other, less severe, options are available.

Do not use these restraints

Physical restraint that inhibits the student’s breathing, speaking or main method of communication, for example physical restraint that inhibits a student’s ability to use sign language.
Prone (face-down) physical restraint.
Pressure points and pain holds.
Tackling, sitting, lying or kneeling on a student.
Pressure on the chest or neck.
Hyperextension (bending back) of joints.
Headlocks.
Using force to take/drag a student, who is resisting, to another location.
Restraint when moving a student from one place to another – trying to get them into a van or taxi, for example – when they are in an escalated state, as this may escalate them further.

Monitor wellbeing throughout when applying physical restraint

The physical and psychological state of the student being restrained should be continuously monitored by the person performing the restraint and other people present.
Apply physical restraint only for the minimum time necessary and stop as soon as the danger has passed.
Monitor the physical and psychological wellbeing of both the student and the staff member who applied the restraint for the rest of the school day. Watch for shock, possible unnoticed injury and delayed effects.

Good practice following an incident involving physical restraint

After an incident involving physical restraint, take these steps to ensure everyone involved stays safe, future incidents can be prevented if possible, the parents or caregivers know, and the incident is reported.

Check the staff member and the student regularly to ensure they are not in shock. Support them as necessary.
Tell the parents or caregivers the same day the incident occurred so they can monitor the student’s wellbeing at home.
If the student attends a residential school, ensure the residential team manager is told, so the student’s wellbeing can be monitored after school.

Reflection

Reflect formally on why the incident occurred that resulted in the student being restrained. Consider what might have prevented it, and what might need to change to minimise the likelihood of it happening again.
Consider whether all preventative and de-escalation strategies were used according to the Individual Behaviour Plan, if there is one, and whether the restraint used was safe.
Review the Individual Behaviour Plan and make decisions as a team about what needs to be strengthened to minimise the likelihood of a similar incident.

Debriefing the incident

Debriefing staff

Hold a debriefing session with involved staff, the Principal or Principal’s delegate, and another member of staff not involved in the physical restraint incident. Hold it within two days of the incident.
In the debriefing, focus on the incident, the lead-up to it, the different interventions used that were unsuccessful in de-escalating the behaviour, and what could have been done differently.
If Ministry or RTLB practitioners are part of the student’s team, involve them in the debriefing process.
If the police were involved in the incident, invite them to participate in the debriefing session.
Write notes on the debrief along with agreed next steps or actions.

Debriefing parents or caregivers

Offer the parents or caregivers a separate debriefing as soon as practically possible, preferably within two days of the incident.
At this meeting, give them the opportunity to discuss the incident. Invite them to become active partners in exploring alternatives to restraint. If appropriate, involve the student in this debriefing session.
Write notes from the debriefing along with next steps or actions.

Managing complaints from parents

It is understandable that some parents may feel upset if their child has been physically restrained. All schools will have a policy on responding to parent complaints.
The school should also contact the local Ministry office if the complaint cannot be easily resolved. If further investigation is required then the Ministry reserves the right to be a party to that process.

Promote the minimisation of physical restraint

The Principal or Principal’s delegate should be responsible for:

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.
Parents/caregivers should be told as soon as possible on the same day about the incident and how it was managed in accordance with the guide.
If the student resides in a residential school or home, the residential team should be told so the student’s wellbeing can be monitored after school.

Adapting the Individual Behaviour Plan

Following an incident of physical restraint hold a meeting as soon as possible. Involve the team supporting the student, including the parents or caregivers, and the residential team manager if the student is enrolled in a residential school. Use the meeting to review the Individual Behaviour Plan and the physical restraint processes followed in the incident.
In the updated plan, identify ways to prevent the need to use physical restraint in the future.
Incorporate in the plan the suggestions of parents or caregivers and, if appropriate, the student.
If a behaviour specialist from the Ministry or an RTLB is supporting the team around the student, involve them in the review of the plan.
Put all relevant documentation in the student’s file, and copy it to the student’s teacher and parents or caregivers.

Training in safe responses

For the whole school

A training package, Understanding Behaviour – Responding Safely (UBRS), has been developed for New Zealand schools. It includes a full-day workshop for all staff and ongoing support afterwards. The training can be delivered in modules rather than a full day if this is a better option for your school. The focus is on preventative and de-escalation techniques. Contact your local Ministry of Education office for information about this training.

School staff should be made aware of the following:

physical restraint should only be used in emergency situations, and only when less restrictive interventions have not ended the serious and imminent risk to the safety of the student or others.
the forms of physical restraint that may compromise health and safety, and the serious physical risks associated with some physical restraint techniques. These include the risk of asphyxia and sudden death.

For the team supporting the student

When a Ministry Learning Support Practitioner is part of the team supporting the student the team will be taught how to safely restrain the student, in situations when preventative and de-escalation strategies have not been effective, and physical restraint is part of an Individual Behaviour Plan. Parents and caregivers who have to use physical restraint in the home environment may want to be part of this training.

Reporting templates for physical restraint

Instructions

1. Staff must complete a Staff Physical Restraint Incident Report¹. Use the form attached to these guidelines, or other suitable template. The staff member who applied the physical restraint should sign the incident report, as well as the Principal or Principal’s delegate.

2. Place a copy of the Staff Physical Restraint Incident Report and any other relevant forms, eg an injury form, in the student’s file. Make the copied forms available to the student’s teacher/s and the student’s parents or caregivers.

3. Report all incidents of physical restraint to the Ministry of Education² and the employer (boards of trustees, sponsors of partnership schools kura hourua, and managers of private schools). Use the form: Information for the Ministry of Education and the Employer specified in Appendix 1 of the rules. A copy of the form is also included below.

4. The debriefing forms should be completed by the Principal or delegate.

5. Share information on physical restraint incidents with the Board of Trustees via the Principal’s report. Only share this information in a session that excludes the public.

Staff physical restraint incident report

This must be completed as soon as possible and always within 24 hours.
The incident report should be signed off by the staff involved, any staff who witnessed the incident, and the Principal or Principal’s delegate.

Information for the Ministry of Education and the Employer (boards of trustees, sponsors of partnership schools kura hourua, and managers of private schools)

Complete the form and email it to restraint@education.govt.nz. Provide a copy of the form to the employer.

Note: If the Principal applied the restraint, a delegated senior management team member should sign off the report.

Staff reflection form

The staff member who applied the restraint should complete this as soon as possible and always within 24 hours.

Physical restraint debriefing form (staff)

Within two days of the incident, a debriefing with the staff involved should be held by the Principal or Principal’s delegate. Another member of staff who was not involved in the restraint should attend.
If a behaviour specialist from the Ministry or an RTLB is supporting the student’s team, they should be part of the debriefing process.

Notes: The Principal is responsible for facilitating the debriefing unless they are the person who applied the physical restraint. If this is the case, a suitable senior leader in the school should take this role. If police have been involved they should be invited to the staff debriefing too.

Physical restraint debriefing (parents or caregivers and, if appropriate, the student)

The parents or caregivers should be notified and involved in discussion about the incident with the Principal or Principal’s delegate as soon as possible so they can monitor their child’s physical and emotional wellbeing at home.
The parents or caregivers should be given the opportunity to discuss the incident and invited to become active partners in exploring alternatives to restraint.

Note: The staff member who applied the physical restraint should not be part of this meeting.

Appendix 1: Staff physical restraint incident report form

Report completed by	Date of incident		Date of report
Name of student
Date of birth		Gender M ☐F ☐
Ethnicity
Time restraint started
Time restraint ended
Name/s of staff member/s administering restraint
Trained in safe physical restraint?	Yes □ No □
Other staff/adults who witnessed

Place where restraint occurred
Classroom
Corridor
Assembly hall
Outdoor area
Toilet block
Administration area
Other (identify)

Behaviour directed at
Staff member – name
Student – name
Self
Property – describe the serious and imminent risk to the safety of self or others

Reason restraint was considered necessary
Serious and imminent risk to safety – describe
Actual injury – describe and attach injury form

Signatures
Principal or Principal’s delegate
Staff member involved
Other staff (witnesses)

Place a copy of this form on the student’s file.

Note: The information in this form may be the subject of requests made under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Official Information Act 1982.

Appendix 2: Information for the Ministry of Education and the employer – in accordance with Rule 8(1) of the Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2017

If a teacher or staff member physically restrains a student the incident must be reported to the Ministry of Education and the employer (board of trustees, sponsor of a partnership school kura hourua, or manager of a private school). Complete the form below and email it to physical.restraint@education.govt.nz. Provide a copy of the form to the employer.

Why is the Ministry collecting this information?

The Ministry will use the information to provide appropriate support to schools and students when there are incidents of physical restraint on students.

The Ministry will also use this information to update the rules and guidelines to reflect evolving practice or address areas of concern.

What is physical restraint?

The Act defines physical restraint as using physical force to prevent, restrict, or subdue the movement of a student’s body or part of the student’s body. Physical restraint is a serious intervention. The legislation limits the use of physical restraint on students to teachers or authorised staff members.

The following situations involving physical contact happen in schools every day. They are not examples of physical restraint and do not have to be reported to the Ministry:

Temporary physical contact, such as a hand on the arm, back or shoulders to remove a student from a situation to a safer place.
Holding a student with a disability to move them to another location, or help them to get in a vehicle or use the stairs.
The practice of harness restraint, when keeping a student and others safe in a moving vehicle, or when recommended by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist for safety or body positioning.
Younger students, especially in their first year of school, sometimes need additional help. For example, you may “shepherd” a group of younger children from one place to another.
Staff may hold the hand of a young student who is happy to have their hand held for a short time.
Staff may pick a young student up to comfort them briefly.

Information for the Ministry of Education and the employer form

Information for Ministry of Education and the Employer: completed by	Date of incident		Date of report
Name of School
Student’s National Student Number (no name)
Date of birth	Year level	Gender M ☐F ☐
Ethnicity
First time the student has been physically restrained?	Yes □ No □
The student was physically restrained more than once during the day?	Yes □ No □ If yes, how many times?
The student has an Individual Behaviour Plan?	Yes □ No □
Physical restraint was a part of the plan?	Yes □ No □
Were parents notified?	Yes □ No □
Was anyone injured? If yes describe	Yes □ No □
Was the staff member who applied the restraint a teacher or authorised staff member?	Yes □ No □ If no, provide details
Role of staff member who applied the restraint?	□ Teacher □ Other If other, describe role
Did the staff member who applied the restraint receive any training prior to the incident?	Yes □ No □ If yes, what training?

Why was the use of physical restraint considered necessary?
Serious and imminent risk to the safety of the student or any other person – describe
Any other comments

Complete the form above and email it to the Ministry of Education at physical.restraint@education.govt.nz. Provide a copy to the employer (board of trustees, sponsor of a partnership school kura hourua, or manager of a private school)

Note: The information in this form may be the subject of requests made under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Official Information Act 1982.

Appendix 3: Staff reflection form

Events leading to the incident

Describe what was happening before the behaviour started to escalate. What was the student doing? What do you think might have triggered the behaviour? How were other students reacting to the student?

Behaviour of the student

What did you notice about the student’s behaviour that alerted you that they were struggling to cope? Think about the way they looked, for example facial expressions, physical signs, language.

What did you try before the restraint?

Describe the alternative techniques and interventions tried to prevent the emergency, including a description of the de-escalation strategies you used. What was the response from the student?

The restraint method used

Describe the nature of the physical restraint. Include the type of hold and number of people required.

Monitoring

Describe how the student’s physical and emotional distress was monitored while they were restrained.

After the restraint ended

Describe the mood of the student following the restraint. What help and support were they offered?

If there’s a next time

What could be done differently in the future to prevent the need for restraint?

How about you?

How are you feeling and what support do you need? How about others?



Signature of person who applied the restraint	Signatures of any staff witnesses

Note: The information in this form may be the subject of requests made under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Official Information Act 1982.

Appendix 4: Debriefing form for staff involved in physical restraint incident


Date of incident
Date of debriefing			Time of debriefing
Names of the people at the debriefing

Findings of debriefing

Next steps/actions

Principal or Principal’s delegate signature

Note: The information in this form may be the subject of requests made under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Official Information Act 1982.

Appendix 5: Physical restraint debriefing form – parents or caregivers, student


Date of incident
Date of debriefing			Time of debriefing
Names of the people at the debriefing

Findings of debriefing

Parent or caregiver – comments and suggestions

Student – comments and suggestions

Next steps/actions agreed

Signatures
Principal or Principal’s delegate:
Parents or caregivers:
Student:

Note: The information in this form may be the subject of requests made under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Official Information Act 1982.

1. The reporting requirement is made in accordance with Rule 8(2) of the Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2017.

2. The reporting requirement is made in accordance with Rule 8(1) of the Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2017.