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Physical Restraint Policy |
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE POLICY
PHYSICAL
RESTRAINT POLICY
Policy #54
Introduction and Purpose
In
compliance with Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations
(603 CMR 46.00), the Medway Public Schools ensures that
every student attending our schools is free from the
unreasonable use of physical restraint. Physical restraint
shall be used only in emergency situations, after other less
intrusive alternatives have failed or been deemed
inappropriate, and with extreme caution. School personnel
shall use physical restraint with two goals in mind:
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to administer a physical restraint only
when needed to protect a student and/or a member of the
school community from imminent, serious, physical harm;
and
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to prevent or minimize any harm to the
student as a result of the use of physical restraint.
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Use of restraint -
Physical restraint may be used only in the following
circumstances:
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when non-physical
interventions would not be effective; and
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when the student's
behavior poses a threat of imminent, serious,
physical harm to self and/or others.
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Limitations on use of
restraint - Physical restraint in a public education
program shall be limited to the use of such reasonable
force as is necessary to protect a student or another
member of the school community from assault or imminent,
serious, physical harm.
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Prohibitions - Physical
restraint is prohibited in the following circumstances:
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as a means of
punishment; or
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as a response to
property destruction, disruption of school order, a
student's refusal to comply with a school rule or
staff directive, or verbal threats that to not
constitute a threat of imminent, serious, physical
harm.
Definitions
As used
in 603 CMR 46.00, these terms shall have the following
meanings:
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Extended
restraint is a physical restraint the duration of which
is more than twenty (20) minutes. Extended restraints
increase the risk of injury and, therefore, require
additional written documentation as described in 603 CMR
46.06.
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Physical escort is the
touching or holding of a student without the use of
force for the purpose of directing the student.
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Physical restraint is
the use of bodily force to limit a student's freedom of
movement.
Training
Training is required for all staff. Each principal shall
determine a time and method to provide all program staff
with training regarding Medway's restraint policy. Such
training shall occur within the first month of each school
year, and for employees hired after the school year begins,
within a month of their employment.
At the
beginning of each school year, the principal of each public
education program, or his/her designee, shall identify
program staff that are authorized to serve as a school-wide
resource to assist in ensuring proper administration of
physical restraint. Such staff shall participate in
in-depth training in the use of physical restraint. The
Department of Education recommends that such training be at
least sixteen (16) hours in length.
Reporting Requirements
Program
staff shall report the use of physical restraint as
specified in 603 CMR 46.06 (2) after administration of a
physical restraint that results in any injury to a student
or staff member, or any physical restraint of duration
longer than five minutes.
The
staff member who administered the restraint shall verbally
inform the administration of the restraint as soon as
possible, and by written report no later than the next
school working day. The written report shall be provided to
the principal or director of the program, or his/her
designee, except that the principal or director shall
prepare the report if the principal or director has
administered the restraint. The principal or director, or
his/her designee, shall maintain an on-going record of all
reported instances of physical restraint, which shall be
made available for review by the Department of Education,
upon request.
The
principal or director of the program, or his/her designee,
shall verbally inform the student's parents or guardians of
the restraint as soon as possible, and by written report
postmarked no later than three school working days following
the use of restraint. If the school customarily provides a
parent or guardian of a student with report cards and other
necessary school-related information in language other than
English, the written restraint report shall be provided to
the parent or guardian in that language.
Contents of the report shall include the information on the
attached "Incident
Report Form Checklist".
First
Reading: September 20, 2001
Adopted:
October 4, 2001
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