Rewards

Sanctions

Body language

Body language

Public praise

Silent reprimand

Private praise

Private reprimand

Placed on own to work

Public reprimand

Responsibility – in class

Placed on own to work in classroom

Responsibility – in school

Work finished in own time

Stickers (class)

Removed from class for short period

Record of achievement

Loss of activity/Friday afternoon

Display of work to others (Headteacher)

Work outside classroom

Display of work on wall

Sent to Headteacher with work

Mention in assembly

Letter/phone call to parent

Points/Rewards system

Involve parents/home visit

Report to parents

Work outside class group/timetable

School certificates for effort

Fines to repair damage – determined by extent of repair

School certificates for achievement

Fines to pay for false fire call - £140

School certificates for termly achievements

Fines to pay for discharge of fire extinguishers - £160

School trophies

Community service

Vicarious reinforcers

Parents/ carers asked to come to school

Intermittent class reinforcers

Restorative Justice Conferences

Intermittent class reinforcers

Cause and effect meetings

End of day letters

Cool off period away from school

Personal reports to parents/carers by letter/phone call

Involvement of Police

Class merit

LEA/other agencies asked to come to school

Trip out of school

Others negotiated with the student

SOCIAL SKILLS MANAGEMENT

• Staff monitor students’ behaviour during staff/student contact.

• Staff/student interaction involves consistent, informal social education.

• Staff explain differing social registers and encourage acceptable patterns of student responses in both formal and informal situations.

• Various strategies are used. For example, at meal times staff who supervise a group at a table will curtail unnecessary movement around the dining hall, monitor collection of food and drink, encourage and maintain an acceptable standard of table manners, supervise the moving of tables and stacking of chairs. They regulate the social interaction between individual students.  Students are encouraged to adopt acceptable eating behaviour.  

• Mutual respect and role modelling are the expectation of the entire community within Roselyn House School. By showing mutual respect and demonstrating social registers, students will overtime perform these their selves. This includes social pleasantries, ‘asking how people are’, wishing people well, knocking on doors and referring to staff by Title and Surname.

• Sanctions and rewards apply to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and language.

• We promote respect and equality across all protected characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and prepare students for life in diverse 21^st Century Britain.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

• When students exceed the baseline of acceptable behaviour in an extreme manner, it is reported on an Incident Monitoring Form.  It is then passed on to the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher. A copy is then placed in the student’s file.

• Accordingly, when behaviour of a noteworthy merit is observed, that too is reported to the Class Teacher/Learning Support Assistant/ Mentor or a Headteacher’s Commendation awarded. The Headteacher’s Award is presented in assembly on a Friday afternoon where the student will receive a certificate, prize and their work displayed on the Headteacher’s Board. A file of previous exemplary work is kept in the school office.

• Some variance in staff tolerance levels is inevitable. It is the individual’s role to liaise with other staff to share information. Mr Birkenhead is available to help offer advice.

• Informal observation of students within a group enables staff to identify behaviours. This information will advise the planning of the student’s IEBP. The IEBP will be shared with the child and parents/ carers and targets presented on the child’s points/ reward sheet.

• The IEBPs and points/ reward sheet will identify trends, assess student’s strengths/ weaknesses and evaluate the various actions taken. (Carousel throughout the year).

• Some specific, unacceptable, recurring behaviours will be identified and followed up in Mentor sessions, Morning workshops or specific planned individual interventions.

• Staff formulate, implement and evaluate strategies then plan provision to reduce or alter unacceptable behaviours against specific time scales in the child’s Individual Education and Behaviour Plan (IEBP) and on their Positive Handling Plan.

• Staff can request staff meetings, case conferences and external support to determine appropriate management policies for students who display extreme patterns of behaviour.

PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

The concept of PUNISHMENT has not been found to be effective in altering patterns of behaviour in children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties.

Punishment might create frustration in the student, which could be vented on a victim later.

Our alternative is to use sanctions that are a logical consequence of unacceptable behaviours in order that the child may begin to take responsibility for their own actions.

Similarly, acts of good behaviour need to be recognised and positively reinforced.

Such strategies are not guaranteed to succeed. They take a lot of patience, require an appropriate timescale and flexibility of implementation, but have an optimum likelihood of altering unacceptable student behaviour.

The formulation of positive strategies is dependent in many variables and is under constant review. Some ‘logical’ strategies fail whilst more ‘unorthodox’ one’s work. So, it is important to appreciate the unpredictable nature of a child’s reaction when deciding which strategy to employ.

On some occasions there may be unforeseen adverse reaction to a considered strategy.

Strategies are more likely to succeed if they are agreed with the student, fully understood by all concerned, undertaken against an appropriate time-scale, have an easily achievable objective and are evaluated and rewarded with praise to enhance self-esteem. Pastoral times often address the issues.

• We advocate an ‘Authoritative’ versus ‘Authoritarian’ approach where adults are ‘in control’ versus ‘controlling.

• We want students to be able to be themselves and often act out being ‘a child’ in a safe environment where they are free to become who they are.

• We should never blame others when we feel stuck and support understanding everyone is doing the best, they can at the time with the resources they have. We should consistently review practice and support each other with the young person at the centre of everything we do.

The Secure Base Model (Schofield and Beek 2014) is a resilience- based model that provides a framework for therapeutic caregiving that focuses on caregivers and young people. Over time positive caregiving provides a secure base over five dimensions which can help the young person explore, learn and develop in a positive direction.

• Availability: helping the young person to trust.
• Sensitivity: helping the young person to manage feelings.
• Acceptance: building the young person’s self-esteem.
• Co-operation: Helping the young person to feel effective.
• Family Membership: Helping the young person to belong.

Provides a SECURE BASE which for many of our students is SCHOOL.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY RANGE

For INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS there are a range of management strategies that can be used to encourage acceptable behaviour. The following suggestions are strategies which encourage self-control, self-esteem, achievement and develop sound relationships on an individual basis:

ü

Emotional Literacy Work

ü

Mentor Sessions

ü

Rewards/Points Sheets, IEPB

ü

Minor areas of responsibility

(classroom based)

ü

Extended areas of responsibility

(school based)

ü

Displacement activities

(in class)

ü

Displacement activities

(in school)

ü

Displacement activities

(outside school)

ü

Minor privileges

(negotiated)

ü

Major privileges

(earned through extended effort)

It is important that achievement and improvement, in ANY area, should be acknowledged and applauded. Staff seek to actively promote regular achievement to develop self-motivation in students.

Similarly, for GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE there are a range of management strategies that can be used to encourage acceptable behaviour. These include:

ü

A non-academic classroom activity

ü

Class merit trips

ü

Points/Rewards system

ü

Excursions

These strategies are controlled by staff, used cautiously, set against an overall time scale, and undertaken through consultation with, and the prior approval of the Headteacher.

Strategies that might work for one member of staff do not necessarily transfer effectively to others. Individual staff develop a personal “repertoire” tailored to the individual needs of their students. Comments and observations from other staff can often prove pertinent.

Many strategies will alter behaviour, but their effect if frequently short lived and cannot always be effectively repeated. However, even limited success is positive and when recorded shows a trend towards achievement which gradually improves self-esteem and alters behaviour.

It is better to always think in POSITIVE terms and be objective. Negative attitudes have a very limited role in meeting the needs of children with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties.

DETERMINATION OF NEEDS

SELF

ACTUALISATION

The need to realise your own

potential and self-fulfilment.

AESTHETIC NEEDS

Needs for art and symmetry.

COGNITIVE NEEDS

Needs for knowledge and understanding.

ESTEEM NEEDS

Needs for deserved praise.

LOVE AND BELONGING

The need to affiliate.

SAFETY NEEDS

The need to be free from fear, to be able to depend upon someone.

PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

The need for food, warmth, shelter, etc.

If staff become aware of needs other than academic ones these will be discussed at staff meetings and appropriate agencies informed. This is in order to work in a multi-disciplinary way as identified in “Working Together”.

When determining children’s needs it is helpful to do so against a specific framework. When assessing student’s needs staff may consider the Hierarchy of Needs developed by Abraham Maslow (see diagram above).

It is unlikely that higher order needs can be effectively addressed if the lower order have not been met.

Children frequently mask their true needs. For instance, it is common for students to direct anger and frustration at displacement targets, whilst the true cause lies in a different direction.  These anxieties are usually based in unresolved social needs. To resolve the problem, accurate identification of the cause is required.

Staff may expend much effort and time in meeting lower order needs so that work tasks can be successfully undertaken.

There are many impediments on the path to achievement. These include short concentration span, disruptive behaviour, testing-out behaviour, attention-seeking behaviour, displacement activities, frustration, fear of failure, fear of new work tasks, violent mood swings, destruction of work and many other factors, all of which must be addressed or contained, by the teacher.

The end-product of work achieved often does not reflect the considerable effort involved.  Even so the masterpiece frequently appears slap-dash and comparable to the product of a much younger child.

Our students have had long experience of academic failure, social rejection and alienation. They feigned unconcern for achievement at the slightest pretext, but they do respond to praise. Staff build on success, not failure.

Progress is frequently slow, fragmented and often impeded by behaviour problems, low attendance and other inhibiting variables. Flexibility is required and a wide range of Teaching/ Learning strategies are employed.

Student’s personal and social development relies heavily on the ability of staff to accurately identify and meet social and academic needs. Determining children’s needs with accuracy is best achieved on an individual basis with the student, an ideal use of Learning Support Mentor Sessions.

Staff work towards providing an environment where children experience consistency, safety and stability through which students can achieve and grow.  In doing so developing an emotionally literate ethos.

BEHAVIOUR TARGETS

When identifying possible target behaviours staff review relevant records.

Staff are required to set behaviour targets for each student in their Learning Support Worker Group on the IEBP record in the following manner:

(1)

After discussion staff identity target behaviour.

(2)

Staff target behaviour in terms of observed social behaviour.

(3)

State strategies and provision intended to alter target behaviour.

(4)

Feedback IEBP to staff briefing.

(5)

Inform student of the target and negotiate time scale if appropriate.

(6)

Evaluate and comment upon effective outcomes.

(7)

Record targets on the rewards/points sheet.

All targets should be SMART:

·

Specific

·

Measurable

·

Achievable

·

Realistic

·

Timed

To set behavioural targets, staff assess behaviour in the following way:

Observed behaviour is stated in exact terms, generalisations for e.g.

    ‘He hits children when passing their seat’.... NOT....’He is disruptive’.

Specific behaviour can be altered.  Generalisations are “fuzzy” to deal with in terms of developing control strategies.

Behaviour targets relate to classroom and out of class behaviours.  A formal Observation Assessment is continually being developed with the School.

The starting point should be short, clearly achievement targets that will ensure success and promote increased self-esteem. These can then be extended as appropriate.

Success relies on positive attitudes, a sensitivity to the student’s responses and the imaginative ability to provide a variety of context for students to practice positive self-management.

MANAGEMENT OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR

Aspects of behaviour common in students who display severe emotional and mental health difficulties.

Many students experience extreme mood swings which may involve a range of behaviours that demonstrate an emotional fragility.

At such times students can react to their circumstances with increasing hostility and aggression.

Disruptive behaviour is often a symptom of fear, failure or frustration. Frequently, children do not identify the true cause of their anxiety or emotional distress but fixate on an alternative “supposed” cause.

Real or imagined slights, minor disruptive incidents, or tensions within the teaching group, can provoke triggering incidents which invoke hostile responses in an emotionally fragile student.

With or without staff support to defuse the student’s tension and frustrated behaviour, the child may display an outburst of violence.

Outbursts of violence may be exhibited, the cause of which may originate out of the school or even to the child’s history.

INITIAL MANAGEMENT OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR

The level and nature of appropriate staff support, or intervention, will wherever possible depend on the attitude and behaviour of the student.

When the staff observe tension, the initial approach should be low key and appropriate.

The student’s response determines the route by which staff manage the child’s difficulties. In many cases it is possible to divert the child away from violent outcomes.

In some cases, the student will dismiss all avoidance options, suggested by staff and persistently escalate aggressive behaviour towards confrontation and a violent outcome.

Some situations can escalate very quickly.

During an escalation staff should decide whether to summon support to take other measures to safeguard the health and safety of all present.

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS

Staff may use many options and strategies to manage disaffected students. The selection of specific management techniques depends, in part, on the personality, character and temperament of individual staff. No set of strategies guarantee a successful outcome to behavioural confrontations. However, the following principles should govern management decisions:

It is essential that staff, when managing disruptive students, should remain objective and calm, in both speech and actions. It is not possible to effectively manage students when one becomes subjective and “heated” by the circumstances.

It is important to listen and respond quietly to the student, rather than overwhelm the child with loud and insistent directives (loud, nagging demands).

If no immediate solution is obvious, ask, if appropriate, if one may deal with the difficulty at an agreed later time. Imposing an immediate “solution” may not dispel the student’s frustration, or defuse unacceptable behaviour, whereas time-distancing problems can (sometimes) do.

Avoid attitudes becoming polarised. Staff should keep their position flexible for as long as possible, without losing their objective. One should rarely push towards a confrontation.

Always maintain positive attitudes that are constructive. By stressing positive behaviours regularly, one reinforces desired attitudes in students. Refer to the children’s previous achievements and promote self-esteem.

In confrontations, negative factors should be stated in a neutral tone of voice. Factual statements should be used as the basis for staff/student discussion.

Always “clarify” options and consequences, rather that impose directives or make unachievable “threats”. Students must be made aware that it is they who make the decisions and that those decisions have obvious consequences. They make choices.

Create “diversionary” displacement activities, involving other people in order to dispel the student’s aggression. Resist becoming “cornered” in an argument, one becomes defensive very easily, avoid it. It takes two to sustain arguments.

Decide, when appropriate, to involve other adults in support. Management of disruptive behaviour requires individual, undistracted attention. Supporting adults can encourage rational, sympathetic, supportive attitudes in the other group members, in order to “talk round” the aggressive student.

When support is available, remove the student from an “unhelpful” environment. Don’t allow negative peer group “encouragement”. Withdrawal can often enable staff and students to focus more clearly on difficulties and resolve them through two-way discussion or conversation.

Staff must assess the risks, promote physical safety and do everything possible to prevent injury.

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING POSITIVE HANDLING OF VIOLENT STUDENTS

When aggressive students escalate confrontations to a violent outcome, staff, as far as possible, should promote physical safety for all students involved. This may require positive handling of aggressive students.

No management strategies, including positive handling, which involve the deliberate ill-treatment of children by staff are acceptable (e.g. pulling hair, punching, emotional abuse, etc).

Violent students may be positively handled by being held by the forearm, withdrawn, if appropriate, or seated until calm. The Team-Teach methods will always be used.

In extreme circumstances, such as the violent student attempting injury to self or others, the student should be brought to the ground gradually by the application of mechanical advantage and should be held, if possible, in a front recovery position on the floor and held until calm. If the student is kicking out at others, a third member of staff may be required to hold the student’s legs.

In exceptional circumstances with very strong and aggressive children and young people it may be necessary to employ the use of Team Teach Ground Advanced Recovery Holds. Staff involved in such strategies will make strenuous efforts to the ground recovery safeguards published by Team Teach.

Later when calm the student should be asked to be seated, if they so wish, and discuss the reason for the outburst. Discussion should include other, more acceptable, options or decisions through which the causes of the violent outburst could have been resolved. This follow up action is the crucial element of support for violent children. It is essential that staff devote enough time to this aspect of management of violent behaviour. An Incident Reflection Form may be used to “de-brief” the child.

Any injury should be examined, treated and recorded by the qualified First Aid staff.

The incident must be recorded on the Incident Monitoring Record and reported to the Headteacher and/or Deputy Headteacher and the incident recorded as a serious incident. Those involved will be advised of the course of action they may wish to take. For serious criminal damage and/ or assault offences, the Police may be contacted, and this could result in the young person being prosecuted.  Roselyn House School will work closely with all parties involved and will follow the Safe School’s Partnership Agreement with Lancashire Constabulary.

For assault (by student on student or student on staff or staff on student or parent on staff etc) the Headteacher and/ or Deputy Headteacher should be notified and the incident recorded as a serious incident. Those involved will be advised of the course of action they may wish to take. In the case of an alleged assault, the Senior Leadership Team will speak directly to the alleged victim and they will be asked if Police involvement is required. In the case of an alleged assault on a student, parents/ carers will be consulted also. If a student is subsequently arrested following the Police being informed then a ‘cool off period’ will be put into place for the alleged perpetrator and a meeting set up with the LEA and parents/ carers and any other agencies that may be involved. This process will adhere to Roselyn House School’s Exclusion Policy Guidelines. The young person out of school will continue to be supported by Roselyn House School and education provided. A meeting will be arranged within a reasonable time scale in order to discuss the outcome of any prosecution/conviction. If the length before prosecution is prolonged, an individual package of education will be provided off the school site. This may apply in the case of a student who has allegedly assaulted another student(s). By providing such a ‘cool off period’ for a student, it allows the Police/ School to investigate the incident without prejudice. It stops any further incidents occurring or discrimination forming.  It is a system which helps keep both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator safe from any further risk. If there is no conviction following a Police investigation, then the young person will return to school following a Restorative Justice Meeting and be provided with supported re-integration. If the young person is convicted, then a discussion will take place as to whether the placement is still viable for the young person or whether an alternative, individualised package should be put into place. This may consist of learning/ teaching off site and vocational placements, for example.

A list of “Team Teach” trained and authorised staff will be detailed in the staff room.

All staff, however, may support and the Team Teach “help protocol” will allow them to play their part in the process. All staff are obliged to act within their “duty of care”, however there is an expectation that authorised and trained staff will be utilised first and foremost with regards to a positive handling intervention.

Staff and children involved in positive handling will receive a de-brief with their Line Manager or the Headteacher, whichever is most appropriate.

THE POSITIVE HANDLING OF A VIOLENT STUDENT

IT IS CONSIDERED THAT ACTION UNDER THIS HEADING WILL NORMALLY ONLY BE NECESSARY IN A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF INSTANCES.

Prior to exercising containment, the staff should advise/warn the student that this is about to happen.

If it becomes necessary to physically contain/ hold a violent student to avoid injury, the amount of force used must be the minimum necessary to hold the student safely. Any offensive act towards a child such as punching, hitting or slapping is totally unacceptable. Sudden violent pushing which results in the child/ young person falling over is also unacceptable, whereas a steady push or pull to separate the aggressor from the victim might be appropriate. Staff will be operating within the specified guidelines and their actions will be evaluated in this context after any incident of violent behaviour.

The length of time a student is contained/ held, and the degree of force used will be the minimum necessary to achieve the immediate objective of regaining control of the situation. As soon as it is safe, positive handling should be gradually relaxed to allow the child to regain self-control.

Whenever possible, a member of staff faced with a situation where physical intervention is thought to be necessary should call for assistance so that there are at least two members of staff present when a student is being contained/ held. If more than one person exercises the positive handling, less strength is required, and the risk of injury is reduced. However, it is important to remember that the greater number of staff involved, the less efficient a positive handling procedure becomes. Communication between staff can break down, resulting in a melee of arms, legs and raised voices.

If it is necessary to contain/ hold a girl, a female member of staff must be present from the earliest possible time.

Throughout the exercise of containment/ positive handling, the student should be spoken to in a quiet and soothing manner to encourage the speedy return of calm and self-control. The staff holding should make it clear that the student will be released as soon as calm is restored.

At no time during or after positive handling must clothing be forcibly removed from a student.

Footwear may need to be removed to prevent damage/ injury.

Data analysis of records will be made at regular intervals and appropriate evaluations discussed with all staff.

METHODS OF POSITIVE HANDLING

A situation should be made safe and where possible Team Teach Positive Handling Methods used.

In some circumstances a small child can be held sufficiently to calm down by an adult putting an arm around the child holding the child’s arm or shoulders.  Care is needed if arms are held since a struggle could result in an arm being wrenched or broken. The risk is minimised if the other arm is held. Generally, the most useful form of positive handling is to hold the student with both arms in a “wrap”.

The above method of positive handling may not be suitable for an older child or young person, but the positive handling applied should not extend beyond holding with both arms engaged and employing controlled use of the weight of the body. At no stage of positive handling should there be any offensive behaviour towards a student/child. The positive handling should be applied in order to defend a student from harming himself/herself or others.

The positive handling of a very violent young person or large stature is likely to place the staff restraining in some danger of injury, and the risk will be reduced if other staff are called. On no account should members of staff attempt to out-wrestle a large and violent aggressor merely to re-establish control.  If this sort of incident occurs, then the Police should be called, and the staff effort should be directed towards the protection of themselves and other students.

Training on Team Teach Positive Handling does not include techniques which rely on grips to joints of the body, which cause pain or risk of injury if the person under positive handling resists. On no account should a student be held by the neck. Techniques should rely on mechanical advantage and power (biomechanical efficiency) of the staff imposing the positive handling to prevent the child or young person moving his arms and, where necessary, legs. The most appropriate form of positive handling should be used with the minimum of physical contact.

Members of staff who are attacked by adults should not try to restrain them. The member of staff concerned should attempt to isolate him or herself from the aggressor and call the Police.

Inclusive with the Team Teach system of negative behaviour management is the requirement that staff will receive regular training in deflection, diffusion, minimising behaviours and with the positive handling. An ongoing system of practice will ensure that all staff are aware of correct procedures.

EXEMPLAR SPECIFIC HANDLING POLICY

Physical intervention will only be used as an option of last resort when staff perceive that they have no alternative course of action.

A Behaviour Management Plan – incorporating Positive Handling Plan will be completed during an individual student’s 6-week assessment period; where at risk reduction will be considered.

The plan will provide a history of strategies which have tried and failed or succeeded. These will include:

·

Proactive interventions to prevent risk of challenging behaviour.

·

Early interventions to manage risk of challenging behaviour.

·

Reactive interventions to respond to adverse outcomes.

The plan will be reviewed termly in collaboration with students, staff and parents/ carers.

On admission to the school, parents/ carers and students will agree to the planned use of restrictive interventions and a consent form will be signed.

Emergency use of physical intervention may be required when a student behaves in a way that has not been foreseen by risk assessment.  Ideally the use of physical interventions in this situation will be agreed by two staff members.

CONFISCATION OF INAPPROPRIATE ITEMS