Ds2 is 5 in six days time and started full time school on Monday. Prior to that he'd done 4 days until lunchtime and before that he was in the nursery attached to the school from January 2012 (and before that at a private preschool for 14 months!) We suspect he has an ASD, either HFA or AS and have done for a long, long time. We saw a paediatrician who decided that he would assess him for ASD even though he was a gastro specialist and the autism team refused to see him. Because he's coped relatively well at nursery with an absolutely wonderful teacher who worked with us and him and supported him really well, the ed psych refused to see him. We have an appt to see a neurodisability specialist at the end of the month after our GP decided to re-refer him for assessment during the long holidays. He has a number of sensory issues including touch and if overwhelmed and unable to cope, he gets extremely upset and screams. If touched when he's in this state, he lashes out and scratches, nips and has bitten me on occasion too. If he's picked up he will kick against you. To date, this hasn't been an issue at school because he's understood that I'd be collecting him at 11.50 and he can meltdown in relative safety at home.
Considering he's in a classroom with 48 other children (split into 2 classes with 2 qualified teachers) and 4 adults, things had been going really well until Thursday. The inclusion manager called me in at home time and took me off to the inclusion room (realistically its an isolation room) to tell me there'd been an incident.
Ds2 had been using the smartboard mouse when another child tried to snatch it off him. He uses the computer/smartboard as a zoning out thing when the noise/smells/sights/touch is all getting too much for him. This is recorded by the nursery class teacher in his SEN file and his home/school book. Ds2 didn't want to be touched at that point and lashed out, bending the child's finger back. Punishment was 2 minutes time-out on the thinking chair which he initially refused. He was eventually coaxed to do the time-out and then went immediately back to the smartboard. Repeat the process - bent the finger back (apparently, the child had told the teacher the wrong finger and ds2 has to be correct so showed them the right finger) and given another 2 minutes time out on the thinking chair which he did without question.
It was then decided, after his second punishment, that he would have to go to a KS1 class in a separate building for 10 minutes time out - they don't allow him in a sibling's class and we have one in nursery, one in yr2 and one in yr3 but that still leaves 4 classes in the same building and the so-called inclusion room. Ds2 flatly refused so the inclusion manager was called and started to escort him to the KS1 building
Initially he started to walk out of the room but on realising what they were doing, he again refused and started to scream and stomp his feet (according to the behaviour report I've been given) so the inclusion manager nodded to one of the TA's who assisted her in removing him from the classroom to the inclusion room which is next door. The report states that both staff are Team-Teach trained and that the inclusion manager held his body with his arms wrapped around his body and the TA 'picked up his feet'. He's told me that they carried him in an L-shape with his torso upright and his legs out straight, held together at the ankle. The report says caring c's were used throughout.
Once in the inclusion room, he was held by the inclusion manager with his arms wrapped around his body until he calmed down. Once calm she released him and they discussed the incident. The other child was brought into the inclusion room, ds2 apologised and they both returned to the classroom. Am not sure of the timing of everything but it was long enough for ds2 to calm down completely.
So that's the background. My concern is that he was handled inappropriately and things escalated ridiculously. I have very little knowledge of Team-Teach but I know through dp's adult restraint training at work that carrying by torso and ankles/feet is frowned on now due to the strain it can put on the spine. Is it appropriate that ds2 was removed from the classroom in such a manner - he's under 4ft tall, one of the smallest in the class despite being the oldest. Does Team-Teach restraint involve holding by the feet? Also was the third punishment ie the time out in another class appropriate after a second punishment had been given - should it have gone to time out elsewhere after the second incident instead of second go on the thinking chair, it being dealt with as far as ds2 concerned and then telling him he was going somewhere else? If that hadn't happened it wouldn't have escalated to the point where he had to be removed?
I'm seeing the SENCO on Tuesday and I want to be prepared because if he's been physically handled inappropriately then I want to take it further to ensure it never, ever happens again. I also want questions answered regarding the reception staff's apparent lack of knowledge re ds2's traits, quirks and issues as they seem to know nothing despite everything being recorded by me/nursery teacher/senco (for example the fact that he hums monotonously alllllll day, which has been noted since he was at the private preschool let alone since arriving in the school nursery)
If you've read all that, thank you so much and I'm sorry its so long. If anyone could help me to piece together some stuff to say to the SENCO that would really be appreciated because frankly, at the moment I want to restrain them in a similar fashion and see if they like it and am struggling to get beyond the anger at the thought of my little boy being manhandled like a sack of spuds!
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Restraint and removal from the classroom
12 replies
Towanda · 14/09/2013 08:18
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PolterGoose ·
14/09/2013 09:33
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