To think that teachers need more training for coping with violent/ SEN children

[ReallyTired]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-29111528

Clearly a distress child should not have been locked in a room. However I can see how it could have happened. I feel that better training could have helped these teachers deal with a diffciult situation better.

For example training teachers in how to restrain a child safely, descalation techniques and improving communication skills would help. A school always has the option of calling the police for an out of control child.

[mumof6needssanity]

Star I could hug you

[StarlightMcKenzie]

'assuming you know what the triggers are. But to get to the situation where you know the child's triggers you have to have witnessed a few meltdowns too.'

Know. You have to open your ears and your mind and listen to parents. You also have to plan transitions carefully, seeking out previous teachers for as much information as you can get and you have to ensure that the child has close monitoring, - as well as skilling yourself up on how to complete ABC charts. From that kind of data being taken for low level disruptions you are easily able to predict what will cause a major one.

[CromerSutra]

I'm really surprised at this. I work in a very inclusive primary school and work with many children with additional needs. I've had a lot of training of this kind. Our school is also very well resourced in terms of support staff hence children with and without SN do very well there.

I'm not surprised teachers who are not supported or trained struggle. It would be a nightmare managing challenging behaviour without those. Miserable for children and staff.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Why Mumof6? WhatavI done?

[freemanbatch]

I can't stop the contact right now Aeroflotgirl as its for reporting purposes but the first report said the school had said there were no changes in her behaviour around the contact and no improvement in the months of no contact which I know they didn't say so I don't hold out much hope of the second report being any more truthful sadly.

I don't know what happens then with court but i do know that my little girl will not survive in school if i don't manage to do something. She is so very young, only just 7, and she's done so well behavourally and academically during the no contact time. its just heartbreaking to have to watch and wait for the call from school.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

'I would love more (any) training in helping children with sn access the curriculum but the money isn't there'

There is tonnes of money in SEN. Tonnes. Hardly any gets to front line workers and even less gets to the children.

However, is there any reason why you cannot read a book? These are small vulnerable children and their life chances at stake. How can any teacher live with themselves shrugging it away on the basis of not getting the crappy bollox in-service training from an incompetent LA member of staff promoted out of school after being promoted out of the classroom for incompetence.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

StarlightMcKenzie

So you are that teachers should learn how to restrain a violent child by reading a book?

Can you point me in the direction of a book that lists the triggers for a specific child that I teach or the 15 children that I teach that have SEN?

"Usually the child is violent BECAUSE their needs have gone far too long unmet due to the inadequacy of subsequent ignorant teachers of SEN."

This is a short sighted view.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Goodness Freem that is so frustrating. She is too young to refuse contact in tge eyes of the court. I don't understand why the school are not supporting you with this! Surely her education is important!

[hollie84]

I would not feel comfortable trying out a restraint technique I read in a book on a child, with no back up.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Wish mire ms schools were like yours Cromer, it's hit and miss.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

'do you prefer your DC to be in mainstream school or would you prefer a specialist school if it was avaliable'

That question is too simple. My experience is that in their dream worlds most parents would prefer their children to attend a local mainstream school in their community where their needs are properly understood, expectations are high and peer interactions are facilitated.

The reality is that most mainstream schools are such hostile environments for children with certain types of SEN (usually the SEN ones), were needs are denied, given reluctantly far too late, shared without consent or knowledge of the parents and expectations are rock bottom.

When you have this as your reality, Special school (the generic) is more appealing. Your child might not be educated and expectations will still be low but they'll be safe and hopefully happy. You'll get the bonus of some respite as they leave and return in a taxi giving you an hour peace each side of the day meaning you can stop fighting social care tooth and nail for a short break.

[mumof6needssanity]

Star because you speak the truth and cut through all the rubbish which people like to try and hid behind.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

'"Usually the child is violent BECAUSE their needs have gone far too long unmet due to the inadequacy of subsequent ignorant teachers of SEN."

This is a short sighted view.'

How on earth is that short-sighted? To see it any other way is short sighted. Years of neglect of need is rather 'long sighted' and not confined to a single school year with a single teacher no?

[Fav]

Boney, I had a meeting with ds's new teacher last term. It was obvious that he had done loads of reading and research about ASD, he took on board everything I said about ds, has willingly put into place some things that I asked him to. In less than a week back at school, he has more understanding of ds and his needs than his old teacher did in a whole year of teaching him.

A teacher doing their own research shows that they are willing to see what a dc is going through, and that they are taking steps to help.
It may not be perfect, but it'll probably be a damned sight better for a child to be taught by a teacher like that than by one who won't even acknowledge that there's a problem in the first place. That is what makes a difference and goes a long way to making a child's school life happier.

[soapboxqueen]

Starlight it is not reasonable to expect teachers to teach themselves to become experts in a multitude of sen. Each area is far too complex. Each child is a unique mix of additional needs, medical and environmental factors. Each area of sen has its own range of theories, approaches that would go in and out of fashion.

Self study and improvement is one thing. Becoming a self taught educational psychologist, doctor, language therapist, communication expert, occupational therapist and physiotherapist during the holidays is a bit of a tall order.

[Fav]

Hollie, teachers ideally need to learn to prevent meltdowns rather than dealing with the fallout, that's what they need to read up about.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Dd goes to an excellent Autistic school locally, she has come on fantastically academically and behaviourally. These schools are very rare, and chikdren attend from other counties. The environment is calm and nurturing, allowing dd to learn without the stress she would endure in a MS school. She has done so well, I am hoping that she can attend a MS school with Autistic department when she reaches senior school.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

'So you are that teachers should learn how to restrain a violent child by reading a book?'

Well if that is all you have, it is better than nothing, but actually I was referring to teaching yourself the techniques and knowledge you will need to avoid ever having to be in that situation.

'Can you point me in the direction of a book that lists the triggers for a specific child that I teach or the 15 children that I teach that have SEN?'

Isn't this my point? Can you point me in the direction of a 'training course' that does this?

Listen to the parents of ALL of the children with SEN. Chose the ones with the needs where you have the most significant knowledge deficit, find a book on it that includes strategies and read it. And repeat.

You will not need that many books. One or two a year will do. Many strategies are similar for a large variety of children, but you do need a toolkit, not just one generic solution.

[mumof6needssanity]

Soap i do not believe star is saying that. She is saying teachers are able to help educate themselves by reading books or websites or course or by talking to parents.
Us parents of sen dc want to work with the schools but usually just get fobbed off or ignored.
I'm not saying teachers shouldn't get training they should and y are right no one can be a specalist in everything but even just trying to make an effort to understand and listen would help. We as parents are left to learn through trial and error most of my sen knowledge is from the sen forum here, there are some amazing knowledge able posters over there of which star is one.

[ReallyTired]

StarlightMcKenzie
Agree with a lot of your post. Certainly it is possible to use a book/ internet to find out about SEN. However restaint techniques have to be taught by a proper tutor as mistakes could lead to dead children. There would be no insurance and no union back up if a restraint without proper training went wrong.

Certainly teachers can learn about dyslexia, autism or most types of SEN from reading. They can even ask the parent and admit that they don't know.

Labels are a double edge sword. They might help parents and teachers understand a child's problem but all children are different. For example one child with autism might have totally different tiggers to another child with the same label.

[WhimsicalTwattery]

The teacher in the news article was using a room that was a chill out room. Unfurnished, so there's nothing to throw about or that the child can hurt themselves on/with.
This part of the school is a unit for children who aren't able to attend mainstream for EBSD reasons, specifically behaviour. Small group of about 8 but massively challenging kids.

Teachers need more training, staff and support. But I have first hand experience of these kids, as it's my job to support them in making better choices, I work in many schools in my local authority and we are fighting a tidal wave of challenging kids.

Is it parenting? Is it lack of funding? Is it not enough support? Not enough intervention? Fuck knows, there is no right answer. One thing is for sure, this isn't the first or the last time a teacher will end up with this outcome, the end of their career.