Time out cards

[pinkpufferfish]

Can anyone please give examples of what a suitable time-out card should look like.
Ds has been given a tiny post-it note saying ' Please can I have some time-out?'. This is stuck to a planner book that is with him in lesson time but not at break or lunch times. School feel this is appropriate but I disagree.

Mine had a laminated card that he kept with him.
There were several, in case he lost it, I had two at home. It needs to be durable, instantly recognised by all staff and on him all the time.
When DS used to be heading into meltdown, he was inarticulate. Using the card was a major breakthrough and replaced leaving the room at speed through any obstacle, including humans.

Thanks. Ds is regularly chastised for leaving the class and not showing the card

Is that because his fuse is too short for him to think before the need hits?
That got better with age with DS. His fuse got longer.
School needs to be working with him more effectively.

Yes, he can be quite impulsive and need to leave instantly.

So.
They need to be aware of that and accept that although he should show his card, it isn't always possible at the moment. Does your DS have a designated safe place to head for that isn't a punishment place?
DS went through a phase of holding his card like a shield as he ran for the door, no showing it carefully and waiting for permission.
Then he showed it and left.
Then he showed it and waited for permission...
Took several months.

Thanks. There is no safe place available - they admit this. So he's then told off for wandering around the school to get away from situations.

Oh.
You need to go in with some very clear and reasonable expectations then, and make them get their shit together, for his sake and safety.
Note, I don't know how old your DS is. Mine needed his time out card from 8- 16 years old.
Not having a designated place he can go to when he leaves class is a safeguarding issue at the least. He needs a place to head to where he knows he's safe, not in trouble and where others are aware of his presence.
When I taught Y6 a couple of years ago, there was a Y2 child who needed that, and he and I got on well. So I had a big blue cushion and a water timer in the corner by my desk, and he'd appear and head for that.
Inclusion support would back you.

I hadn't thought about the safeguarding issue - thanks.Options have been provided to him but due to various sensory issues he wasn't comfortable going there. There have been a couple of exclusions around 'health and safety' issues so it appears o.k for him to be unsafe but if others around him are he gets excluded. Hmm...

Time to get specific. You are not asking for anything that the majority of other schools are providing when necessary.
How old is he?
Does he have a formal dx?

the school has no excuse not providing a safe place for him. If there is already a space that he makes a beeline for as in a cupboard? (DS would do this) then why not bail out the cupboard and throw in some cushions and let him have it. A pop up tent in a quiet corner of a library can be adapted the same way. What ever it is it needs to be out of public traffic and business. If they mention corners of classrooms advise them to forget it. Child is wishing to vacate and get away from what is causing the anxiety not being told to chill out among it.

They could then reward him for purely going straight to his safe place by way of stickers or 5 mins golden time or something that motivates.