Positive Handling: What’s the worst that can happen?
A news report on teacher Diane Whitehead, whose leg was shattered and kneecap broken by a karate kick from a ten-year-old pupil at Burwood School in Orpington, leaving her facing a long recovery.
Alerting other staff that you need help in Positive Handling
This training clip covers how to set up reliable alerting systems so staff can call for help. Other staff arriving quickly make a physical intervention safer, so this deserves planning.
Inquiry mentions Foster Carer Training in Conflict and Physical Interventions
An inquiry into Dawn McKenzie’s death put training for foster carers first among its recommendations. Conflict communication and physical intervention should come early in a fostering career and be repeated later.
How many school staff to train in positive handling?
Whole school training is not always the right answer. Schools should identify the staff who are most likely to need to restrain a child, such as the SENCo, behaviour leads, teachers and teaching assistants.
The Six Positive Handling Scenarios in Schools
Six situations that can call for force or positive handling in schools are introduced by Gerard O’Dea, who discusses the common scenarios staff may meet.
4 in 10 Teachers attacked by Pupils
An ATL survey found four in ten teachers had faced violence from pupils in a year, with pushing, kicking and thrown objects common. Schools, it argues, need support from other services.
Is Whole-School Positive Handling the right answer?
The post weighs training every member of staff, with certificates for inspection, cover everywhere and one consistent message, against the cost and impact, and says it suits schools whose risk assessment demands it.
Restraint in school – what the law says
A pointer to a Schools Week article by solicitor Jade Kent on the use of force, plus Mark Dawes’ advice on agreed policy, suitable training, behaviour plans and recording everything.
Positive Handling By The Numbers #6: Duty of Care
Duty of care is set out as the concept behind any decision to step in and create safety. Cases include a learning assistant badly hurt lifting a fallen Christmas tree off children.
Positive Handling by the Numbers #5: Five Values for Effective Interactions in the Classroom
When a child refuses a reasonable request and says you cannot touch me, the post asks how the situation was allowed to build, and sets out values that favour non-escalation over de-escalation.