Should Seclusion and Restraint techniques be used in schools?

16 Comments

  • Amanda - 7 years ago

    Seclusion and restraint has been proven to be deadly. It hasn't been proved to be safe . If you want to get real, that's common sense, which of few of you on here obviously don't have , talking negatively about the kids with autism and how they should be kept homeschooled , that they bad etc. I can tell you have worked for secep. How can you get up everyday and go to work to help the kids but at the same time discrimate against them. Can't you see there is something wrong here. Duh, now lets talk about secep staff using pillow cases to put over a child head for suposably spitting geniuses. Yeah how about that one. Y'all don't seem to know what suffocation means. Secep staff abuses these children , they threaten them, they tie them up and tape their mouths shut and then tell them quiet mouth. Staff members see it and to scared to report it, because they fear they will loose their job so they go along with it, then you want to know why these kids get mad and frustrated and hit and flip tables, cause they tired of the bullshit of being abused and can't tell no one cause they nonverbal and staff takes advantage of that. Also these kids get badly abused and mistreated by the special ed bus drivers too who like to turn their cameras off. There are some drunks driving these kids to school under the influence and mis treating them. Secep adminstatration hides and destroys any and all evidence they can't get their hands on and lie to law enforcement when being investigated . They not worried about these kids, they just worried about putting food on their on table. No job, no money, also , if you want to complain about how your underpaid, find you another job, cause this ain't for u. And yes these kids are safer at home because there's to many uneducated ,inexperienced sick individuals that work for secep , and it goes all the way to the top of the food chain. And they know who they are. Thanks

  • Amanda Bright - 8 years ago

    Oh hell no! I will comment on this later. I must have been too busy packing to even see this report on Wavy. Some of you so called special education teachers need to be fired and have no business being a teacher. More from me later. Right now I have to go read MY autistic 7 year old a bedtime story. And by no means is he an animal!! The nerve of some of these people!! ABA ABA ABA ABA. Did I say ABA? Take Data! Follow through with the BIP'S!!!! Everyone! Tell the parents. Or it won't work!!! You shouldn't even be teaching autistic kids if you don't believe in ABA! It recovers our children! Okay. I'm gonna write more later and respond to these ignorant comments individually!! You see my name. I'm not afraid to hide it! Why are you?

  • john - 9 years ago

    I myself went to Secep. This article is very one sided. Therapy is all well but if the child is out of control no therapy is going to help till that child is calmed down. I remember times at Secep where it took 2-3 male teachers to hold the door shut even after it benign lock. The reports of no nurses is this yes Secep has no nurses underpay yet there are nurses there provided by the school district. I have seen students sent to the hospital due to teacher not getting there in time to restrain students. Not only that They use the same methods used in Psychiatric hospitals and mental health centers. Secep also does use different therapys to help these students. But once again Therapy is all well but if the child is out of control no therapy is going to help till that child is calmed down. The whole point of Secep using these rooms and restraints are to protect both students and staff. These are also used as last resorts. Their is a time out area in the classrooms, they track types of bad and positive behavior, plus other methods before they use restraints and Quite rooms. I am now An ODU student with a 4.0 gpa studding to be a teacher I would not be here with out my time in Secep and the help they gave me. Lastly Therapy is all well but if the child is out of control no therapy is going to help till that child is calmed down.

  • Rachel Humphrey - 9 years ago

    As I've said before I think certain actions a certain reaction. If my Autistic son is violent and the teacher has called me and he's still swinging at people by all means put him into a quiet room until I get there. I think there is a time and place for these rooms. 99% of the time I should be called if this kind of room is being used and I should be on my way. It's no more than time out the ONLy difference is they are bigger people and can hurt people. It should be a a very last resort and parents should be notified every time and allow to come get their child. But I also wonder why there are not cameras in all areas of the school that at least disabled children are in so the parents can see exactly how the day has one for their child.

  • B.O.G. - 9 years ago

    These are children with disabilities that are entitled to research based intervention that is proven to work. ABA therapy decrease the behaviors by teaching appropriate communication, they are not "troubled" children, as they are being treated in this program. This one size fits all approach is violating their civil rights to access to therapeutic interventions that congress states they are entitled to under IDEA. I am a extremely involved parent in my sons ABA therapy and he has made great progress with NEVER being locked up in a closet! This staff needs more Training in research based interventions as the staff member in the piece clearly states they are restraining kids just to go to lunch .... Do these kids have positive behavior plans? No, we were told most do not, meaning They are working On decreasing the behavior but instead locking them up for it.

    Parents are refused the opportunity to observe the placement to see if it is the right fit for their children and any special education attorney would tell you clearly "if they are not letting in to observe, they DO have someone to hide" NO person deserves to be treated less than and This is proof that SECEP does not provide the continuity and consistency of services which are therputically proven to work.

  • Reality - 9 years ago

    This report only give a very poor glimpse into the SECEP program. In reality, a child is not accepted into SECEP program until a team of people convene (this includes teachers, psychologist, social workers, parents and anyone else involved with the child’s education progress) to discuss the issues the child is displaying. They look for learning style, learning disabilities, family/home life, and anything else that may play a significant part in this child’s life. The public school system will pay for physical, learning and emotional testing. They will get input from family doctor/therapist. When all information is obtained then they convene again and come up with a behavior plan and or educational plan to help this child. If after a period of time (longer then I think it needs to be) and the child is still not progressing/behavior then the team will convene again. This can go on for a year or more (usually 2-3 years then the public schools consults SECEP because all that has been attempted over the years has failed. SECEP will go into the classroom and observe the student to see if he/she does qualify or would benefit from their program. If SECEP will either give another step to try to accept the student into the program. SECEP will determine which program the child needs to go into. SECEP then decides which program the child needs to be in because they have many subtype classrooms geared to a specific type of child (including autistic children, re-ed. children, and special ed. children).
    I do work in the public school. It is not just high school kids getting into serious fights, doing drugs, throwing things (like desk/books) at teachers and other students, biting and hitting other people or even threatening suicide. I have seen every one of these things in elementary school. I have seen serious injuries be caused to teachers and other students from even preschool children. I am appalled at what teachers have to put up with on a daily bases. I work in a school with a SECEP program in it and I see the wonderful work that they do. There is NOT a day that goes by that a staff member is not injured to some degree (minor scrap to concussions to ugly bites). I have not seen nor heard of a student receiving in injury by a teacher yet in the school I work at.
    They are trained in the Mandt System. The training is an ongoing training every other year at the least. It is a method used in a lot of psychiatric facilities across the US. Its approach is to preventing and de-escalating (and if necessary) intervening in any situation that the behavior of an individual poses a threat to themselves and/or others. There are strict governing guidelines that must be adhered to.
    When I was in school I never saw the behaviors that I see in the schools today. I am so glad that I do not have a child in school now a days. I would fear for my child’s safety as well as the quality of education with the type of children in school now. In some classes, with the children in them, I am amazed that anyone learn anything. Public school teachers and SECEP teacher are simply put … amazing individuals.
    So parents if you have a problem … please take your children and home school them. Do not raise wild animals and expect the public schools to fix your mistakes.

  • day school provider - 9 years ago

    as a daycare provider we too have to put up with this kind of behavor and its sad please get your child some kind of help for repeated bad behavior before public schools kick your child out and send them to secep and parents please work with the teachers and stop getting mad at the teachers for putting your child in timeout because your child is not being safe.

  • d - 9 years ago

    I agree that is should be a last resort for SOME kids. However, the kids who are capable of understanding their surroundings need to understand that they HAVE to learn how to control themselves. Without some kind of self management those kids will age out and likely end up in jail. If the parents of THOSE kids can do a better job than the teachers who spent years learning special education and chose a significantly harder career path than their counterparts then they need to homeschool. The responsibility of teaching behavior and self control ultimately falls on the parents. And before you assume I have no clue about how it is to have a child like that let me correct you, I do. I was 16 when my youngest brother was born. Youngest of 6 children and the only one with severe self management issues. Severe as in 5 teachers to hold him down at 10 before he could THROW a desk. Thank god for secep. Public school had no patience or training. Secep worked with our family and we sent him to counselors. I am proud to say he has been in public schools again after 1 year in secep. He stands out as a student, and is a proven leader in the rotc. Secep deserves our support and thanks. Thank you secep staff for saving children.

  • Secep rocks - 9 years ago

    I work for SECEP and I tell you what, none of you would last a day in our shoes. My co-worker and I come to work everyday (low pay) because we love what we do, we love these kids. You all are on the outside looking in. I tell you what the day they stop using restraints and seclusion is the day you parents will have to start home schooling your children or worst case put them in an institution, why because no one esle is willing to put up with YOUR child's behavior. Day in and day out WE are abused by these children. I have seen staff punched in the face repeatedly, hit by chairs, kicked, pushed, spit on, hair pulled out and thrown to the floor, and worst of all I have seen students bite staff as well as other students to the point where they are left bleeding. Yes this is done by children who are autistic. We too have family's that we want to go home to. We have a duty to protect everyone in our classroom. I bet these parents that are complaining would be very upset if a student attacked their child. RIGHT. Some of these parents call us day and night why? Because they cannot control their child at home and they need help. These are kids who are put out of regular schools and regular special ed. We are trained to handle these situations with care, and to use this as a last resort. We have behavior plans in place, sometimes it works sometimes it dont. But we try. But when you have a child coming to you at full force to intentionally hurt you, what would you like us to do, please tell me. Some of these behaviors last alllllllll day long. Look I don't do this for the money, the way my check looks, it's really not worth it. I do it because I have a big heart, I love helping and teaching these children. My degree is in special education. There have been many of days I wanted to quit but my heart won't let me. This program is awesome, the best. Never seen a group of people work so hard for these children AND there families. Some of the families don't care, you send the kids to school when they are sick, you don't answer they phone when we call and you don't show up for meetings. To some of you all we are just babysitters. These kids are beating us up. Help us, tell us what will work. No one esle wants to work with your kids. Think about that.

  • DRM - 9 years ago

    These children should not be allowed in school. They are only there because of no child left behind. They keep children up to 22 years old who are none verbal, not toilet trained, can't feet themselves, bite and hit people

  • B.V - 9 years ago

    Im a former student of secep and i have seen this being done in person and understand every action and word leading up to the event. I will first ask this question; what would you do if two students are fighting or a student starts throwing chairs and desks at other students and staff or the student starts to physically hit on staff? Are you just gonna sit there with that fake smile on your face trying to talk when you are getting attacked? I think not!!!! And as far as the rooms go lets think about this for a second; if the child you just put in there is continuing to be violent as well as making threats and gestures of bodily harm to staff and students, wouldnt you let said child out?? Again i think not!!! When i was going to secep that room was called the quiet area, and the time you spent in there was dictated by your behavior. Now with all that said i do however do not agree with the method being used on certain students such as severe autism or any other disability that a child has that would impede on how that child would behave in a normal setting. I have a son that was born blind and has Lennox Gastaut syndrom witch causes severe developmental delays such as not walking, talking, or anything else that a normal 6yo would be doing so as a parent and former student, i think there's too much of a grey area that is not being looked at. I believe the method should only be used when physical violence is being asserted from student. And one last thing to think about; is this method any different from those of being in jail except you get to go home every day??

  • Donna - 9 years ago

    Look up chad Youth enhancement center and read multiple different stories of children that were restrained and died in the process. Of Course none of the articles mention how many children have had arms broken in the process of being restrained, To witness this procedure will make most people extremely uncomfortable. I walked away from positions and job opportunities because I refuse to lay hands on children. I have been told the further south you go the more aggressive the restraint holds are. There are more effective humane therapeutic approaches
    I would like to know out of staff from these agencies that do the restraint holds how many of them( employees ) have filed a workers comp claim for injuries to the neck shoulders and back?

  • M.Q. - 9 years ago

    I believe that there should be more transparency in the SECEP classrooms because some parents need to actually see how their child behave at school. Restraints should be a last resort and no child should be harmed on purpose, but there should be some type of protocol in place when a child is hitting other students or teachers. There is no reason to stand there and try and speak calmly to a student who is being aggressive towards a teacher or another student. Every child should have the opportunity to get a public education but it should not come at the expense of other children or teachers.

  • Kristy - 9 years ago

    I went to a SECEP as a very young child. I was a very bad kid with bipolar and PSTD. I was in 3rd grade when I went because I got into constant fights at regular school. I don't agree this should be for kids with autism, but kids that bring weapons to school. Kids that beat on teachers... They need a school like this. As an adult and anytime in my life I have not gone to jail. I don't do drugs. I'm not a heavy drinker. I hold a steady job and I pay my bills. They must have done something right cause I know not to fight people. I know right from wrong and the golden rule. But again I do not think this should be for autistic students.

  • Nancy McCravey - 9 years ago

    Seen your report at 5 that is a lie when my child was hurt there is no NURSE, If you want to see more go to the SECEP at John F Kennedy in Suffolk?

  • Nancy McCravey - 9 years ago

    I also have a child with AUTISM who was at a SECEP school not the best place for children with AUTISM. They do not follow procedures because there are no cameras and you are not allowed in the classrooms where your children are. I have a child who was taken down and hit his face on on the concrete. The people who treat children like this need to be fired. My child is no longer in that program he goes to a school who knows how to take care of children with Autism. I feel that there needs to be cameras while children are at school for the teachers protection and to protect the children.

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