❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses record-keeping practices in schools regarding the use of restraint against disabled children. The response details requirements for recording, storing, and accessing these records, and clarifies data collation practices by the Department of Education.
AnsweredQoN 2131Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the record-keeping obligations and practices of Western Australian schools in relation to the use of restraint against disabled children, and I ask: (a) are schools required, encouraged or supported to
keep records of these, or related, incidents; (b) what criteria (if any) must the use of restraints meet in order for a school to be required to record the incident; (c) if schools are required to keep records of the use of restraint, please provide: (i) what types of records must be kept and how long for; (ii) how are records required to be stored; and (iii) who is able to access incident records; (d) will copies of department processes and policies governing this record-management please be provided; (e) does the Department of Education collate data on the use of restraint in schools; (f) if yes to (e), what data is recorded; and (g) if no to (e), are there any plans to do so in the future and what are the details of any such plans?
keep records of these, or related, incidents; (b) what criteria (if any) must the use of restraints meet in order for a school to be required to record the incident; (c) if schools are required to keep records of the use of restraint, please provide: (i) what types of records must be kept and how long for; (ii) how are records required to be stored; and (iii) who is able to access incident records; (d) will copies of department processes and policies governing this record-management please be provided; (e) does the Department of Education collate data on the use of restraint in schools; (f) if yes to (e), what data is recorded; and (g) if no to (e), are there any plans to do so in the future and what are the details of any such plans?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2024
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Education
Response time
9 days
(a) Yes.
(b) Each and every time physical restraint is used.
(c)(i) Schools record the:
· date, time, location and duration of the restraint
· names of student and staff members involved
· reason for the physical restraint
· de-escalation strategies that were attempted before using physical restraint
· follow-up support provided
· details of contact with the parent
· a statement by the staff members involved
· a statement by the student involved, where possible.
Records are retained for 25 years from the student’s date of birth (for students up to 18 years of age) or 7 years after a ‘mature age’ student (a student over 18 years of age) has left school; noting, however, that there is currently a disposal freeze in response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse , mandated by the State Records Commission, preventing the destruction of child-related records.
(ii) Records are to be retained in the official recordkeeping system of the school. This can be in hard copy, stored in secure storage or electronic format with security protocols applied.
(iii) Staff with authorised access (ie a role that requires them to be able to access these records) in accordance with the Records Management and Procedures policy.
(d) Yes. Given the size these records will be provided directly to the Hon Member.
(e) No. Schools keep a record each time physical restraint is used. Schools enter a report into the Online Incident Notification System. This online incident data is collected; however, it is not collated.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) No.
(b) Each and every time physical restraint is used.
(c)(i) Schools record the:
· date, time, location and duration of the restraint
· names of student and staff members involved
· reason for the physical restraint
· de-escalation strategies that were attempted before using physical restraint
· follow-up support provided
· details of contact with the parent
· a statement by the staff members involved
· a statement by the student involved, where possible.
Records are retained for 25 years from the student’s date of birth (for students up to 18 years of age) or 7 years after a ‘mature age’ student (a student over 18 years of age) has left school; noting, however, that there is currently a disposal freeze in response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse , mandated by the State Records Commission, preventing the destruction of child-related records.
(ii) Records are to be retained in the official recordkeeping system of the school. This can be in hard copy, stored in secure storage or electronic format with security protocols applied.
(iii) Staff with authorised access (ie a role that requires them to be able to access these records) in accordance with the Records Management and Procedures policy.
(d) Yes. Given the size these records will be provided directly to the Hon Member.
(e) No. Schools keep a record each time physical restraint is used. Schools enter a report into the Online Incident Notification System. This online incident data is collected; however, it is not collated.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) No.
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