❓ Question regarding the recording and frequency of physical restraint of students in WA schools, with a breakdown by year and disability status. The answer confirms recording requirements and provides incident numbers, but tables the school-specific disability data.
AnsweredQoN 1680Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to the physical restraint of students, and I ask: (a) are schools required to record all instances of
the physical restraint of students by school staff; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), which specific details are required to be recorded; (d) if yes to (a), please advise the number of occasions students were physically restrained by school staff in: (i) 2015; (ii) 2016; (iii) 2017; and (iv) 2018 to date; (e) please
advise the number of individual students who were physically restrained by
school staff in: (i) 2015; (ii) 2016; (iii) 2017; and (iv) 2018 to date; and (f) please
list, by school, the number of occasions students with disability were
physically restrained by school staff in: (i) 2015; (ii) 2016; (iii) 2017; and (iv) 2018 to date?
refer to the physical restraint of students, and I ask: (a) are schools required to record all instances of
the physical restraint of students by school staff; (b) if no to (a), why not; (c) if yes to (a), which specific details are required to be recorded; (d) if yes to (a), please advise the number of occasions students were physically restrained by school staff in: (i) 2015; (ii) 2016; (iii) 2017; and (iv) 2018 to date; (e) please
advise the number of individual students who were physically restrained by
school staff in: (i) 2015; (ii) 2016; (iii) 2017; and (iv) 2018 to date; and (f) please
list, by school, the number of occasions students with disability were
physically restrained by school staff in: (i) 2015; (ii) 2016; (iii) 2017; and (iv) 2018 to date?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
6 November 2018
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training
Response time
9 days
Answer
Regulation 38 under the School Education Regulations 2000 sets out staff members’ powers to manage students. The regulation states:
A member of staff of a government school may, in the performance of the person’s functions, take such action, including physical contact with a student or a student’s property, as is reasonable –
i. Placing at risk the safety of any person; or
ii. Damaging any property.
The Department’s online incident notification system captures when a restraint is applied across the following incident types:
(a) Yes.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) Details required to be recorded are:
(d)
Year
Number of incidents
2015
230
2016
1 009
2017
1 317
2018 (9 October 2018)
879
Note 1: Each occasion equates to a separate incident of restraint of an individual student
Note 2: Improved restraint questioning implemented within the incident reporting system for start of 2016, as per the Student Behaviour policy and procedures.
(e)
Year
Number of incidents
2015
62
2016
236
2017
817
2018 (9 October 2018)
467
Note 1: Each occasion equates to a separate incident of restraint of an individual student
Note 2: Improved restraint questioning implemented within the incident reporting system for start of 2016 as per the Student Behaviour policy and procedures.
(f) See Tabled Paper No.
Regulation 38 under the School Education Regulations 2000 sets out staff members’ powers to manage students. The regulation states:
A member of staff of a government school may, in the performance of the person’s functions, take such action, including physical contact with a student or a student’s property, as is reasonable –
i. Placing at risk the safety of any person; or
ii. Damaging any property.
The Department’s online incident notification system captures when a restraint is applied across the following incident types:
(a) Yes.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) Details required to be recorded are:
(d)
Year
Number of incidents
2015
230
2016
1 009
2017
1 317
2018 (9 October 2018)
879
Note 1: Each occasion equates to a separate incident of restraint of an individual student
Note 2: Improved restraint questioning implemented within the incident reporting system for start of 2016, as per the Student Behaviour policy and procedures.
(e)
Year
Number of incidents
2015
62
2016
236
2017
817
2018 (9 October 2018)
467
Note 1: Each occasion equates to a separate incident of restraint of an individual student
Note 2: Improved restraint questioning implemented within the incident reporting system for start of 2016 as per the Student Behaviour policy and procedures.
(f) See Tabled Paper No.
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