Respond safely to physical aggression
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Respond safely to challenging situations’
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Managing physical aggression
Managing physical aggression
Safety comes first.
The goal is to defuse the situation.
Assist rather than punish the student.
Punishing can escalate a situation.
- Stay calm, protect other children, set limits, and seek help.
- Remove the student to another space or another room or remove others from the area. Ask for the student’s cooperation to do this. Say, for example, “Come to the library corner until things have settled”.
- If there is a pattern to aggression, take preliminary actions such as students taking their shoes off inside if the student kicks or having their fingernails cut short if they scratch.
- Use approaches that aim to teach social skills and reinforce desired behaviours, combined with planned incentives.
- If the student has a safety plan or an individual behaviour plan, follow the processes outlined in this plan.
Acceptable physical contact
Acceptable physical contact
Staff may need to physically support students.
For advice and examples of what is acceptable, see the Ministry of Education guidelines on minimising physical restraint (PDF, 10MB).
Three principles help determine what physical contact is acceptable:
- The ākonga is willing to be touched.
- It is for the benefit of ākonga.
- It is limited to appropriate areas of the body, generally shoulders, arms, hands and upper back, unless it is a prescribed technique for a specific purpose.
Situations involving acceptable physical contact to support students happen in schools every day to:
- develop skills
- provide emotional support
- aid and assist
- support positioning and posture
- support communication.
Useful resources
Useful resources
Minimising the use of physical restraint in New Zealand schools and kura
New rules and guidelines on understanding ākonga distress and minimising the use of physical restraint in schools came into force on 7 February 2023. These supersede the 2017 rules and guidelines.
Positive Behaviour for Learning information sheet: Anticipating and responding to child stress
Read time: 5 min
Information on indicators of child stress and tips for nurturing positive behaviours.
Publisher: Positive Behaviour for Learning
Physical restraint
Read time: 28 min
Information for parents on physical restraint in schools and kura.
Next steps
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Guide to Index of the guide: Behaviour and learning
Understand:
- Understanding behaviour
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Understanding how to respond to problem behaviourShow suggestions for Understanding how to respond to problem behaviour
Strategies for action:
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Foster positive relationships and partnershipsShow suggestions for Foster positive relationships and partnerships
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Collaboratively develop a safe and caring culture and climateShow suggestions for Collaboratively develop a safe and caring culture and climate
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Supporting language and communication skillsShow suggestions for Supporting language and communication skills
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Support emotional wellbeing and positive mental healthShow suggestions for Support emotional wellbeing and positive mental health
- Anticipate, monitor, and plan for responding to child stress
- Strengthen student identity
- Teach stress management, anxiety and coping skills
- Offer relaxation options and downtime activities
- Teach how to recognise emotions and options for expressing feelings
- Providing support following traumatic experiences
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Enable access and participation in learningShow suggestions for Enable access and participation in learning
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Respond safely to challenging situationsShow suggestions for Respond safely to challenging situations
- Use de-escalating behaviour strategies
- Helpful teacher behaviours and communication
- Respond safely to physical aggression
- Managing an incident
- Collaboratively develop a behaviour plan
