Respond safely to physical aggression
Respond calmly to defuse and de-escalate situations.
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Respond rather than react
Respond rather than react
Assess and defuse
Assess and defuse
- Stop and think before acting.
- If the student has a support plan, follow the processes outlined in this plan.
- Adopt a calm manner.
- Use de-escalation strategies outlined in the previous section of this guide.
- Connect with ākonga using relational approaches.
- Remove other students from the area or remove the student to another space or another room. Ask for the student’s cooperation to do this, offering high probability instructions. For example, say, “Would you like to visit Mr Williams or have some time in the library corner?”
- Seek help from other staff using school systems and protocols. When possible, get support from people who have strong positive relationships with ākonga.
- Assist rather than punish the student. Punishing can escalate a situation.
Appear calm
Appear calm
Reasoning with an enraged person is not possible. Your only objective should be to reduce the level of arousal so that discussion becomes possible. We are all driven to fight, flight or freeze when scared. However, to calm down someone who is angry or upset you must appear to be calm yourself, even if you aren't.
Respond to patterns of aggression
Respond to patterns of aggression
Work as a team to identify and address factors that shape behaviour. Develop agreed strategies and ways to respond in times of challenge.
Also read these pages in this guide:
Work with ākonga and whānau to understand what shapes the behaviour.
- Build trusting positive relationships.
- Use approaches that foster wellbeing and teach social and emotional skills.
- Review environments and teaching and learning to ensure the needs of the learner are being met.
- Develop a support plan that includes strengths as well as things that cause distress and known signs of distress.
- Develop early response strategies that can be used to support ākonga at the onset of distress such as ways to approach and talk to ākonga, quiet spaces, time out or movement breaks and visuals or thinking routines.
- Rehearse early response strategies with ākonga and whānau.
Determine if physical restraint is acceptable
Determine if physical restraint is acceptable
Physical restraint is not an acceptable response to physical aggression unless all other options are exhausted.
Use Aramai He Tētēkura, Arise our future generations (Ministry of Education) to guide decision and actions.
Physical restraint as a last resort
Physical restraint as a last resort
Sometimes a plan may identify physical restraint as a last resort.
Please contact your local Te Mahau Office of the Ministry of Education, who will support you if physical restraint is identified as part of a support plan.
If this is the case, teams will need to ensure that:
- all other possible strategies are being explored, including environmental modifications or adaptations that prevent harm and improve safety.
- it is for responding to escalating distress that would result in imminent harm.
- there is informed consent from parents, whānau and caregivers.
- the frequency is monitored and reviewed with the intention to minimise and, when possible, eliminate.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Respond in challenging situations”:
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Current page Respond safely to physical aggression
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Behaviour and learning
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Commit to whole-school approachesShow suggestions for Commit to whole-school approaches
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Foster relationships and partnershipsShow suggestions for Foster relationships and partnerships
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Design learning for allShow suggestions for Design learning for all
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Foster wellbeing and mental healthShow suggestions for Foster wellbeing and mental health
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Embed social and emotional learningShow suggestions for Embed social and emotional learning
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Be proactiveShow suggestions for Be proactive
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Respond in challenging situationsShow suggestions for Respond in challenging situations
- Recognise
- Respond
- Use de-escalation strategies
- Respond safely to physical aggression
- Restore
