New guidelines to minimise the use of physical restraint in schools
New rules and guidelines on minimising the use of physical restraint in schools and kura and better understanding the reasons for ākonga distress, take effect from 7 February 2023.
The new rules and guidelines have a strong focus on prevention. They were created in response to calls from educators, parents and disability groups for more clarity on the use of physical restraint in schools, and what is acceptable physical contact.
Key aspects of the new rules and guidelines include:
- All registered schools are to have a physical restraint policy in place by 7 May 2023
- There is a new online physical restraint incident reporting system and schools are to report all physical restraint incidents to the Ministry using the new online incident form
- Teachers and authorised staff are to complete a mandatory online learning module about the new rules and guidelines by 7 February 2024.
More modules, webinars and resources will be available to schools in 2023 and 2024 to support their implementation of the new rules and guidelines.
The Ministry worked in partnership with the Physical Restraint Advisory Group (PRAG) to draft the new rules and guidelines. The PRAG comprised parents, principals, disability and education sector representatives, and the Teaching Council.
The Ministry also consulted with the public on the draft rules and guidelines, and commissioned interviews with children, young people and their whānau about what helps ākonga feel safe and included at school. The Ministry used that information to inform the rules and guidelines.
The new rules and guidelines are available on Minimising the use of physical restraint in New Zealand schools and kura.
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