(15th Edition
ST ELIZABETH’S SCHOOL
Risk Management, Emotional and Behaviour
Support Policy (Incorporating Team Teach Policy)
Date: 6th September 2010
Policy to be reviewed by: 3rdth September 2011
Aims:

To create an environment where people feel happy safe and secure, where
confident staff can reassure people who are anxious, helping people build and
maintain positive relationships; allowing staff to offer boundaries and choices with
care in accordance to the individuals agreed plans of care and education.

To implement systems that facilitates the smooth flow of up to date and relevant
information for the benefit of the young people in our care.

Implement the TEAM TEACH philosophy at St Elizabeth’s School, ensuring the
safety of children and staff.

Ensure that any intervention provided is tailored to meet the needs of each
individual.

Staff teams be able to engage in dialogue and reflection considering to minimise
the use of Physical intervention, by adopting strategies and managing
environments in a way that reduces risks.

Ensure that relevant documentation in relation to Team Teach will be coded
under the SETT system to ensure clear organisation and easy use. (Please refer
to the St. Elizabeth’s Team Teach Code directory at the end of this Policy
document).

To ensure that the Nexus incident recording software is maintained and updated
as and when needed, this is to be overseen by the School Vice Principal and
Duty Office

To continue provide training in order for staff to become familiar with the NEXUS
recording system.

Detailed A3 planners / risk assessments are to be provided for each child within
our care. The planners are to be presented in a format that ensures that the
document is versatile enough to be used across the 24hr day.

The Detailed A3 planners to be available to all parents (To be reviewed if child
protection issues are in place) and appropriate external authorities on request .

Members of the multi-disciplinarily team including parents assist the Emotional
and Behaviour Support Co-Coordinator. In formulating the A3 planners in a clear
and coherent style

Detailed planners and risk assessments are to be reviewed at least a minimum of
six months.

Hard copies of detailed planners and risk assessments are to be treated
confidentially at all times.

Risk Assessments, Chillout Room Policy and relevant SETT paperwork should
be stored in a safe area within the class and home unit Behaviour Support
folders.

Original detailed risk Assessments and relevant SETT documents are to be
maintained and stored with the Emotional and Behavioural support advisor.
Definition:

Explain guidelines on how the staff team should present physical intervention in a
caring environment using TEAM.TEACH methods, within a frame work of
behaviour management separating risk from behaviour

Staff are to understand that physical intervention is only to be used as a last
resort to manage risk and not behaviour, and understand the difference.

Behaviour management should always try to operate within the agreed guidelines
of the ILP’s, Care Plans and behaviour support plan (A4s)

Detailed Planners / Risk Assessments should ensure the safe management of
our students / pupils within the guidelines of TEAM TEACH, whenever the
guidelines of TEAM TEACH in relation to physical intervention are applicable.

Enable the staff team to be consistent in the management of students / pupils
who can present an element of risk to themselves or others.

Ensure quality of care. This Policy will be regularly updated within the TEAM
TEACH guidelines.
Guidance

The Law clearly explains that when risk or severely challenging behaviour
manifests itself, all possible responses must be considered, and if they appear to
be failing in their intention, then approved physical intervention (or safe holding)
can be employed to manage the behaviour of a child who is in distress for the
shortest possible period of time and as a last resort.
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
Every pupil / student has an ILP, behaviour support plan, which includes a Plan
for Managing Challenging Behaviour listing the named TEAM TEACH holds
that are appropriate. (for Pupil / Students who do not require physical
intervention, it will be clearly stated that physical intervention is not required).

The Detailed Planners and Risk Assessments are to be written for every
individual child and student within the school, and tailored to their individual and
specific needs by the Emotional Behaviour Support coordinator, with input from
all the teams and therapists that provide support education and care for the child
student throughout the 24hr day. The documents will highlight and recognise
what support and strategies are appropriate for the individual, identifying what
physical interventions may, or may not be appropriate for the individual child or
student. The planners will also clarify and identify what course of action the
senior management teams will take if the identified risk continues to be
unacceptable, once all the guidelines are in place and have been followed.

To acknowledge that Team Teach techniques seek to avoid injury to the client,
but it is possible that bruising and scratching may occur accidently, and these are
not to be seen necessarily as a failure of professional technique, but a regrettable
and infrequent side effects of attempts to keep people safe.

From September 2010 all significant Incidents that involve the use of physical
interventions are required to be reported to parent(s). The Law requires that each
parent is informed when significant force has been used on their child. Local
Authorities will also be informed for children under a Care Order, or Looked After
under section 20 of the Children’s Act 1989, even though the local authority do
not have parental responsibility for these children.

Agreements will be made between each individual child’s parents, and the school
leadership team in regards to how, and when they would like to receive reports in
relation to incidents that have involved the use of physical intervention on their
child.

A list of identified staff members allocated to report to parents in regards to the
use of physical intervention, will be created to ensure consistency in regards to
the flow of information to parents, and local authorities.
Significant incidences are deemed as:The use of a restraint technique is significant
An incident of unreasonable force will always be deemed as significant
Any incident where a significant degree of force has been used. Ie physically
pushing a pupil out of a room would be significant.
An incident where a child was very distressed (though clearly not over reacting)
would be significant.
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1.1
New pupils / students will be assessed over a six week period (Using the SETT
2b document) to see if any form of physical intervention is required. Should
TEAM TEACH holds be appropriate during this period then the TEAM TEACH
instructor(s) must be notified so an immediate assessment of the hold can be
made. (The weekly checks will also identify the use of TEAM TEACH holds).
1.2
A meeting will be held at the end of the six weeks with residential and academic
staff to discuss which TEAM TEACH approach is deemed appropriate (If any) for
the new pupils / students.
1.3
To decide if a pupil / student requires to be held or what holds are appropriate,
each child will be individually assessed using the Detailed risk assessments and
Environmental Planners agreed by the TEAM TEACH instructor and fellow
professional care workers who work with the Pupil / Student on a daily basis, as
well as the leadership team.
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
These records are to be filed within the residential and academic pupils / students
Care and Behaviour management plans, as well as the individuals Unit files and
Team Teach master file
To ensure the safety of staff members, all staff will be risk assessed by asking
them to complete there own risk assessment (SETT 3). The responsibility of
updating the staff risk assessments is the TEAM TEACH instructors, whenever,
they present training. However, staff also have a responsibility to ensure that their
personal risk assessments are up to date; any changes to their ability to perform
physical interventions must also be made known to their line manager.
Every time a TEAM TEACH hold is used, the incident must be written up by the
staff members who were at the scene ‘holding / physically intervening’, and
recorded on the Nexus recording system
Records of Physical Intervention on the Nexus recording system will be
monitored by Emotional behaviour Support coordinator by auditing on a
fortnightly basis.
Hard copies of the Nexus reports will be kept on file by the Emotional Behaviour
Support Coordinator.
Unit / Class Behaviour Support Files will contain the following information
contained within Four Sections:Front Sheet (explaining the different sections and the responsibilities of the staff to read
the documents and sign to say that they have read and understood the information
provided.
Section 1
A copy of the Emotional Behaviour Support Policy & Quiet Support Room Policy, including
Team Teach protocols and staff signature sheets
Section 2
A3 Size Detailed Risk Assessments and Positive Behaviour Planners, which staff need to
sign acknowledging that they have read and understood the documents
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Section 3
Copies of Staff Risk Assessments (SETT 3s) relevant to the pupils / students within the
units.
Section 4
Blank Record of Accident or Injury to Pupil or Student, and Accident or Injury to staff
1.8
Fortnightly audits from the Nexus recording system are to be produced on the
and copies given to the residential and school staff teams.
1.9
Records of dangerous occurrences are to be given a log number by the
administration staff with a hard copy filed within the school office
1.10
Every half term an audit of all ground recovery holds, from Residential and
Academic, should be e-mailed to TEAM TEACH in the form of a Nexus report
1.11
Whenever possible all incidents involving ground recovery holds should be
reported to the pupils / students parent/s and to a named person within the
placing authority. This should take place within 48 hours via a phone call and
written reports received no later than three working days following the ground
recovery incident.
Staff Responsibilities
The Staff have a responsibility to work within the agreed management strategies.
2.1
2.2
Staff should attend the TEAM TEACH courses whenever they are notified
whenever possible(a minimum of 12 hours for new staff, and a minimum of 6
hours to refresh staff who have already participated on a TEAM TEACH course at
St Elizabeth’s.
Staff are to ensure that they make a decision to the best of their ability to provide
care in a professional, calm and positive manner using the TEAM TEACH
methods.
2.3
Team Teach courses will require two trained Advanced instructors on a maximum
ratio to one instructor to eight candidates, i.e. the maximum number of candidates
per course equals sixteen
2.4
Staff should sign the St Elizabeth’s Team Teach Declaration at the end of the 12hr
intro course
2.5
As far as possible, staff are to be made aware of changes or amendments to the
pupils / students ILP’s, Care and Education Plans, which includes individual
Detailed Risk Assessments and Positive Behaviour Planners (Incorporating
the SEAL programme) which clearly outline what physical intervention techniques
appropriate for each individual.
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2.5a
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
The Emotional and Behaviour Support Co-ordinator must try to ensure that all
Positive Behaviour planners / risk assessments are produced with up to date
information from all the relevant people who provide the care and education for
the individual pupil / student
Staff are to the best of their ability to minimise the duration of ‘holds/physical
interventions’ to last for the shortest possible period of time and only used as
a last resort (using the soft mats provided on each of the units whenever
possible).
Staff are to always try and call senior staff on duty, if a pupil / student is being held
for a duration longer than Five minutes. (this rule does not apply for offsite trips
and Guide to ground recovery holds, please see 2.8 and 2.10 below)
Staff are to call the Duty Office or Senior Academic staff to notify that a physical
Intervention has occurred off site as soon as it is safe to do so by mobile
phone even though the physical intervention may or may not have lasted for
fifteen minutes.
If a physical Intervention occurs whilst a vehicle is moving, then the vehicle must
stop as soon as it is safe to do so.
Once the physical intervention has stopped and the environment is safe, then the
vehicle can continue on its journey after the Duty Office or Senior Academic staff
have been notified.
However; If the environment does not allow the vehicle to continue due to the
risks involved, then staff are to request help by notifying the Duty Office or Senior
Academic staff, and somebody will be sent to help relieve the situation.
Whenever a Guide to Ground Recovery (this does not include wrap to chairs)
physical intervention is used, the emergency Bleep must be used as soon as it is
possible to notify the nurse on duty as well as senior residential and academic
staff.
The Five minute rule does not apply to these holds as they are to be treated
as an emergency at all times.
2.11
Whenever staff employ Guide to Ground recovery physical interventions, the
Nurse on duty must be bleeped as soon as it is possible, to take the role as the
clients advocate.
The Nurse also has the right to make the decision to stop the physical intervention
and to tell the staff to remove themselves from the pupil / student if they believe
that there is a medical risk to either the client or the staff.
If it is not possible for the Nurse to arrive on the scene due to other medical
demands placed upon them, then only the senior member of residential and
academic staff assumes the advocacy role until the Nurse is available.
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2.12
Once a Guide to Ground recovery physical Intervention has occurred then a
medical health check must be completed within one hour after the incident.
The health check is to be completed by a medically qualified person using the
SETT 24 document
2.13
All staff who participate in Guide to Ground Recovery holds must have a debriefing session as soon as it is possible to do so after the incident, preferably
before they go home.
The outcome of the de-brief should be recorded on the relevant Nexus incident
report by the Emotional Behaviour Support Coordinator. Confidential de-briefing
should also occur within regular Supervision sessions, and any concerns are to be
recorded.
Academic staff are to be de-briefed by the Academic management
2.14
Duty Office or Senior Academic staff should be informed of all guide to ground
holds as soon as possible, so that they can attempt to inform parents, Social
Workers on the same day of the event.
De- Briefing the Pupil / Student
3.1a
3.2a
Whenever a pupil / student has experienced a physical intervention staff should
always try to ensure that they give the pupil / student support, as when they are
ready to receive it, The support is appropriate to their needs, explaining to them
that the hold was only employed to keep people safe.
Staff should always try to use language that is caring when physically holding a
pupil / student. Key words such as ‘Keeping you safe’ and ‘caring for you’ must
be used whenever physical interventions occur. The pupils / students must feel
they are being held to keep them safe. The children / students must never be
held as a punishment
Recording/Monitoring
3.1b
The Emotional and Behaviour Support Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring
that all records are up to date, accurate and organised in line with Team Teach
requirements, and designated departments requirements.
TEAM TEACH Instructors are also responsible for keeping within the Team
Teach guidelines and code of practice
3.2b
Physical Intervention forms will be completed as soon as it is possible after the
‘physical intervention/hold’ has taken place.
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
Pupils / students who are assisted by TEAM TEACH in relation to their personal
care are assisted if the pupil / student has severe learning disabilities, and
requires physical assistance to ensure that they are supported in receiving
appropriate personal care as part of their care plan
An example of when physical support would be given is if a pupil / student was
likely to bite or scratch themselves or staff when being helped to dress
Pupils / students are to have all their holds recorded on a SETT 14 document
then audited at the end of the month on a SETT 15 document which is then
copied to the Head of care and School Principal.

TEAM TEACH holds to be used in relation to personal care are only to be used
after a TEAM TEACH instructor has approved the use of the holds with the
Senior Care Team and the following three guidelines are in place.
1. The only approved holds to be used in relation to personal care are the
Wrap / Single Elbow / Double Elbow / Figure of Four.
2. The Care Plan must state when and why they are to be used (SETT 26)
3. The Care Plan must give clear guidance that the holds are only to be used
to assist the pupil / student when in need of personal care, and that there
must be a clear strategy in place to try to reduce the use of physical
interventions in providing assistance in personal care.
3.3
All staff that have attended TEAM TEACH training sessions will sign that they
have attended the course (SETT 5).
3.4
All training sessions will be evaluated by the staff who attend these sessions,
using an official TEAM TEACH evaluation document.
3.5
These documents will be audited and filed to enable the Instructor to write a
report on the staff evaluation of the training. This report is sent to George
Matthews (Director of Team Teach) to ensure quality control of the training.
3.6
All correspondence will be filed for reference.
3.7
The TEAM TEACH Instructor will then complete the Physical Intervention
Weekly Record sheet for every ‘physical hold’. This fortnightly record will be
completed and filed from the School and Home Unit records every 2nd Monday.
3.8
All other TEAM TEACH documentation will be kept within the Duty Office or
relevant academic offices.
3.9
All Team Teach Instructors must refresh themselves before every training
session by watching the Team Teach Instructors CD Rom to ensure techniques
are correct
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3.10
All Team Teach instructors are responsible for ensuring that they are kept
updated by visiting the Team Teach website at least once a month to keep
updated
Recording/ Monitoring Advanced Holds
3.11
3.12
3.13
3.14
All critical incidents involving ground recovery (Advanced) holds must be
reported to the appropriate ‘’higher authority / funding authority’’ external to the
provision of St. Elizabeth’s within 24 working hours of the event. This should be
via a telephone call by senior staff from either the academic or residential teams.
A written report in the form of a Nexus incident report including the de-brief and
medical documentation must be sent to the appropriate authorities within three
working days.
Evidence of the phone call being made and report being sent must be recorded
on SETT 29, which is stored within the residential master files.
Once a pupil / student has been identified as possibly requiring advanced holds,
a written letter must be sent to a recognised named person within the young
persons local authority explaining the protocols and path of information in
relation to the use of Advanced holds.
3.15
Individuals who present the possibility of high risk must be added to the high risk
register (SETT 27)
3.16
Highly detailed A3 Risk Assessments must be completed by the teams of people
who are working with individuals who can present serious risk of significant harm
to either themselves or others.
3.17
These Risk Assessments are to be kept in locations where the identified
individuals live and study ensuring that the staff have knowledge of the agreed
management of risk.
3.18
Managers have a duty to ensure that these risk assessments are up to date and
relevant to the setting they are referring to, and that staff are fully aware of the
assessments and planners that are in place
3.19
Repeated episodes of the use of guide to ground or advanced holds within a
period of 12hrs must prompt managers to consider the active involvement of
outside agencies such as Parents/ Police /Ambulance/ GP/ Social Services, in
order to re-evaluate the situation
3.20
Records in relation to the use of advanced holds must be returned to Team
Teach as in line with Team Teach protocol at the end of every term.
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3.21
3.22
3.23
A copy of the Team Teach Minimum Safeguards Standards document must
be made available for every member of staff who are working in areas where the
use of Team Teach is in place, a hard copy is to be kept in the unit and class
Behaviour Support Files .
All parents should be given a reasonable opportunity to be aware of this policy’s
existence. References to this document should be made during visits in which a
young person is being considered for placement. School promotional literature
should also inform prospective parents and authorities that the school has a
Policy in relation to the use of positive handling to manage risk..
Parents and Authorities should be provided a copy of this document when ever
they request it
Complaints Procedure
4.1
4.2
All parents, pupils / students and authorities have a copy of the St Elizabeth’s
complaints procedure. All parents are fully aware of the use of the T.E.A.M.
T.E.A.C.H.
Should any parent have any concern with regard to the use of physical
intervention then explanations or demonstrations would be carried out. The
reasons of necessity of physical intervention would be discussed and
additional agreed strategies would be implemented
SETTS are the St. Elizabeth’s Team Teach paperwork templates that have been
designed to accommodate the Team Teach requirements
SETT 1
- Record of Receipt of Health Questionnaire and Manual
SETT 3
- Staff Risk Assessment document
SETT 5
- Record of attendance to Team Teach training
SETT 6
- Team Teach Declaration
SETT 24 – Medical Check forms
SETT 26 – Reasons for Using Care Plan Holds
SETT 28 – Staff Policy acknowledgement sheet
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SETT 29 – Record of transition of information to parents and named
persons in relation to residential and academic incidents that have
required the use of advanced holds to keep people safe
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