A Safety Plan should be written if:
- A file review reveals a real possibility of danger to staff,
- Personnel working with the student feel unsafe, or
- There is an incident that causes injury to staff or staff members to feel unsafe.
It is important to ensure that all personnel on staff are aware when a safety plan is needed and those working directly with the student have an opportunity to read the safety plan before working with the student.
A Safety Plan is NOT the same as a Behaviour Plan. Safety Plans are created as a means to control risk when there is reasonable cause to believe that a student may injure a staff member or district employee. Safety planning is a process and the goal is to identify the stages of escalation and appropriate responses.
Members should also know that they are part of the discussion when it comes to the development of the Safety Plan if they have been working with the student. If you are excluded from this discussion and are then presented with a plan that does not address your safety concerns, you need to articulate your concerns, and if your concerns are not being addressed you need to contact an Elected Union Representative before you sign off on the Safety Plan.
The School Districts “Proactive Planning for Safety” guide may help to provide further insight into the rationale and the steps involved when it comes Safety Plans and the reporting process for Violent Incidents.
In Solidarity