Seclusion

As the state works on regulations to improve standards and documentation of these practices, some groups have developed alternatives that are catching on here and in other states.

Following the broadcast and publication of a series about the use of seclusion and restraint in private day schools serving students with disabilities, VPM News has learned some changes are being made at a Richmond-based private school to address staff concerns.

For the past decade, Virginia’s Department of Education has been working on regulations for the practices. However, there isn’t an effort to standardize training for teachers and staff who use these methods.

One private Virginia school had a big jump in the number of restraints used on students from one school year to the next. But the numbers only tell part of the story.

Seclusion is confinement of a student alone in a room, and restraint is holding a student to restrict movement. In Virginia, the practices are legal. Some parents and educators say the procedures are necessary to protect students and staff.

The use of seclusion and restraint in schools has come under scrutiny in recent years by states and the federal government following reports of injuries,…