Physical Restraint
OVERVIEW
This is the 2nd of 3 videos in our short series on Physical Restraints, in collaboration with ARCH Disability Law Centre.
This video explains the laws, gaps, and school board policies related to the use of physical restraint in Ontario schools.
You will learn:
why there are no clear province-wide rules
what limited legal guidance does exist
how school board policies can differ from one place to another.
why it is important to ask for written policies, documentation and clear communication from schools
You can find the transcription for this video here (including visual descriptions for the video).
Refer to our glossary if you’re having trouble understanding any of the terms in this series.
What does the law say about the use of physical restraints in schools?
There is no Ontario-wide legislation, policies, or regulations on the use of physical restraints against students in schools. While, there are some parts of the law that briefly deal with physical restraint, these have little relevance to the school setting.
What is the role of school boards in the use of physical restraint?
The lack of laws means that there are no standards to govern and guide schoolboards on when, where, and how physical restraints can be used. Instead, each schoolboard must develop their own policy.
In a review of the publicly available school board policies, physical restraints are to be used only as a last resort option where there is clear imminent danger to the student or another person. However, not all school boards have policies.