Safety Concerns

We have a child with a proclivity for bolting, so we wanted to make sure she was safe in school. When we requested a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) the school said “no” because they had not witnessed this behavior.

I researched the policy around FBAs and found that if we request and assessment, we are entitled to that assessment. We returned to the school with our findings and brought letters from our daughters doctors, caregivers, and other people who could vouch for her bolting.

Ultimately, we were able to get an FBA which showed that there were situations that would . After the assessment we developed a safety plan that included 1-on-1 adult supervision on field trips, in hallways, and on trips to the bathroom.

As the environment changed, so did our daughter’s behavior and we needed to update the accommodations to ensure she would be safe. Our ultimate goals in all of this were to increase supervision so she could learn how to keep herself safe and gain further independence.

TIPS:

• The first person you talk to may not be aware of a certain policy, assessment, etc. It is okay to ask for a second opinion of someone above them (or several people above them)

• If you are told “no”, see if there is a policy to support that response

• Bring letters from people close to your child to help support your case during meetings