Child Restraint Policy
- Contents Safety & Quality Guide
- Part of Safety & Quality - Part 3: Appendix
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The Basket Hold
Physically restraining a child is your last resort. This should only be used if the child or other children are in imminent danger. If you must restrain a child, the basket hold is what we recommend you use:
- Approach the child from the side and slightly behind so they are facing away from you.
- Grasp the student’s right wrist with your right hand. Orient your thumb in the same direction as theirs.
- Move the child’s right arm across their upper body and step behind them.
- Move your left arm over the child’s left arm positioning their left arm under yours.
- With your left hand grasp the child’s right wrist.
- With your right hand grasp the child’s left wrist.
- Move the child’s left arm across their body,and hold them firmly. Cross their arms to prevent them from pulling down or away.
- Hold the child against your side or hips to brace them and guard your body against biting, spitting, or head butting.
- Your grip should be firm but not too firm: solid enough to hold the child safely so they cannot break free, but not so tight that you risk blocking their airway or hurting them in any way.
- Keep the child in a basket hold until they are calm, but no more than 2 minutes. Doing a safe and proper basket hold is not easy. We recommend you practice with other staff until you are comfortable with it. And if you have difficulty picturing the steps of the basket hold, Google “basket hold child restraint” and watch a video.
Language
AVOID giving orders like “You have to wait here,” or “You must put the bow down.” Demanding language may further trigger an aggressive response. USE compassionate language such as “Can you help me by waiting here?” or “It would help if you put the cat down.”
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