Complaint Summary

Date:

December 11, 2024

Case Number:

25-0158

Grade Level:

Middle

Person filing complaint:

Parent

School District:

Enfield Public Schools (single student)

Allegation(s):

• The Parent alleges that the Student was involved in an emergency seclusion and the Student received an injury/bruise during the emergency seclusion which was not reported on the Incident Report of Emergency Seclusion. (RCSA) § 46a-152(d) requires that any use of physical restraint or seclusion on a person at risk shall be documented in the person's medical or educational record. The documentation shall include (1) in the case of emergency use, the nature of the emergency and what other steps, including attempts at verbal de-escalation, were taken to prevent the emergency from arising if there were indications that such an emergency was likely to arise, and (2) a detailed description of the nature of the restraint or seclusion, its duration and its effect on the person's established medical or behavioral support or educational plan. Such documentation shall be completed no later than the school day following the incident. The requirement also exists that, if the use of such restraint or seclusion results in physical injury to the student, the District shall report the injury.

Conclusion(s):

• In this case, the pictures that the Parent has provided show a light bruise on the Student’s abdomen. There is also no information indicating that after the seclusion on that day an injury was reported to a staff member which may have prompted an examination by the school nurse in order to verify the injury. Given the location of the bruise in the pictures, this area of the Student’s skin would not have been readily viewable unless the Student’s shirt was raised for some reason, which is not typical in a school setting. Further, given the light nature of the bruise, even if the shirt were raised, there is a strong possibility that the bruise may not have been noticed or identified as a bruise/injury. All of the facts related to the lack of recording the Student’s injury on the Incident Report of Emergency Seclusion indicate that, whether or not the Student received an injury during the emergency seclusion, that injury was located on the Student’s body, covered by clothing in a manner as to make it not readily evident for staff to notice and included as part of the Incident Report of Emergency Seclusion. It is the conclusion of this investigator that the Student’s injury was not deliberately left off of the Incident Report of Emergency Seclusion. No corrective actions will follow.

Corrective Action(s):

• Not applicable