Positive behaviour
Children and young people who have experienced trauma have particular challenges to overcome. Some kids enter care with a mistrust of adults and a belief that they have to look out for themselves. Because of that, they may react or behave in ways that carers find difficult to manage.
Restricted and prohibited practices
Carers must not use any form of discipline that involves spanking, slapping, shouting, blaming, shaming or ridiculing the child or young person in their care. The law specifically restricts or prohibits the use of certain practices.
Restricted practices
You cannot use restricted practices to manage a child or young person’s behaviour unless they are included in their Behaviour Support Plan. Restricted practices which can only be used as part of an approved Behaviour Support Plan include:
- psychotropic medication for the sole purpose of controlling behaviour
- ‘non-exclusionary’ time-out (used consistently to target a particular behaviour by withdrawing the carer’s attention for a period of time so as not to reinforce the unacceptable behaviour)
- ‘exclusionary’ time-out (the removal of a child or young person from a situation)
- response cost (denying a child or young person valued items or activities as a consequence for unacceptable behaviour)
- restrictive access (limiting a child or young person’s access to items, activities or experiences by means of physical barriers)
- physical restraint to restrain a child or young person.
Talk to your caseworker if you’re unsure whether a form of discipline you’re using is a restricted practice.
Prohibited practices
Prohibited practices are against the law and must not be used in any circumstances to manage the behaviour of children or young people in care. Prohibited practices include:
- any form of corporal punishment (for example, smacking or hitting)
- any punishment that’s intended to humiliate or frighten a child or young person
- any punishment that involves immobilising them with a chemical or physical restraint
- force-feeding or depriving a child or young person of food
- use of medication to control or restrain a child without a Behaviour Support Plan, proper medical authorisation or legal consent
- use of punishing techniques, such as putting a child or young person in a hot or cold bath, putting spice in their food, or squirting liquid on their face or body
- over-correction, where the punishment is out of proportion to the behaviour (for example, making a child or young person clean an entire room because they tipped their meal on the floor)
- confinement or containment (for example, a child being forced to remain in a locked room or other place that they can’t leave)
- punishment that involves threats to withhold family contact or change any part of a child or young person’s Case Plan
- denying access to basic needs or supports
- unethical practices, such as rewarding a child or young person with cigarettes
- any other act or failure to act that is an offence under the civil or criminal laws of NSW.
In a small number of cases, a Behaviour Support Plan may include the use of a restraint such as sedation in specific circumstances.