More than 250 FCPS employees trained in new model aimed at reducing restraint

*This article, featuring Grafton’s Ukeru division, originally appeared in the Frederick News Post

Frederick County Public Schools has trained more than 250 employees in a behavior management model aimed at reducing physical restraints in its special education programs, officials said Wednesday.

Between June and August, 264 FCPS special educators learned how to implement Ukeru — a Japanese word that means “to receive.” Ukeru is a behavioral intervention model that emphasizes proactive intervention. Educators to use soft pads to block a child who is behaving aggressively.

Teachers could use a pad to protect themselves if a child is punching or kicking, for instance, or they could slide one into place to protect a student attempting to bang their head against the wall or floor.

The model has gained traction in Calvert County Public Schools, another Maryland school system that — like FCPS — found to have overused seclusion and restraint against students with disabilities.

Read the full story here.