Building a Safer School: Creating Inclusive Safety Plans for Students with Special Needs

In today’s increasingly diverse educational landscape, the importance of creating safe and inclusive environments for all students, including those with special needs, cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, many schools struggle to incorporate the unique needs of students with disabilities. A comprehensive and inclusive school safety plan helps schools accommodate the needs of a diverse student population and creates a safe and supportive school environment—which is why PublicSchoolWORKS has created this resource on building inclusive school safety plans. Read on to explore the benefits of inclusive safety measures and discover how PublicSchoolWORKS can support your school in achieving these goals.

Identifying Potential Safety Risks and Challenges for Students with Special Needs

School safety plans list the actions that students, teachers, and school staff will take in response to an emergency. To develop an inclusive plan, it’s crucial to consider the physical, medical, developmental, sensory, and communication needs of students.

1.     Physical Accessibility and Mobility

Physical accessibility and mobility concerns are critical factors to consider in safety planning. Some students use adaptive equipment and devices to assist with mobility, such as a wheelchair, walker, crutches, etc. Other students may walk with an unsteady gate and/or are prone to falls. For these reasons, safety plans should account for:

• Students who are unable to evacuate independently.
• Students who will require the assistance of a staff member, and who will provide that assistance.
• Assistive/adaptive devices that must remain with a student.
• How to keep students safe once they have evacuated a building.

2.     Students with Medical Conditions

School safety plans should also account for the needs of students with medical conditions. Plans should specify the medical devices/medications that must remain with a student (e.g., Epi-pen, inhaler) and the staff members responsible for ensuring students receive the care they need.

3.     Sensory Sensitivity

Different signals are used to alert students to emergencies (e.g., sounds, lights, announcements). Some students become distressed when exposed to loud noises, bright lights, and in crowds. Their distress could create confusion or panic, which could jeopardize their safety. When creating safety plans, it is important to consider strategies to minimize sensory triggers yet do not interfere with student safety.

4.     Communication Barriers

Communication barriers can hinder a student’s ability to understand and follow safety procedures. During an emergency, students with speech or language impairments, hearing loss, autism, developmental impairments, and students who speak a language other than English may struggle to understand verbal instructions or communicate their needs to others. When developing safety plans, a vital consideration is how to communicate essential information in ways that all students can understand. One idea is to develop visual aids for use in emergencies.

Strategies for Inclusive School Safety Planning

Creating an inclusive and safe school environment requires thoughtful planning and individualized strategies. Below, we delve into key approaches for developing inclusive safety plans, including collaboration among stakeholders, the establishment of clear protocols, and the importance of effective training.

1.     Collaborate

Collaboration between school staff, parents, and students is vital to the safety of students. By working together, stakeholders can identify how to meet the unique needs of students and protect their safety during an emergency.

Many students with disabilities and/or medical conditions have individualized written plans (504 Plans, IEPs, Health Care Plans) that are developed through a collaborative process. As part of this process, team members should consider if specific accommodations are needed to keep a student safe in an emergency, and, if so, how to document and communicate those accommodations to the educators and staff members who will provide them.

2.     Create Clear Protocols

Developing clear protocols is essential to creating effective school safety plans. Everyone in the school should have a common understanding of what is expected of them during an emergency in relation to the needs and safety of individual students.

In addition, all areas of the school should be included in planning, such as transportation, auxiliary locations for which the school is responsible, and any events that occur outside of regular school activities (e.g., sporting events, performances, etc.)

3.     Engage Students with Special Needs

Additionally, the school should consider how it can better engage and support students with special needs in the development of these plans.

Schools are required to teach emergency response procedures to students. Many students with disabilities receive accommodations and modifications to assist with instructional activities. These same supports should be used when teaching and practicing emergency response plans.

4.     Provide Training to Staff and Educators

Training and professional development for staff members is essential in creating an inclusive school safety and security plan. Training is an effective way to educate everyone on their roles and responsibilities during an emergency. Training all staff with our online training courses such as Autism Awareness or Transporting Students with Special Needs can help prepare them if they need to step in during an emergency and help a student with special needs who they don’t usually work with.

5.     Regularly Conduct Drills

A crucial component of an effective safety plan is conducting drills. As part of drills, staff should consider “if-then” scenarios for the variables that could develop during an emergency or created by a student’s abilities and needs.

For example, if a primary evacuation route becomes blocked or unsafe to travel, then what secondary routes are available and what challenges do those routes create?

This preparation can help staff members confidently provide a safe and effective response during an emergency.

Benefits of Implementing Inclusive School Safety Measures

Enhanced safety and well-being for all students is the primary benefit of implementing inclusive school safety and security measures. Appropriate accommodations and support strategies can help prevent injuries or harm during an emergency situation.

Improved school climate is an additional benefit of inclusive school safety and security planning. When students feel safe and secure they are better able to grow academically, emotionally, and socially.

In today’s increasingly diverse educational landscape, the need for schools to create safe and inclusive environments has never been more critical. By implementing comprehensive and inclusive school safety measures, we can foster a culture of empathy, understanding, and support for all students, ultimately creating a nurturing environment that promotes learning and growth.

PublicSchoolWORKS is proud to partner with schools on their journey towards greater school safety and inclusivity. With our expertise and dedication to transforming health and safety in the K-12 community, we invite you to partner with us in creating an inclusive district that ensures a safe and supportive environment for every student. Reach out to PublicSchoolWORKS today to learn more about how our solutions can support your school in achieving a truly inclusive school safety plan.