Safety in Schools

Inclusive and safe school environments are critical for all students. Educational audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play an essential role working with students, educators, and families. This involves collaboration to establish a safe school climate—highlighting emergency protocols, encouraging engagement in proactive safety planning, and integrating positive school-wide interventions.

Educational audiologists and speech-language pathologists support training students and staff on the meanings of an alarm system, expected procedures, and actions associated with a safety plan. They do this in the following ways:

Ensure that safety plans are easily accessible—this enables them to help people understand where to find this information before an emergency.
Provide safety information and procedures in a visual form—either written or with pictures. This ensures that staff members and students' caregivers are familiar with alarms and expectations.
Communicate with students and families in their languages during all phases of safety planning and operations.

School Safety Drills and Plans

It's important to be aware of—and be prepared to follow/enforce—school safety drills and plans [PDF]. Educational audiologists and SLPs can take the following actions to ensure that safety is a reality in their school environments:

Integrate safety plans into students' individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 plans.

Safety plans that are integrated into IEPs and 504 plans are reviewed—at minimum—yearly and adjusted (if necessary) based on the changing needs of those students.

The Virginia Safety Plan for Students With Special Needs [PDF] offers information, frameworks, and templates for creating a student's customized individual safety plan.

Download and print examples of safety plan–related action steps.

Supporting Specific Populations

Safety planning involves considering specific populations of students—for educational audiologists and SLPs, these populations include students who have communication disorders. School Safety: Supporting Specific Populations addresses strategies for students who use AAC devices and students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH).

Trauma-Informed Care

Educational audiologists and SLPs may receive trauma-informed care training to understand the psychological and emotional impact of trauma. This knowledge helps them (a) approach students and staff with sensitivity and empathy and (b) work together as a school team to support students.

You can apply trauma-informed care models to school environments with the aim of maximizing students' physical and psychological safety and supporting students by encouraging them to participate in their education.

The framework for trauma-informed schools and providers is rooted in Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A System Framework— the MTSS 10 framework developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network in 2017.

Educational audiologists and SLPs are members of the MTSS process—and, as such, they collaborate on the early identification and support of students impacted by trauma.

When working with students from a trauma-informed perspective, remember the following tips:

Be flexible with your plans and interventions. Avoid labeling a behavior as "good" or "bad"; view the student's behavior through a trauma-informed lens.
Support choice and control for students—such as choosing what activities to do in a session.
Focus on healthy, positive relationships. Use high-interest materials and sensory regulation strategies to begin a session—as a way to foster connection.

For more information, visit ASHA's webpage on response to intervention and trauma-informed care.

Collaboration With Mental Health Professionals

Collaborate with school psychologists, counselors, and other mental health professionals to develop comprehensive support plans for students who require intensive intervention. Educational audiologists and SLPs may collaborate with other professionals using interprofessional practice frameworks to support communication during counseling sessions with mental health providers. Following an act of school violence, understand the role of each provider and educator within the crisis management plan.

In the aftermath of violence, some students may struggle with communication due to heightened stress and anxiety. SLPs can provide strategies to help students communicate and express their needs effectively. SLPs who are collaborating with other providers can develop social stories or alternative ways of communicating their well-being to educators.

They can also

adapt a check-in form with visuals in collaboration with a classroom teacher;
provide multiple ways in which a student can respond and communicate feelings;
create a core communication board for social–emotional learning and emotional regulation; and
review and adapt age-appropriate books on stress and anxiety.

Cultural Responsiveness

Cultural and linguistic diversity may impact the way a student responds to their experiences and how they share those experiences with others. Educational audiologists and SLPs provide culturally and linguistically responsive care to their students.

CSD professionals who work in schools should collaborate with their school district leadership to ensure that school staff members are trained to (a) address policies and procedures that impact students and families and (b) provide culturally responsive care (Guarino & Chagnon, 2018). See ASHA's Practice Portal pages on Bilingual Service Delivery, Collaborating With Interpreters, and Cultural Responsiveness.