READY CHAIR PROTOCOL FYI
Note: It is important to stay positive with Child and reinforce his good behavior to help him be sucessful.
1. Antecedants- Look for clues to Client’s inappropriate behavior before they happen. If the client is restless, does he not follow a direction after 2 requests, catch the antecedents to prevent behaviors from escalating. When the antecedent occurs, redirect Client to an appropriate activity.
2. If Client does not follow the redirection and displays inappropriate behavior, use the Ready Chair. This is a chair placed to the side of the room, facing the room, where the client is to sit until he/she calms down and is able to review the events and repair the problem.
3. Problem Identification- Ask Client, “What happened/Why are you in the Ready Chair?” If he/she needs help, give visual and verbal assistance to answer the question.
4. Problem Solving- Ask Client, “What should you do?” Again, if he/she needs help, give visual and verbal assistance to answer the question.
5. Repair- Client repairs the situation. In other words the consequence should fit the inappropriate behavior. If he/she was saying mean things, he/she should be asked to find something else he could say/find a nice thing to say. Help him/her observe how his/her actions make another person feel while looking at their face.
Another example for not listening the 1st time, is to have Client practice listening before he/she leaves the ready chair.
6. Once Client has done the above steps, he is free to leave the Ready Chair. Reinforce positive behavior.
The above is important as we are models for Client (Client copies what adults do) and he/she needs to see us remain calm and solve a problem with the correct actions, so that he/she too can learn to do the same. The above steps will help him/her learn the correct behavior by practicing it and establishing positive behavior patterns.
Note: No physical lifting or restraint is to be used. The child must simply be redirected to sit in the chair and prevented from engaging in other activities by having the activities removed.