Why Foster Parents Can’t Restrain — But Texas Public Schools Can: A Double Standard Hurting Foster and Adopted Children
- Kimberly
- Mar 24
- 3 min read
In Texas, foster parents are required to sign agreements stating they will never physically restrain a foster child unless it’s to prevent immediate life-threatening harm. This trauma-informed care policy acknowledges that foster children have often experienced abuse, neglect, and emotional trauma. Physical restraint can retraumatize children, trigger panic, and cause lasting psychological harm. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) understands this, which is why foster parents are trained in de-escalation techniques and therapeutic interventions (DFPS Minimum Standards).
However, Texas public schools are still permitted to restrain those same children — often multiple times throughout a school year. According to the Texas Education Code and reports from Disability Rights Texas, restraint in schools is disproportionately used on children with disabilities, emotional disturbances, and trauma histories — including children in foster care and those adopted from foster care.
Why the State Prohibits Restraint in Foster Homes
Texas prohibits restraint in foster homes (except in life-threatening situations) because of the well-documented emotional and neurological damage it causes. Children who have survived early trauma experience restraint as a reenactment of past abuse. Instead, foster parents receive trauma-informed training that teaches them how to address behavioral challenges through patience, connection, and understanding.
Adopted Children from Foster Care Carry the Same Trauma
What often goes unnoticed is that children adopted from foster care carry the same emotional trauma, developmental challenges, and mental health issues. Adoption does not erase early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Many adopted children live with complex trauma, attachment disorders, ADHD, mood disorders, and anxiety. Despite this, in schools they are treated like any other student — until their behavior escalates and they are subjected to restraint or seclusion. This retraumatizes them and undoes the trust and healing work that happens at home.
Why Schools Still Use Restraint — And Why It’s a Harmful Practice
Schools continue to use restraint because:
Compliance and control are prioritized over trauma-informed practices.
Staff may have restraint training but lack adequate education on trauma and mental health conditions.
Schools fear liability if a behavioral incident escalates.
Systemic policies still allow restraint for non-life-threatening reasons like property damage or defiance.
However, reports from the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and SAMHSA confirm that restraint and seclusion are ineffective, retraumatizing, and often escalate challenging behaviors instead of resolving them.
The Impact on Foster and Adopted Children in Schools
The children most vulnerable — foster youth and those adopted from foster care — are at the greatest risk for being restrained in school. Instead of feeling safe and supported, they leave classrooms feeling fearful, unsafe, and misunderstood. This practice contradicts the trauma-informed principles Texas mandates in foster homes and undermines the well-being of children who already carry emotional and psychological wounds.
What Needs to Change in Texas Schools
Mandatory Trauma-Informed Training for All School Personnel All educators and staff should receive training equal to or greater than what foster parents receive regarding trauma, mental health, and behavior management.
Restrict Restraint to Life-Threatening Situations Only Schools should align with DFPS standards — restraint should never be used for property damage, non-compliance, or minor behavioral issues.
Immediate Transparency and Reporting Parents and guardians must be notified immediately after restraint use, with incident reports and mental health follow-ups.
Investment in Mental Health Resources Schools need on-site counselors, social workers, de-escalation tools, and sensory rooms to support students with trauma and emotional disturbances.
Consistent, Statewide Policy Reform The same trauma-informed care that protects children in foster homes should apply in every classroom. Trauma doesn’t stop at the school door.
Conclusion: End the Double Standard in Texas Schools
Texas has acknowledged that restraint is too harmful for foster children in their homes. It’s time for the state to recognize that the same children — and those adopted from foster care — deserve the same protections in school. We cannot retraumatize vulnerable children in the very places meant to educate and nurture them.
If we are committed to healing and supporting trauma-affected youth, we must end the use of restraint in Texas schools and replace it with compassion, understanding, and mental health-focused solutions.
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