Virtual presentation presented by the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint
Hosted by Durham Advocates for Exceptional Children, Empowered Parents in Community, BE ME Occupational Therapy
Tuesday May 5, 2026 6:00pm-7:30pm
Join DAEC, EPiC, and BE ME OT, as we learn from the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint’s Founder and Executive Director, Guy Stephens, why restraint and seclusion are dangerous, traumatizing practices, and what North Carolina families, educators, and advocates can do to reduce and eliminate their use in schools
We will examine how these practices disproportionately affect disabled, neurodivergent, Black, and Brown students—and how they contribute to long-term trauma and the school-to-prison pipeline. Participants will gain practical strategies to promote trauma-informed, neuroscience-aligned, neurodiversity-affirming, relationship-driven, and collaborative approaches in North Carolina schools, and will learn when restraint and seclusion are (and are not) permitted under North Carolina law and what concrete steps families can take if a student is restrained or secluded, including where to find local advocacy and legal support.
Registered participants will have access to a recording of the presentation.