Biting, Foster Care, and a Preschool That Wants to Suspend
Malik is 3 years 2 months old and attends an inclusive preschool. He entered foster care four months ago after neglect and now lives with his aunt; he has supervised visits with his mother twice weekly. He has a 30-word vocabulary and uses gestures. In the past six weeks there have been seven biting incidents, mostly during transitions and when another child takes a toy. He covers his ears during the fire drill, rocks, and has 20-minute tantrums. The director says, 'We may have to suspend him; he's not ready.' The teacher uses a time-out chair in the hallway and says, 'He bites because he's bad.' The aunt is overwhelmed and says, 'Please don't call ACS-they'll take him away.' The classroom has 16 children, one teacher, and one assistant; there is no visual schedule. A speech-language pathologist consults one morning per week.
1. Analyze the likely functions of Malik's behavior and critique the current responses, including the hallway time-out and the 'bad' label.
Read the worked answer
Biting is most likely serving more than one function: escape from transitions and demands, access to a toy, and possibly sensory or emotional regulation after visits or during loud events. The pattern shows antecedents (transition, toy taking) and consequences (adult attention, removal, access). The hallway time-out is problematic because it may function as escape, removes him from instruction, and may be a seclusion if he cannot leave and is unsupervised; it also does not teach a replacement behavior. Calling him 'bad' is stigmatizing and inaccurate; behavior is communication, and a 3-year-old with a 30-word vocabulary and a trauma history has limited ways to express needs. The director's suspension threat is also a red flag: suspension does not teach skills, increases the risk of lost services, and for a child with an IEP may trigger disciplinary protections. The lack of a visual schedule and the noisy fire drill are setting events that can be changed.
2. Outline an FBA/BIP process, including trauma-informed and communication supports.
Read the worked answer
FBA: define biting operationally; collect ABC data across settings for two weeks; include setting events (visits, sleep, hunger, noise), antecedents, behavior, and consequences; interview the aunt and teacher; use a motivation assessment scale. Hypothesis: 'When a toy is taken or a transition is announced, Malik bites to regain the toy or escape the transition; loud noises and fatigue increase the likelihood.' BIP: prevention-visual schedule, timers, transition warnings, duplicate toys, choices, quiet corner, headphones, predictable adult; teaching-request 'my turn,' 'break,' 'help,' and use a picture or AAC; reinforce safe requests; response-block biting, comfort the peer, brief neutral redirection, no shame; crisis plan-supervision, de-escalation, never prone restraint. Trauma-informed: predictable routines, a safe adult, permission to take breaks, no seclusion, teach feelings, and coordinate with a therapist. Family: meet with the aunt, listen to her fear, explain confidentiality and the difference between reporting and supporting; involve the foster care caseworker and SLP or OT; offer parent training and respite resources. The SLP should assess communication and help design the replacement responses.
3. How should the team respond to the director's suspension threat and the aunt's request not to call ACS? Address legal, ethical, and collaborative considerations.
Read the worked answer
On suspension: the team should resist suspension as a first response. The director's threat should be met with a plan: convene the IEP team, review the FBA/BIP, increase supervision during transitions, provide crisis staff, and document. If Malik is suspended, the district must consider whether the removal is a change in placement and whether it is a manifestation of his disability; repeated removals can deny FAPE. The least restrictive environment is the inclusive classroom with supports, not exclusion. On ACS: the aunt's request cannot override the teacher's legal duty. Under New York law, a mandated reporter who has reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect must call the Statewide Central Register and file a written report; fear of family consequences is not a legal reason to withhold. But the teacher should not threaten or promise; if the current situation does not meet the threshold, the teacher should consult a supervisor and document the conversation. The team should explain to the aunt that the goal is support, not punishment, and connect her with the caseworker and a family advocate. Ethical collaboration means being honest about the limits of confidentiality while maintaining trust.