Institute for Childhood Preparedness

De-escalation
Scenarios

Select a scenario with your group. Work through the decision points together, then prepare to report back.

👥 Choose the situation that feels most real to your program
1
Scenario One
The Biting Incident
A parent. A child still in the room. No warning.
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2
Scenario Two
The Custody Pickup
High stakes. Legal pressure. Six kids watching.
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3
Scenario Three
The Tuition Confrontation
Money. Grievances. Drop-off is not the time.
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4
Scenario Four
The Social Media Threat
You can't control the post. You can control the response.
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5
Scenario Five
The Drop-off Meltdown
Not hostile — but still requires every skill you have.
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Report Back
Use these questions to guide your group's report-out. There are no right answers — only honest ones.
1
Have you experienced a situation like this at your program? What happened?
2
What are your immediate priorities in the first 60 seconds?
3
Which CALM techniques would you use — and why those?
4
What if those techniques are not working? What is your next move?
5
Who else needs to be involved — and at what point do you bring them in?
6
What is your hard line? At what point do you call 911?
7
What documentation do you need to create after this is resolved?
8
What is one thing you would do differently starting tomorrow?

Remember: there are no perfect responses to these situations. The goal is awareness, practice, and a plan — so when it happens, you are not deciding for the first time.