Every day, special education staff across the world show up with dedication, patience, and professionalism but far too many face serious safety risks with little protection or recognition. To uncover the truth, we have just launched the 2025 Special Education Staff Safety Survey and the early results are already raising red flags.
If you work in special education, we want your voice to be heard. But first, here’s what your colleagues have shared so far.
Early Findings from the 2025 Special Education Staff Safety Survey
Every day, special education staff around the world show up with dedication, patience and professionalism, yet far too many face serious safety risks with little protection or recognition. To understand the scale of the problem, we launched the 2025 Special Education Staff Safety Survey, and even at this early stage the results are raising red flags.
These findings are more than numbers on a page. They reveal daily realities, long-term risks and the tough decisions that influence staff retention, recruitment and the financial stability of schools. If you work in special education, we want your voice to be heard. But first, here’s what your colleagues have shared so far.
1. Have you ever been bitten, scratched, pinched or physically injured by a student?
- 51.6% – Yes (occasionally)
- 39.1% – Yes (regularly)
- 9.4% – No
More than 90% of respondents have been injured at work. This means that for most Special Education staff, physical harm is not an isolated event but an ongoing hazard.
Every injury comes with potential medical costs, sick leave, reduced morale and, in some cases, the loss of experienced staff who decide the job is no longer worth the risk. Schools that fail to address this not only face higher staffing costs but also disrupt student learning when experienced teachers leave.
2. What country are you based in?
- 60.3% – United States
- 33.3% – United Kingdom
- 3.2% – Canada
- 3.2% – Other or unspecified
While the majority of early responses are from the US and UK, the issues are universal showing that staff safety is a concern across borders. This also means solutions must be adaptable to different legal, budgetary and cultural contexts.
3. Do you feel the general public understands the safety risks faced by Special Education staff?
- 75.4% – No
- 12.3% – Yes
- 12.3% – Unsure
If three out of four staff believe the public is unaware of their safety risks, that gap in understanding has consequences. Public opinion influences political will, which in turn affects funding and policy. If taxpayers and decision-makers do not see the scale of the problem, investment in safety training, staffing and equipment is unlikely to be prioritised.
4. Do you feel your workplace has clear protocols in place for responding to aggressive or dangerous behaviour?
- 63.5% – Yes
- 30.2% – No
- 6.3% – Unsure
Having a written policy is not the same as having an effective, enforced one. High injury rates despite the presence of protocols suggest that either the procedures are not fit for purpose, staff are not fully trained to use them, or there are not enough staff available to implement them safely. This creates a gap between “on paper” safety and real-world protection.
5. Has your school or organisation taken any steps in the past academic year to improve staff safety?
- 65.1% – Yes
- 25.4% – No
- 9.5% – Unsure
It is encouraging that two-thirds have seen new safety initiatives, but a quarter report no changes at all. In environments where incidents happen weekly or daily, even one year without change is a missed opportunity to prevent harm.
6. Cons of Wearing PPE
- 40% – Comfort or mobility concerns
- 38% – Appearance or stigma
- 25% – Cost to the school
- 15% – No concerns
The top two barriers are about design and perception, not outright refusal. This suggests that if protective clothing is comfortable, discreet and well-communicated to staff and parents, uptake could be far higher. For schools, the real question is whether the short-term cost of PPE is outweighed by the long-term savings from fewer injuries, less sick leave and lower turnover.
7. Do you believe having protective clothing would make you feel more confident and safer when dealing with aggressive behaviour?
- 84.6% – Yes
- 15.4% – No
Confidence affects decision-making, stress levels and job satisfaction. Staff who feel safer are more likely to stay in their roles, work more effectively and recover faster from incidents. This statistic suggests that PPE is not just about injury prevention, it is about improving the entire working environment.
8. If your school provided protective clothing designed to reduce bite and scratch injuries, would you wear it?
- 86.2% – Yes
- 13.8% – No
High willingness means implementation barriers are logistical and financial, not cultural. If schools know their staff want PPE, the question becomes whether budgets and procurement processes are aligned to make it happen.
9. Are you aware that specialist bite-resistant clothing exists for Special Education staff?
- 47.7% – No
- 52.3% – Yes
Awareness is a no-cost improvement area. Simply ensuring staff know about available solutions could reduce injury rates without any major structural change.
10. Have you ever used makeshift protection such as extra layers, padding or household items to protect yourself from bites or scratches?
- 52.3% – Yes
- 47.7% – No
More than half of respondents have resorted to improvised protection. This is a red flag. Not only can makeshift gear be ineffective, but it also signals that staff feel unsafe and unsupported. It can also affect the professional image of the classroom, potentially impacting relationships with students and parents.
11. Does your school currently provide any form of protective clothing or PPE to reduce injury risks?
- 18.5% – Yes
- 81.5% – No
If fewer than one in five staff are provided with PPE, injury rates will remain high. For schools, the cost of providing PPE could be offset by lower insurance premiums, reduced absence costs and improved staff retention.
12. Have you ever considered leaving your role due to safety concerns?
- 38.5% – Yes
- 61.5% – No
Losing nearly 40% of experienced staff due to safety fears would be a disaster for student continuity and school budgets. Recruitment costs, training time and the loss of institutional knowledge all take their toll.
13. Has dealing with aggressive behaviour negatively impacted your mental health?
- 67.7% – Yes
- 32.3% – No
Mental health issues lead to higher absenteeism, increased staff turnover and reduced teaching effectiveness. For schools, supporting staff wellbeing is not just a moral responsibility, it is a strategic one.
14. On average, how often do you experience aggressive or injurious behaviour from students?
- 24.6% – Daily
- 33.8% – Weekly
- 18.5% – Monthly
- 23.1% – Rarely or never
If more than half of staff experience aggression at least weekly, this is not a rare occurrence. It should be factored into training, staffing levels and safety budgets as a regular operational challenge.
15. Where Injuries Happen
- Hands – 78%
- Arms – 75%
- Face – 40%
- Torso – 35%
- Legs – 28%
These are predictable injury sites, which means they can be targeted for protection. By focusing PPE design here, schools can maximise injury reduction without fully covering the body, addressing both cost and comfort concerns.
16. Have you experienced an injury from a student that required medical attention?
- 29.2% – Yes
- 70.8% – No
Medical treatment means medical bills, time off work and in some cases, long-term injury. Even a single serious incident can cost a school far more than providing PPE to multiple staff members.
What Happens Next
These early results reveal a clear pattern: frequent injuries, high willingness to use PPE, low awareness of available solutions and a significant mental health impact. The cost of inaction will be measured not only in money, but in the loss of experienced professionals and the strain placed on those who remain.
The full 2025 Special Education Staff Safety Report will explore the complete dataset and provide actionable recommendations. If you are responsible for protecting staff, now is the time to start planning.
What Is the Survey About?
We’re collecting real-world data from professionals in special education: teachers, support staff, administrators, and specialists. The goal is simple, to expose safety risks and help schools and organizations improve staff protection.
The results will be compiled into the 2025 Special Education Staff Safety Report, freely available to participants and decision-makers across the sector.
Your education experience matters. Whether you’ve been injured, know someone who has, or simply want better safety standards, we want to hear from you.
Take the Anonymous Survey Now
- Takes under 2 minutes
- 100% anonymous
- Be entered into a prize draw for a £150/$200 Amazon gift card or a BitePRO® Turtleneck Jacket
- Get a free copy of the full Safety Report
