Why Safety Planning Matters in School Social Events: Lessons From a Special Education Case

BACKGROUND: Emergencies during school social activities are often overlooked, as these events are typically assumed to be covered by general safety plans. METHODS: This study examined an emergency during a school-wide social event in a special education school using qualitative interviews. Data were collected from 32 school personnel and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The results highlight four areas: (1) planning gaps, (2) panic response, (3) event conditions, and (4) limited organizational learning. School social activities function as temporary risk ecologies in which spatial, sensory, and relational factors reshape roles, coordination, and safety management. Preparedness remained narrowly classroom-based and did not translate into organizational change following the event. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Schools should implement event-specific safety protocols with clearly defined roles, coordinated supervision, and contingency planning for nonclassroom settings, with explicit attention to accessibility and differentiated support in special education contexts. CONCLUSIONS: School safety planning must move beyond routine classroom assumptions and incorporate event-specific operational structures that address coordination, accessibility, supervision, and adaptive decision-making during school social events.