The experiences of these children are absolutely- appalling – my heart goes out to them and their families. No child should ever be physically restrained under such conditions and with such a lack of compassion, especially those who are so vulnerable.
Since the allegations of abuse at Whitefield School first came to light I have pushed for a formal review of the circumstances to be carried out. This was agreed but it must now happen without delay to uncover where children who were so badly failed could have been kept safe.
Restraint against children should only ever be used when it is essential to keep a child safe. We need to look again at the guidance and regulation around restraint and so-called ‘calming rooms’ so that, when it is truly necessary, professions have much clearer understanding that it should be used only in the most serious cases and for the shortest time possible.
We also need much earlier support available for children with these additional needs and vulnerabilities, and greater training for teachers in managing them, including how to de-escalate behaviours and reduce the need for restraint – as well as incidences of restraint to be better recorded so that families can be reassured professionals are held accountable for the quality of care their children receive.
