Restraint being used as ‘first approach’ in Scotland’s schools, MSPs told

Restraint is being used as a “first approach in many instances” when dealing with  disruptive youngsters, a mother whose learning disabled child was restrained on her first day at secondary school has told MSPs.

Campaigner Kate Sanger spoke about the treatment her daughter suffered, saying it left her “terrified to go to school”.

With Holyrood’s Education, Children and Young People Committee considering a Bill from Labour MSP Daniel Johnson which aims to minimise the use of restraint and seclusion by schools, she told MSPs her daughter was “restrained and isolated on the very first day” of secondary school.

Ms Sanger said her daughter had been born with a “rare syndrome” which meant she has a severe learning disability and complex communication disorder.

She told the MSPs: “In her primary and nursery school she never experienced restraint or seclusion, and never knew what it was to be restrained or locked away in a place.

“However, on the first day of her secondary school, she was restrained and isolated on the very first day at school.

“This really affected her because several months into her school years she would scream every time she has seen the uniform.

“She didn’t have much vocalisation and verbal skills then so that was her way of telling me she was terrified to go to school.”

Ms Sanger has been campaigning on the issue for more than a decade, along with fellow parent Beth Morrison, whose son was restrained at school in 2010, leaving him “traumatised” and with more than 60 bruises on his body.

That prompted Ms Morrison to set up the group Shame (Scotland’s Hidden Abuse Must End) with Ms Sanger saying it had since heard from more than 600 parents with similar experiences.

She said youngsters could suffer “severe bruising, broken teeth, burst lips” as a result of being restrained, as well as injuries such as a dislocated elbow or a  bleeding and broken nose.

“Just recently a six-year-old non-verbal child was taken to the floor by two adults and she sustained a broken collarbone,” Ms Sanger said.

“The list goes on, too many injuries to mention.”

She added that parents are often not told their child has been restrained, saying “the only reason why they knew their children were being restrained was they were coming home with bruises and cuts”.

She told MSPs: “They were never informed, it was always the injuries that sparked off the knowledge that their child was being restrained.”

Ms Sanger continued: “In one month, since the schools went back in August we have had 81 families in one month contact us, and show us the pictures and the horror stories yet again of restraint.”

She added: “We all hear that restraint should be the last resort, it is not happening, it is happening as a first approach in many instances.”

Mr Johnson’s Bill, if passed, would require schools to inform parents if their child has had to be restrained or put into seclusion.

The Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill would also ensure
schools have to report annually on the use of such practices.

It has been backed by both the charity Enable, and Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Nicola Killean.

Ms Killean insisted to the committee it was “absolutely vital that this Bill is taken forward”, adding that the legislation was “an important opportunity to be able to put greater protections in place for children and young people across Scotland”.

She said: “I fully support the Bill and am really grateful to Daniel Johnson for bringing the Bill, and the parents and carers and organisations who have campaigned for many, many years to make this significant milestone.”

Meanwhile, Dr Simon Webster, the head of research and policy at Enable, said the use of restraint and seclusion would “cause harm” to children.

He said: “Even when done with good intent, with training, you have to assume restraint and seclusion can cause lasting damage to children and young people, including many children with disabilities.

“That is why we’re so pleased Daniel Johnson has brought forward this Bill.”