Government took ‘too long’ to issue guidance on restraint in schools – Gilruth

The Scottish Government took “too long” to come up with guidance for teachers on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has told MSPs.

Guidance was published in November last year, with Ms Gilruth accepting it had “taken too long”.

She added that part of the reason for the time taken “was of course the pandemic”.

With the guidance now in place she said a review will be carried out to “understand to what extend this new guidance is improving practice”.

Ms Gilruth told MSPs there is “probably” an under-reporting of incidents where seclusion or restraint is used in schools.

She said the Scottish Government will back the general principles of a new Bill which aims to minimise the use of such practices.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson has introduced a member’s Bill at Holyrood to tackle the issue – and while the Education Secretary said the Government will support it at its first vote, changes will be required.

The Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill will, if passed, require schools to inform parents if their child has had to be restrained or put into seclusion.

It will also ensure schools have to report annually on the use of such practices.

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

Ms Gilruth said she is “supportive” of its principles “because I understand the aspiration”.

But while she added there are some “challenges” with the proposed legislation, the Education Secretary said she believes these could “be resolved”, adding that Mr Johnson is “very open” to doing this.

She was speaking to the Education, Children and Young People Committee at Holyrood, which is scrutinising the proposals.

Last month, campaigner Kate Sanger told how her disabled daughter was left “terrified to go to school” after being restrained.

Ms Sanger said: “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.”

The Education Secretary told MSPs she had met Ms Sanger to hear first-hand about the “traumatic effect” such treatment had on her daughter.

Ms Gilruth said: “Let me be clear today, no family should have to experience this.”

She said “practices of restraint are not used in most of Scotland’s schools”, adding it is “not a practice most classroom teachers are trained in”.

The Education Secretary added: “The vast majority of our education workforce does not need to be trained in the use of restraint.

“On those rare occasions where it is deemed necessary, it is important that properly trained staff feel confident to do so, supported by the detailed advice and safeguards that should be followed, as outlined in our guidance on physical intervention.”