New school guidelines aim to eliminate the use of seclusion and physical restraint
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Schools are to receive new guidelines aimed at eliminating the use of seclusion and physical restraint.
The delayed new rules have been in the works since before 2018 when Inclusion Ireland revealed disturbing accounts from children left traumatised by certain staff practices.
Special Education Minister Josepha Madigan has confirmed that a final draft of the guidelines is currently being considered by the Department of Education.
It established a working group to develop guidelines for schools on the prevention and management of “challenging behaviours” including the use of physical interventions on receipt of policy advice from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
Inclusion Ireland previously highlighted the anonymised experiences from parents of their children being restrained or isolated and often left injured as a result.
One parent spoke about how their child had been locked into a toilet by a teacher at his special school.
Another spoke about how their son was locked into a seclusion room “unfit for human use” that had broken blinds and pipes.
The student became so upset and agitated he hurt himself badly on the blinds and pipes. The parent said:
According to the minister, the new guidelines place a “strong focus” on prevention and early intervention strategies for the management of crisis situations “in which physical intervention may be employed only as the last part of a comprehensive, positive and planned behavioural approach by the school".
In response to a recent parliamentary question, Ms Madigan said the new guidelines are “underpinned” by the principles that physical intervention is never used for the purposes of discipline, and that it should be applied “proportionately”, lasting only as long as is necessary to de-escalate the situation.
“The guidelines underline the importance of continued supervision of children during a crisis period including matters related to behaviour and the need for such incidents to be recorded,” she said.
Development of the new guidelines has been informed by evidence showing that positive behavioural approaches and early and ongoing engagement with the school community, including with families, are necessary for the development of effective school policy and practice, she added.
“In developing the guidelines the expert working group reviewed national and international legislative requirements, school governance structures and duty of care considerations directly related to supporting the wellbeing and safety of students and staff.”
The Department of Education is due to engage with stakeholders at the end of April, with the guidelines to be published “soon thereafter.” “The guidelines when issued will apply to all schools. In this regard, consideration is being given to the implementation of guidelines by schools including the kind of supports and training that may be required.”