The use of potentially damaging “safe spaces” for children and young people may be increasing, claims the British Institute of Learning Disabilities Limited (BILD).
BILD has collected evidence of 32 separate practice examples of the use of “time out” for children and young people throughout the UK since 2008. In many cases these examples were brought to the charity’s attention by investigating authorities or worried parents and professionals who had seen them being used.
This issue was highlighted by the recent case, reported on the BBC, of the secure enclosure created for a student with autism at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway on the isle of Lewis, Scotland. The metal fencing structure, which was described by the local MSP Alasdair Allan as “a cage”, has since been dismantled by the council.
However, BILD suggests that examples of similar environments can be found all over the UK. Far from helping to calm down young people with learning disabilities and autism, the charity claims that such environments can, in fact, increase distress and feelings of isolation. Moreover, while such practises are often defended by the suggestion that they increase the safety of the child, BILD points to the case of Jonathon King, a thirteen-year-old pupil in Georgia, USA who killed himself after being put in a time out cell at his special education school.
The charity argues that the Government needs to provide clear guidance on the use of force at school to ensure that practices such as “time out” and “seclusion” are not carried out by staff who believe they have a lawful excuse.
“Children are extremely vulnerable and deserve to be protected”, says Sharon Paley of BILD, “they are entitled to such protection morally and legally, why do intelligent people believe that isolating a child in a space effectively imprisoning them is either helpful or legal?”
