Make Restraint and Seclusion For Special Needs Kids Illegal in Canada
- by: Susan V
- recipient: BC Minister of Education
We all know bullying in schools is a serious problem. But too often it’s inflicted by the schools themselves through use of restraint and seclusion.
Parents and child advocates are joining to end this form of school bullying in British Columbia that often targets special needs kids. A new survey of hundreds of parents shows reason for concern about the repeated isolation of children, usually 5 to 10 years old, in stairwells and closets and about the kinds of physical restraints being used. Furthermore, the survey showed, schools weren’t telling parents about the disciplinary practices.
These practices sometimes cause injury and physical pain and almost always cause long-term emotional trauma to children they‘re used on.
At the very least, the use of any restraint and seclusion should be documented and strictly regulated, and use of these practices on special needs kids should be banned.
Tell the Ministry of Education to make restraint and seclusion of special needs kids illegal in Canada.
We, the undersigned, oppose the use of restraint and seclusion on school children, especially on special needs kids.
Inclusion BC and BC’s Family Support Institute are working to enhance lives of youth with disabilities and to support families who have members with special needs. These groups believe that school practices of restraint and seclusion are hurting kids, not helping them, and the recent survey of parents and guardians supports that belief.
Inclusion BC’s director Faith Bodnar says “School should be a place that is welcoming and supportive for all students, not a place that isolates, alienates and humiliates as a result of seclusion and restraint,” and we agree.
We request that Canada ban restraint and seclusion of special needs kids.
Thanks for your time.
